Joseph Robinette Biden Jr., commonly known as Joe Biden, was born on November 20, 1942, in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He’s a prominent American politician affiliated with the Democratic Party. Biden currently holds the position of the 46th President of the United States.
Before his presidency, Joe Biden served as the Vice President of the United States from 2009 to 2017 under President Barack Obama. Prior to that, he represented the state of Delaware in the U.S. Senate from 1973 to 2009.
Joe Biden’s political journey began when he was elected to the New Castle County Council in 1970. He later won a seat in the U.S. Senate in 1972. During his time as a senator, Biden played key roles in passing significant legislation, including the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act and the Violence Against Women Act. He was also involved in overseeing several U.S. Supreme Court confirmation hearings.
Although Joe Biden ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1988 and 2008 without success, he was selected by Barack Obama as his running mate in the 2008 presidential election. They won the election and Biden served as Vice President for two terms.
In the 2020 presidential election, Joe Biden, along with his running mate Kamala Harris, won against the incumbents, Donald Trump and Mike Pence. This victory made Biden the oldest president in U.S. history and marked the first time a female vice president, Kamala Harris, held the position.
As president, Joe Biden has tackled various domestic and foreign policy issues. He signed important legislation such as the American Rescue Plan Act to address the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn. He also worked on bipartisan bills related to infrastructure and manufacturing.
Additionally, Biden has been active in foreign affairs, rejoining the Paris Agreement and overseeing the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, ending the war in Afghanistan. He responded to the Russian invasion of Ukraine by imposing sanctions on Russia and providing support to Ukraine.
In April 2023, Biden announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination in the 2024 presidential election, continuing his political journey.
Joe Biden Early life
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. was born on November 20, 1942, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Scranton, Pennsylvania, to Catherine Eugenia “Jean” Biden and Joseph Robinette Biden Sr. He grew up in a Catholic family of English, French, and Irish heritage, with a sister named Valerie and two brothers named Francis and James.
Joe Biden’s family initially lived comfortably in the suburb of Garden City on Long Island, but they faced financial difficulties when Joe Biden was young, leading them to live with his maternal grandparents in Scranton for a while. During this time, Scranton experienced economic hardship, and Joe Biden’s father struggled to find consistent work. Eventually, when Biden was ten years old, the family moved to an apartment in Claymont, Delaware, and later settled in a house in nearby Mayfield. Biden Sr. eventually found success as a used-car salesman, allowing the family to enjoy a middle-class lifestyle.
During his time at Archmere Academy in Claymont, Joe Biden was active in sports, playing baseball and excelling as a halfback and wide receiver on the football team. Despite not being a top student, he served as class president during his junior and senior years, ultimately graduating in 1961. He then attended the University of Delaware, where he briefly played freshman football and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1965, majoring in history and political science.
Joe Biden has dealt with a stutter since he was young, but he has worked to overcome it since his early twenties. He has spoken about how he practiced reciting poetry in front of a mirror to help improve his speech.
Marriages, law school, and early career (1966–1973)
Biden got married to Neilia Hunter, who was studying at Syracuse University, on August 27, 1966. They faced some hurdles because of differences in religion, but they managed to have their wedding in a Catholic church in Skaneateles, New York. They were blessed with three children: Joseph R. “Beau” Biden III, Robert Hunter Biden, and Naomi Christina “Amy” Biden.
After finishing law school at Syracuse University in 1968, Biden had a tough time in his class and ranked 76th out of 85 students because he copied parts of a paper. Despite this setback, he became a lawyer in Delaware in 1969.
Initially, Biden worked at a law firm in Wilmington, and he actually saw himself as more of a Republican. But he wasn’t happy with some of the conservative politics around, so he supported a more liberal Republican candidate in 1968. He didn’t want to join the Republicans, though, mainly because he wasn’t a fan of the Republican presidential candidate, Richard Nixon.
In 1969, Biden started working as a public defender before joining a law firm connected to a local Democrat. He also got involved in trying to improve the Democratic Party in the state and eventually became a registered Democrat himself. Alongside his legal work, he also managed properties to earn extra money.
In 1970, Biden ran for a seat on the New Castle County Council, where he pushed for issues like more affordable housing in suburban areas. He won the election and served on the council until 1973, opposing big highway projects that he thought could disrupt neighborhoods in Wilmington.
Biden didn’t really take a clear stance on the Vietnam War until he decided to run for the Senate. But he eventually spoke out against President Nixon’s handling of the war. He managed to avoid the draft during his university days by getting student deferments and a medical deferment in 1968 due to asthma he had as a teenager.
U.S. Senate campaign in Delaware 1972
In 1972, Biden took on Republican incumbent J. Caleb Boggs and won the race to become the junior U.S. senator from Delaware. Many didn’t think he stood a chance, especially since he had limited campaign funds. However, Joe Biden’s family members ran the campaign and personally reached out to voters, distributing position papers by hand. This grassroots approach was possible because Delaware is a small state.
Biden also received support from the AFL–CIO and Democratic pollster Patrick Caddell. His campaign focused on various issues like the environment, ending the Vietnam War, civil rights, improving public transportation, fair taxation, healthcare, and addressing dissatisfaction with traditional politics.
Despite trailing Boggs by a significant margin just before the election, Biden’s energy, young family, and ability to connect with voters resonated well. He managed to win the election with 50.5% of the vote.
The presidential campaign of 2024
On April 25, 2023, Joe Biden formally declared that he would run for president again in 2024, ending months of conjecture. Harris would again serve as his running mate. It’s interesting to note that this declaration was made precisely four years following the start of his 2020 presidential campaign.
Quentin Fulks was named principal deputy campaign manager, while Julie Chávez Rodriguez was named campaign manager. Lisa Blunt Rochester, Jim Clyburn, Chris Coons, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Gretchen Whitmer, and Tammy Duckworth were among the co-chairs of the campaign.
A Gallup poll conducted the day before Biden’s announcement showed that he had a 37% approval rating. Concerns about the economy being their main priority were voiced by the majority of poll participants. Joe Biden has made a point of outlining his strategies for accelerating economic expansion and spearheading the COVID-19 pandemic recovery during his campaign. He frequently uses his dedication to “finishing the job” as a call to action for his followers.
Positions in Politics
Political scientist Carlo Invernizzi Accetti claims that Joe Biden’s political views are frequently classified as moderate or centrist. Accetti contends that Biden’s strategy, which incorporates concepts from the center-left and center-right, is inspired by an Americanized kind of Christian democracy. Joe Biden has said that the Catholic philosopher Jacques Maritain—who is credited with igniting the Christian democratic movement—had a profound influence on his way of thinking. Some commentators liken Biden’s philosophy to classical liberalism, which places a premium on individual rights protected by a powerful federal government as well as liberty, equality, and justice.
To maintain the hiring capacity of businesses, Joe Biden has suggested rolling back some of the corporate tax rates from the Tax Rates and Jobs Act of 2017. He does, however, only favor increasing the corporation tax rate to 28% rather than returning it to its pre-2017 level of 35%. He voted in favor of both the Trans-Pacific Partnership and NAFTA, giving him a mixed record on trade accords. He is a fervent supporter of the Affordable Care Act and wants to see it improved and expanded, with some of the funds coming from rolling back some of the Trump administration’s tax cuts. To enhance coverage, his healthcare plan offers the option of public health insurance.
Over time, Joe Biden’s views on social issues have changed. Although he initially opposed constitutional amendments that would have outlawed same-sex marriage statewide and backed the Defense of Marriage Act, he has since come around to supporting same-sex marriage after 2012. Despite his past intimate ties to law enforcement, he has advocated for police reform and is in favor of decriminalizing cannabis.
In terms of the environment, Joe Biden has supported conservation initiatives and co-sponsored strict climate laws in the Senate. He has also advocated for action against climate change. By 2035, he wants the power sector to be carbon-free, and by 2050, he wants net-zero emissions. Additionally, he has highlighted energy efficiency and environmental justice programs.
In terms of international policy, Biden supports confronting China head-on and taking action against violations of human rights. He is in favor of an Israeli-Palestinian two-state solution and opposes direct US action in conflicts such as Libya. He has promised to review U.S. policy toward Saudi Arabia, back arms control agreements like New START with Russia, and acknowledge the Armenian genocide formally.
Regarding reproductive rights, Biden has continuously backed Roe v. Wade and pushed to get rid of the Hyde Amendment. He has taken action to defend abortion rights in the United States and has condemned restrictive abortion restrictions implemented by Republican-controlled states. He has also supported federal legislation that codifies Roe safeguards.