Early Life and Education
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. was born on November 20, 1942, in Scranton, Pennsylvania, to a middle-class family of Irish Catholic descent. His father, Joe Biden Sr., worked as a used car salesman, and his mother, Jean Finnegan, was a homemaker. The family later moved to Delaware, where young Joe attended Archmere Academy, a private Catholic high school, graduating in 1961. He then enrolled at the University of Delaware, graduating in 1965 with a double major in history and political science. Biden went on to earn his Juris Doctor from Syracuse University College of Law in 1968, though he struggled academically, ranking near the bottom of his class. After passing the bar, he worked as a public defender and later co-founded a law firm.
Entry into Politics
Biden's political career began in earnest in 1970 when he was elected to the New Castle County Council. Two years later, at age 29, he ran for the U.S. Senate against incumbent J. Caleb Boggs and won by a narrow margin, becoming the sixth-youngest senator in American history. But just weeks after his election, tragedy struck. On December 18, 1972, his wife Neilia and 13-month-old daughter Naomi were killed in a car accident caused by a tractor-trailer. His two young sons, Beau and Hunter, were critically injured. Biden was sworn into the Senate from his sons' hospital room in January 1973, a moment that defined his early career. He commuted daily by train from Delaware to Washington, D.C., to be with his family.
Senate Career and Personal Life
Biden rebuilt his life and remarried in 1977 to Jill Tracy Jacobs, a teacher who later earned a doctorate in education. They had a daughter, Ashley, in 1981. In the Senate, Biden served on the Judiciary Committee, where he oversaw Supreme Court nominations, and the Foreign Relations Committee. He was known for his work on the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 and the Violence Against Women Act. However, his career was also marked by controversies, including a 1988 plagiarism scandal that forced him to withdraw from the presidential race. Despite this, he remained a respected legislator and was re-elected six times.
Failed Presidential Bids and Vice Presidency
Biden first sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 1988 but withdrew after admitting to plagiarism. His second attempt in 2008 also failed, as he received less than 1% of delegates. However, Barack Obama selected him as his running mate, and Biden served as Vice President from 2009 to 2017. In that role, he oversaw the implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, helped shape foreign policy on Iraq and Afghanistan, and led the Cancer Moonshot initiative. In 2015, his eldest son, Beau Biden, died of brain cancer, a loss that deeply affected Biden and influenced his decision not to run for president in 2016.
Presidential Campaign and Presidency
In 2019, Biden announced his third presidential campaign, positioning himself as a moderate capable of defeating Donald Trump. He won the Democratic nomination and the 2020 general election, becoming the 46th president at age 78, the oldest person ever elected to the office. His presidency has been defined by managing the COVID-19 pandemic, passing the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, a bipartisan infrastructure bill, and the Inflation Reduction Act. He also reinstated the U.S. in the Paris Climate Agreement and oversaw the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, which drew criticism. Biden has faced ongoing health challenges, including skin cancer surgery in 2019 and a diagnosis of prostate cancer in 2025, for which he underwent radiation therapy.
Health Battles and Retirement from Politics
Biden's health has been a subject of public interest. In early 2025, he was diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer, leading to a course of radiation therapy that he completed successfully. He also had multiple skin cancer lesions removed. Despite these battles, he continued to serve as president until the end of his term. In July 2024, Biden announced he would not seek re-election, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee. His decision came after pressure from within his party regarding his age and poll numbers. He remains active in public life, focusing on cancer research and veterans' issues.
Source: gala.de News