Joe Biden

Joe Biden (born 1942) is the 46th President of the United States. He served as vice president under Barack Obama from 2009 to 2017 and is a member of the Democratic Party. Biden ran for president against Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election, and won by 306 electoral votes to Donald Trump’s 232. Biden was sworn in as president on January 20th 2021.

Interesting Facts

• Joe Biden is the oldest elected president of the United States. He is also only the second Catholic - the first was John F. Kennedy.
• Biden has two dogs that have moved into the White House with him: Champ and Major. Major was adopted by the Biden family in 2018 from the Delaware Humane Association and has made history by becoming the first rescue dog to live in the White House.

Joe Biden Quotes

“Together, we shall write an American story of hope, not fear. Of unity, not division. Of light, not darkness… May this be the story that guides us.”

"America has been tested, and we've come out stronger for it. We will repair our alliances and engage with the world once again."

"We see the first woman in American history elected to the national office, Vice President Kamala Harris. Don't tell me things can't change."

A Short Biography of Joe Biden

Joseph Robinette Biden Jr was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania in 1942 to a Roman Catholic family. Biden struggled with a stutter as a child and teenager, which he bravely overcame by practising poetry in the mirror and through public speaking.

He became a lawyer after graduating from the University of Delaware and Syracuse Law School in New York. His political career began when he was elected to the US senate in 1972. At just 29 years old he was one of the youngest people to become a U.S. Senator.

In 1978, Biden’s first wife Neilia and one year old daughter were killed in a tragic car accident and his sons were both injured. He thought about quitting his new position to look after his two boys, but the Senate leader pleaded for him to stay and he eventually kept the seat for 36 years. In 1979 he helped reduce the risk of global nuclear disaster by securing an agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union.

Biden ran for president on two occasions before becoming vice president. His first campaign was for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination but he withdrew after it was claimed parts of his speech were taken from a speech by British Labour Party leader Neil Kinnock. His 2008 presidential campaign ended when he withdrew from the race and the Democratic presidential nomination was secured by Barack Obama. In August 2008 Obama announced Biden as his choice of vice presidential nominee.

Obama and Biden defeated the Republican candidate John McCain and Sarah Palin, his running mate, in November 2008. In January 2009 Biden took the oath of office as vice president. Obama and Biden were re-elected for a second term in November 2012.

Biden had an active role in the administration as vice president, supporting President Obama’s policies and acting as an influential adviser. In 2017 Obama surprised Biden with the Presidential Medal of Freedom to thank him for his service just before they both left their positions.

Republican Donald Trump became President in 2017, but Biden remained a high profile figure in US politics and in April 2019 announced he was running for president for a third time. After becoming the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee he announced Kamala Harris as his running mate.

In the 2020 election, Biden won by 306 electoral votes to Donald Trump’s 232, and on January 20th Biden was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States. Kamala Harris became the first female vice president.

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