Joe Biden: Difference between revisions

At [[Archmere Academy]] in Claymont,{{sfn|Witcover|2010|pp=27, 32}} Biden played baseball and was a standout [[Halfback (American football)|halfback]] and [[wide receiver]] on the [[high school football]] team.<ref name="nyt-father" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Frank |first=Martin |date=September 28, 2008 |title=Biden was the stuttering kid who wanted the ball |page=D.1 |newspaper=[[The News Journal]] |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/delawareonline/access/1742718581.html?FMT=ABS |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130601081204/https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/delawareonline/access/1742718581.html?FMT=ABS |archive-date=June 1, 2013}}</ref> Though a poor student, he was [[class president]] in his junior and senior years.{{sfn|Witcover|2010|pp=40–41}}{{sfn|Taylor|1990|p=99}} He graduated in 1961.{{sfn|Witcover|2010|pp=40–41}} At the [[University of Delaware]] in [[Newark, Delaware|Newark]], Biden briefly played freshman football,<ref>Biden, ''Promises to Keep'', pp. 27, 32–33.</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Domenico |last=Montanaro |title=Fact Check: Biden's Too Tall Football Tale |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/fact-check-bidens-too-tall-football-tale-flna1c6504609 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121221225751/https://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/16/14489712-fact-check-bidens-too-tall-football-tale |archive-date=December 21, 2012 |publisher=[[NBC News]] |date=October 16, 2012}}</ref> and, as an unexceptional student,<ref name="nyt091887" /> received a Bachelor of Arts degree with a [[double major]] in history and [[political science]] in 1965.<ref name="ap-timeline" />{{sfn|Taylor|1990|p=98}}

== Marriages, law school, and early career (1966–1973) ==

=== Death of wife and daughter ===

=== Second marriage ===

Biden was a longtime member of the [[United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations|Senate Foreign Relations Committee]]. He became its ranking minority member in 1997 and chaired it from June 2001 to 2003 and 2007 to 2009.<ref name="aap08-365" /> His positions were generally [[Liberal internationalism|liberal internationalist]].<ref name="nyt-foreign">{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/24/world/americas/24iht-policy.4.15591832.html | title=In Biden, Obama chooses a foreign policy adherent of diplomacy before force | last=Gordon | first=Michael R. | newspaper=The New York Times | date=August 24, 2008 | access-date=November 5, 2009 | author-link=Michael R. Gordon | archive-date=February 27, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130227192937/https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/24/world/americas/24iht-policy.4.15591832.html | url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="lat-foreign" /> He collaborated effectively with Republicans and sometimes went against elements of his own party.<ref name="aap08-365" /><ref name="lat-foreign" /> During this time he met with at least 150 leaders from 60 countries and international organizations, becoming a well-known Democratic voice on foreign policy.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2008/09/23/meetings_with_foreign_leaders.html |title=Meetings with Foreign Leaders? Biden's Been There, Done That |last=Kessler |first=Glenn |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=September 23, 2008 |access-date=November 5, 2009 |author-link=Glenn Kessler (journalist) |archive-date=January 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120112112314/https://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2008/09/23/meetings_with_foreign_leaders.html |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Biden became interested in the [[Yugoslav Wars]] after hearing about [[Serbs|Serbian]] abuses during the [[Croatian War of Independence]] in 1991.<ref name="nyt-foreign" /> Once the [[Bosnian War]] broke out, Biden was among the first to call for the "[[Lift and strike (Bosnian War)|lift and strike]]" policy.<ref name="nyt-foreign" /><ref name="aap08-365" /> The [[Presidency of George H. W. Bush|George H. W. Bush administration]] and [[Presidency of Bill Clinton|Clinton administration]] were both reluctant to implement the policy, fearing [[Balkans|Balkan]] entanglement.<ref name="nyt-foreign" /><ref name="lat-foreign" /> In April 1993, Biden held a tense three-hour meeting with Serbian leader [[Slobodan Milošević]].<ref name="wapo-bosnia">{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/06/AR2008100602681.html | title=Biden Played Less Than Key Role in Bosnia Legislation | last=Kessler | first=Glenn | newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] | date=October 7, 2008 | access-date=November 5, 2009 | author-link=Glenn Kessler (journalist) | archive-date=August 26, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090826101923/https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/06/AR2008100602681.html | url-status=live}}</ref> Biden worked on several versions of legislative language urging the U.S. toward greater involvement.<ref name="wapo-bosnia" /> Biden has called his role in affecting Balkan policy in the mid-1990s his "proudest moment in public life" related to foreign policy.<ref name="lat-foreign" /> In 1999, during the [[Kosovo War]], Biden supported the [[NATO bombing of Yugoslavia|1999 NATO bombing of FR Yugoslavia]].<ref name="nyt-foreign" /> He and Senator [[John McCain]] co-sponsored the McCain-Biden Kosovo Resolution, which called on Clinton to use all necessary force, including ground troops, to confront Milošević over [[FR Yugoslavia|Yugoslav]] actions toward [[Kosovo Albanians|ethnic Albanians]] in [[Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija|Kosovo]].<ref name="lat-foreign" /><ref name="wsj082508">{{cite news | url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB121954185485266719 | title=Biden, McCain Have a Friendship—and More—in Common | last=Holmes | first=Elizabeth | newspaper=The Wall Street Journal | date=August 25, 2008 | access-date=November 5, 2009 | archive-date=October 16, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016194520/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB121954185485266719 | url-status=live}}</ref>

Biden was a strong supporter of the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)|War in Afghanistan]], saying, "Whatever it takes, we should do it."<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Crowley|first1=Michael|title=Hawk Down|url=https://newrepublic.com/article/politics/hawk-down|magazine=[[The New Republic]]|quote=Even before Obama announced his run for president, Biden was warning that Afghanistan, not Iraq, was the 'central front' in the war against Al Qaeda, requiring a major U.S. commitment. 'Whatever it takes, we should do it,' Biden said in February 2002.|date=September 24, 2009|access-date=January 24, 2021|archive-date=October 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016194518/https://www.newrepublic.com/article/politics/hawk-down|url-status=live}}</ref> As head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he said in 2002 that Iraqi president [[Saddam Hussein]] was a threat to national security and there was no other option than to "eliminate" that threat.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna18381961 |work=[[Meet the Press]] |title=MTP Transcript for April 29, 2007 |first=Tim |last=Russert |publisher=[[NBC News]] |date=April 29, 2007 |page=2 |author-link=Tim Russert |access-date=January 24, 2021 |archive-date=December 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201208191954/https://www.nbcnews.com/id/18381961 |url-status=live}}</ref> In October 2002, he voted in favor of the [[Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq]], approving the [[U.S. invasion of Iraq]].<ref name="lat-foreign" /> As chair of the committee, he assembled a series of witnesses to testify in favor of the authorization. They gave testimony grossly misrepresenting the intent, history, and status of Saddam and his secular government, which was an avowed enemy of [[al-Qaeda]], and touted Iraq's fictional possession of [[weapons of mass destruction]].<ref>{{#invoke:cite news||first=Mark|last=Weisbrot|author-link=Mark Weisbrot|date=February 18, 2020|access-date=August 28, 2021|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/feb/17/joe-biden-role-iraq-war |title=Joe Biden championed the Iraq war. Will that come back to haunt him now?|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210109174540/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/feb/17/joe-biden-role-iraq-war|archive-date=January 9, 2021|work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> Biden eventually became a critic of the war and called his vote and role a "mistake", but did not push for withdrawal.<ref name="lat-foreign" /><ref name="wapo-bosnia" /> He supported the appropriations for the occupation, but argued that the war should be internationalized, that more soldiers were needed, and that the Bush administration should "level with the American people" about its cost and length.<ref name="aap08-365">''Almanac of American Politics'' 2008, p. 365.</ref><ref name="wsj082508" />

== 1988 and 2008 presidential campaigns ==

Biden formally declared his candidacy for the [[1988 Democratic Party presidential primaries|1988 Democratic presidential nomination]] on June 9, 1987.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dionne |first=E. J. Jr. |author-link=E. J. Dionne |date=June 10, 1987 |title=Biden Joins Campaign for the Presidency |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/06/10/us/biden-joins-campaign-for-the-presidency.html |access-date=January 24, 2021 |archive-date=November 5, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171105150453/https://www.nytimes.com/1987/06/10/us/biden-joins-campaign-for-the-presidency.html |url-status=live}}</ref> He was considered a strong candidate because of his moderate image, his speaking ability, his high profile as chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee at the upcoming [[Robert Bork Supreme Court nomination]] hearings, and his appeal to [[Baby Boomer]]s; he would have been the second-youngest person elected president, after [[John F. Kennedy]].<ref name="dmn-87" /><ref name="nyt083187">{{Cite news |last=Toner |first=Robin |date=August 31, 1987 |title=Biden, Once the Field's Hot Democrat, Is Being Overtaken by Cooler Rivals |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/08/31/us/biden-once-the-field-s-hot-democrat-is-being-overtaken-by-cooler-rivals.html |access-date=January 24, 2021 |archive-date=January 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210103084657/https://www.nytimes.com/1987/08/31/us/biden-once-the-field-s-hot-democrat-is-being-overtaken-by-cooler-rivals.html |url-status=live}}</ref>{{sfn|Taylor|1990|p=83}} He raised more in the first quarter of 1987 than any other candidate.<ref name="nyt083187" />{{sfn|Taylor|1990|p=83}}

Earlier that year, Biden had also used passages from a 1967 speech by [[Robert F. Kennedy]] (for which his aides took blame) and a short phrase from [[inaugural address of John F. Kennedy|John F. Kennedy's inaugural address]]; two years earlier he had used a 1976 passage by [[Hubert Humphrey]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dowd |first=Maureen |author-link=Maureen Dowd |date=September 16, 1987 |title=Biden Is Facing Growing Debate On His Speeches |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/09/16/us/biden-is-facing-growing-debate-on-his-speeches.html |access-date=January 24, 2021 |archive-date=January 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210103081135/https://www.nytimes.com/1987/09/16/us/biden-is-facing-growing-debate-on-his-speeches.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Biden responded that politicians often borrow from one another without giving credit, and that one of his rivals for the nomination, [[Jesse Jackson]], had called him to point out that he (Jackson) had used the same material by Humphrey that Biden had used.<ref name="aap08-bio" /><ref name="nyt091887">{{Cite news |last=Dionne | first=E. J. Jr. |author-link=E. J. Dionne |date=September 18, 1987 |title=Biden Admits Plagiarism in School But Says It Was Not 'Malevolent' |work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/09/18/us/biden-admits-plagiarism-in-school-but-says-it-was-not-malevolent.html |access-date=February 4, 2022 |archive-date=April 4, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090404115603/https://www.nytimes.com/1987/09/18/us/biden-admits-plagiarism-in-school-but-says-it-was-not-malevolent.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

Biden has made several false or exaggerated claims about his early life: that he had earned three degrees in college, that he attended law school on a full scholarship, that he had graduated in the top half of his class,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dionne |first=E. J. Jr. |author-link=E. J. Dionne |date=September 22, 1987 |title=Biden Admits Errors and Criticizes Latest Report |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/09/22/us/biden-admits-errors-and-criticizes-latest-report.html |access-date=January 24, 2021 |archive-date=January 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210103081243/https://www.nytimes.com/1987/09/22/us/biden-admits-errors-and-criticizes-latest-report.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media |date=August 23, 2008 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1j0FS0Z6ho |title=1988 Road to the White House with Sen. Biden |publisher=[[C-SPAN]] |via=[[YouTube]] |access-date=January 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230104111625/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1j0FS0Z6ho |archive-date=January 4, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> and that he had marched in the [[civil rights movement]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Flegenheimer |first=Matt |date=June 3, 2019 |title=Biden's First Run for President Was a Calamity. Some Missteps Still Resonate. |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/03/us/politics/biden-1988-presidential-campaign.html |access-date=June 3, 2019 |archive-date=June 3, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190603140340/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/03/us/politics/biden-1988-presidential-campaign.html |url-status=live}}</ref> The limited amount of other news about the presidential race amplified these disclosures<ref>{{Cite book |last=Pomper |first=Gerald M. |url=https://archive.org/details/electionof1988re00pomp/page/37 |title=The Election of 1988 |publisher=Chatham House Publishers |year=1989 |isbn=978-0-934540-77-3 |page=[https://archive.org/details/electionof1988re00pomp/page/37 37] |chapter=The Presidential Nominations |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/electionof1988re00pomp|access-date=August 28, 2021}}</ref> and on September 23, 1987, Biden withdrew his candidacy, saying it had been overrun by "the exaggerated shadow" of his past mistakes.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dionne |first=E. J. Jr. |author-link=E. J. Dionne |date=September 24, 1987 |title=Biden Withdraws Bid for President in Wake of Furor |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/09/24/us/biden-withdraws-bid-for-president-in-wake-of-furor.html |access-date=January 24, 2021 |archive-date=December 21, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171221235355/https://www.nytimes.com/1987/09/24/us/biden-withdraws-bid-for-president-in-wake-of-furor.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

In October 2010, Biden said Obama had asked him to remain as his running mate for the [[2012 United States presidential election|2012 presidential election]],<ref name="nyt1013102" /> but with Obama's popularity on the decline, [[White House Chief of Staff]] [[William M. Daley]] conducted some secret polling and focus group research in late 2011 on the idea of replacing Biden on the ticket with Hillary Clinton.<ref name="nyt-dd-replace" /> The notion was dropped when the results showed no appreciable improvement for Obama,<ref name="nyt-dd-replace">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/01/us/politics/book-details-consideration-of-replacing-biden-on-2012-ticket.html |title=Book Details Obama Aides' Talks About Replacing Biden on 2012 Ticket |last=Martin |first=Jonathan |newspaper=The New York Times |date=October 31, 2013 |access-date=January 24, 2021 |archive-date=January 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210103082553/https://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/01/us/politics/book-details-consideration-of-replacing-biden-on-2012-ticket.html |url-status=live}}</ref> and White House officials later said Obama himself had never entertained the idea.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/blogs/politico44/2013/11/wh-obama-never-considered-dropping-joe-biden-176520 |title=W.H.: Obama never considered dropping Joe Biden |last=Allen |first=Jonathan |newspaper=[[Politico]] |date=November 1, 2013 |access-date=November 3, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104143531/https://www.politico.com/politico44/2013/11/wh-obama-never-considered-dropping-biden-176520.html |archive-date=November 4, 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:P101112ps-488 Air Force One Obama watches VP debate.jpg|thumb|Obama watching Biden debate Paul Ryan in the vice-presidential debate on [[Air Force One]]]]

In the first presidential debate of the general election, President Obama's performance was considered surprisingly lackluster.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 8, 2012 |title=Romney Narrows Vote Gap After Historic Debate Win |url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/157907/romney-narrows-vote-gap-historic-debate-win.aspx |access-date=January 29, 2024 |publisher=[[Gallup, Inc.]] |archive-date=January 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240129055644/https://news.gallup.com/poll/157907/romney-narrows-vote-gap-historic-debate-win.aspx |url-status=live}}</ref> ''Time'' magazine's Joe Klein called it "one of the most inept performances I've ever seen by a sitting president".<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Klein |first=Joe |date=October 3, 2012 |title=Obama's Debate Strategy: Unilateral Disarmament? |url=https://swampland.time.com/2012/10/03/the-debate/ |access-date=January 29, 2024 |magazine=Time |issn=0040-781X |archive-date=January 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240129055645/https://swampland.time.com/2012/10/03/the-debate/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Over the next few days, Obama's lead over Romney collapsed,<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 8, 2012 |title=Romney's Strong Debate Performance Erases Obama's Lead |url=https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2012/10/08/romneys-strong-debate-performance-erases-obamas-lead/ |access-date=January 29, 2024 |publisher=[[Pew Research Center]] |archive-date=January 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240129055644/https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2012/10/08/romneys-strong-debate-performance-erases-obamas-lead/ |url-status=live}}</ref> putting pressure on Biden to stop the bleeding with a strong showing against the Republican vice-presidential nominee, [[Paul Ryan]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reston |first=Maeve |date=September 25, 2016 |title=When Romney trounced Obama |url=https://www.cnn.com/2016/09/25/politics/obama-debate-election-2012/index.html |access-date=January 29, 2024 |publisher=CNN |archive-date=January 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240129055644/https://www.cnn.com/2016/09/25/politics/obama-debate-election-2012/index.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=MacAskill |first=Ewen |date=October 4, 2012 |title=Mitt Romney comes out on top as Obama stumbles in first debate |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/oct/04/romney-obama-first-presidential-debate |access-date=January 29, 2024 |newspaper=The Guardian |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=January 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240129055644/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/oct/04/romney-obama-first-presidential-debate |url-status=live}}</ref> Some political analysts considered Biden's performance against Ryan in the October 11 vice-presidential debate one of the best of his career<ref>{{Cite news |last=Strauss |first=Daniel |date=September 27, 2020 |title=Biden's team hopes for repeat of his 2012 performance as Trump debate nears |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/sep/27/trump-biden-us-presidential-debate-2012 |access-date=January 29, 2024 |newspaper=The Guardian |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=January 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240129055644/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/sep/27/trump-biden-us-presidential-debate-2012 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=O'Brien |first=Michael |date=October 11, 2012 |title=Biden plays aggressor in debate as Ryan makes GOP case |url=https://nbcpolitics.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/11/14376267-biden-plays-aggressor-in-debate-as-ryan-argues-gop-case |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928140933/https://nbcpolitics.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/11/14376267-biden-plays-aggressor-in-debate-as-ryan-argues-gop-case |archive-date=September 28, 2020 |access-date=January 24, 2021 |publisher=[[NBC News]]}}</ref> and a key factor in Obama's rebound in the polls and eventual victory over Romney.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Silver |first=Nate |date=October 12, 2012 |title=In Polls, Biden Gets a Hold |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/12/in-polls-biden-gets-a-hold/ |access-date=January 29, 2024 |website=FiveThirtyEight |archive-date=January 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240129055644/https://archive.nytimes.com/fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/12/in-polls-biden-gets-a-hold/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=October 12, 2012 |title=Sparks fly as Biden, Ryan face off in feisty vice presidential debate |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/sparks-fly-as-biden-ryan-face-off-in-feisty-vice-presidential-debate |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210103082631/https://www.foxnews.com/politics/sparks-fly-as-biden-ryan-face-off-in-feisty-vice-presidential-debate |archive-date=January 3, 2021 |access-date=January 24, 2021 |publisher=[[Fox News]]}}</ref> The debate also became memorable for the popularization of Biden's use of the phrase "a bunch of malarkey" in response to an attack by Ryan on the administration's response to the September 11, 2012, attacks on the U.S. embassy in [[Benghazi]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Memmott |first=Mark |date=October 12, 2012 |title=What's All This Malarkey About Malarkey? |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2012/10/12/162791655/whats-all-this-malarkey-about-malarkey |access-date=January 28, 2024 |publisher=NPR |archive-date=June 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190606155406/https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2012/10/12/162791655/whats-all-this-malarkey-about-malarkey |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Guarino |first=Ben |date=July 28, 2016 |title=Joe Biden loves the word 'malarkey.' But nobody knows where it came from. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/07/28/joe-biden-loves-the-word-malarkey-but-nobody-knows-where-it-came-from/ |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160828231353/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/07/28/joe-biden-loves-the-word-malarkey-but-nobody-knows-where-it-came-from/ |archive-date=August 28, 2016 |access-date=January 28, 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Biden reused the phrase during his 2020 presidential campaign.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bump |first=Philip |date=December 2, 2019 |title=The unexpected nostalgia of Biden's 'malarkey' |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/12/02/unexpected-nostalgia-bidens-malarkey/ |access-date=January 28, 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post |archive-date=October 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211007174617/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/12/02/unexpected-nostalgia-bidens-malarkey/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

== Vice presidency (2009–2017) ==

Biden oversaw [[American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009#Infrastructure investment|infrastructure spending from the Obama stimulus package]] intended to help counteract the [[Late-2000s recession|ongoing recession]].<ref>{{#invoke:cite magazine||last=Scherer|first=Michael|date=July 1, 2009|title=What Happened to the Stimulus?|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|url=https://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1908417,00.html|access-date=July 8, 2009|archive-date=January 9, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109095116/https://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1908417,00.html|url-status=live}}</ref> During this period, Biden was satisfied that no major instances of waste or corruption had occurred,<ref name="pol091609" /> and when he completed that role in February 2011, he said the number of fraud incidents with stimulus monies had been less than one percent.<ref>{{#invoke:cite news||last=Travers|first=Karen|date=February 17, 2011|title='Sheriff Joe' Biden Touts Recovery Act Success—and Hands Over His Badge|work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]|url=https://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2011/02/sheriff-joe-biden-touts-recovery-act-success-and-hands-over-his-badge.html|url-status=dead|access-date=March 19, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110221153327/https://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2011/02/sheriff-joe-biden-touts-recovery-act-success-and-hands-over-his-badge.html|archive-date=February 21, 2011}}</ref>

[[File:President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden shake hands in the Oval Office following a phone call with House Speaker John Boehner securing a bipartisan deal to reduce the nation's deficit and avoid default.jpg|thumb|left|President Obama congratulates Biden for his role in shaping the [[United States debt ceiling|debt ceiling]] deal which led to the [[Budget Control Act of 2011]].|alt=Photo of Obama and Biden shaking hands in the Oval Office]]

[[File:Biden9 (32932624647).jpg|thumb|Biden at his presidential kickoff rally in Philadelphia, May 2019|alt=Photo of Biden raising his fist while while standing behind a lectern]]

=== Campaign ===

As the 2020 campaign season heated up, voluminous public polling showed Biden as one of the best-performing Democratic candidates in a head-to-head matchup against President Trump.<ref>{{Cite web |first=Ashley Pratte |last=Oates |title=Opinion |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/joe-biden-democrats-best-chance-beat-trump-2020-no-other-ncna961836 |access-date=May 14, 2023 |publisher=[[NBC News]] |date=January 24, 2019 |archive-date=May 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230514003526/https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/joe-biden-democrats-best-chance-beat-trump-2020-no-other-ncna961836 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=April 17, 2019 |title=Every 2020 Democrat Wants To Be The Electable Candidate |first1=Kevin |last1=Robillard |first2=Amanda |last2=Terkel |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/electability-2020_n_5cb73acbe4b0c53a1705763f |access-date=May 14, 2023 |website=HuffPost |archive-date=May 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230514003526/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/electability-2020_n_5cb73acbe4b0c53a1705763f |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Pramuk |first=Jacob |title=Here's how Biden, Sanders, Warren and other top Democrats are faring against Trump in national polls |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/05/how-biden-warren-and-sanders-fare-vs-trump-in-2020-election-polls.html |access-date=May 14, 2023 |publisher=CNBC |date=November 5, 2019 |archive-date=May 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230514003522/https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/05/how-biden-warren-and-sanders-fare-vs-trump-in-2020-election-polls.html |url-status=live}}</ref> With Democrats keenly focused on "electability" for defeating Trump,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Barabak |first=Mark Z. |date=January 31, 2020 |title=Desperate to beat Trump, Democrats differ over who is best |url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-01-31/democrats-electability-2020-iowa-caucus |access-date=May 14, 2023 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |archive-date=May 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230514003532/https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-01-31/democrats-electability-2020-iowa-caucus |url-status=live}}</ref> this boosted his popularity among Democratic voters.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Scocca |first=Tom |date=April 12, 2020 |title=Biden's Electability Only Works if There Is an Election |magazine=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]] |url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/04/biden-won-without-votes.html |access-date=May 14, 2023 |issn=1091-2339 |archive-date=May 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230514003526/https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/04/biden-won-without-votes.html |url-status=live}}</ref> It also made Biden a frequent target of Trump.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Allen |first=Mike |date=July 25, 2018 |title=Scoop: Trump fears Biden 2020, losing Pennsylvania |url=https://www.axios.com/2018/07/25/scoop-trump-fears-biden-losing-pennsylvania-1532514558 |access-date=May 13, 2023 |website=Axios |archive-date=May 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230514003522/https://www.axios.com/2018/07/25/scoop-trump-fears-biden-losing-pennsylvania-1532514558 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |first=Adam |last=Edelman |title=Trump says Biden would go down "fast" and "crying" in a fight |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-attacks-crazy-biden-tweet-physically-mentally-weak-n858981 |access-date=May 14, 2023 |publisher=[[NBC News]] |date=March 22, 2018 |archive-date=May 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230514003522/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-attacks-crazy-biden-tweet-physically-mentally-weak-n858981 |url-status=live}}</ref> In September 2019, it was reported that Trump had pressured Ukrainian president [[Volodymyr Zelenskyy]] to investigate [[Biden–Ukraine conspiracy theory|alleged wrongdoing]] by Biden and his son [[Hunter Biden]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/20/world/europe/ukraine-trump-zelensky.html |title=Ukraine Pressured on U.S. Political Investigations |last=Kramer |first=Andrew E. |date=September 20, 2019 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=September 20, 2019 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=September 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190920171010/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/20/world/europe/ukraine-trump-zelensky.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Despite the allegations, no evidence was produced of any wrongdoing by the Bidens.<ref>{{cite news |last=Isachenkov |first=Vladimir |title=Ukraine's prosecutor says there is no probe into Biden |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/ukraines-prosecutor-says-there-is-no-probe-into-biden |access-date=October 1, 2019 |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=September 27, 2019 |quote=Though the timing raised concerns among anti-corruption advocates, there has been no evidence of wrongdoing by either the former vice president or his son. |archive-date=October 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191001005328/https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/ukraines-prosecutor-says-there-is-no-probe-into-biden |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=White House 'tried to cover up details of Trump-Ukraine call' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-49842895 |access-date=October 1, 2019 |work=[[BBC News]] |date=September 26, 2019 |quote=There is no evidence of any wrongdoing by the Bidens. |archive-date=September 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190930105132/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-49842895 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first1=Matthew |last1=Brown |date=January 15, 2021|accessdate=July 7, 2021|title=Fact check: False conspiracy theories allege connection between Biden victory and Ukraine |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2021/01/15/fact-check-conspiracy-theories-falsely-link-bidens-victory-ukraine/4149335001/|newspaper=[[USA Today]]|archive-date=June 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210608213107/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2021/01/15/fact-check-conspiracy-theories-falsely-link-bidens-victory-ukraine/4149335001/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Trump's pressure to investigate the Bidens was perceived by many as an attempt to hurt Biden's chances of winning the presidency.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Mackinnon |first=Amy |date=September 20, 2019 |title=Is Trump Trying to Get Ukraine to Take Out Biden for Him? |magazine=[[Foreign Policy]] |publisher=[[Graham Holdings]] |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/09/20/is-trump-trying-to-get-ukraine-to-take-out-biden-for-him/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190920210034/https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/09/20/is-trump-trying-to-get-ukraine-to-take-out-biden-for-him/ |archive-date=September 20, 2019}}</ref> Trump's alleged actions against Biden resulted in [[Trump–Ukraine scandal|a political scandal]]<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-defends-conversation-with-ukraine-leader-11568993176 |date=September 21, 2019 |title=Trump Repeatedly Pressed Ukraine President to Investigate Biden's Son |first1=Alan |last1=Cullison |first2=Rebecca |last2=Ballhaus |first3=Dustin |last3=Volz |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=September 20, 2019 |archive-date=September 23, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190923092317/https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-defends-conversation-with-ukraine-leader-11568993176 |url-status=live}}</ref> and [[First impeachment of Donald Trump|Trump's impeachment]] by the House of Representatives for abuse of power and obstruction of congress.<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 10, 2021 |title=This is why Donald Trump was impeached the first time – previous charges against former US president explained |first=Matt |last=Brooks |url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/world/why-was-donald-trump-impeached-the-first-time-previous-charges-against-the-former-us-president-explained-3100617 |access-date=May 14, 2023 |newspaper=[[The Scotsman]] |archive-date=May 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230514003522/https://www.scotsman.com/news/world/why-was-donald-trump-impeached-the-first-time-previous-charges-against-the-former-us-president-explained-3100617 |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Joe Biden Rally at Hiatt Middle School - 49480899101.jpg|left|thumb|Biden at a rally on the eve of the Iowa caucuses, February 2020|alt=Photo of Biden holding a microphone, with a crowd in the background]]

{{Main|Public image of Joe Biden}}

Political columnist [[David S. Broder]] wrote that Biden has grown over time: "He responds to real people—that's been consistent throughout. And his ability to understand himself and deal with other politicians has gotten much, much better."<ref name="watn020109" /> Journalist [[James Traub]] has written that "Biden is the kind of fundamentally happy person who can be as generous toward others as he is to himself".<ref name="nytm-traub" /> In recent years, especially after the 2015 death of his elder son Beau, Biden has been noted for his empathetic nature and ability to communicate about grief.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Baldoni|first=John|title=How Empathy Defines Joe Biden|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnbaldoni/2020/08/20/how-empathy-defines-joe-biden/|date=August 20, 2020|access-date=March 17, 2021|magazine=[[Forbes]]|archive-date=June 18, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220618172934/https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnbaldoni/2020/08/20/how-empathy-defines-joe-biden/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Nagle|first=Molly|date=December 19, 2020|title=Nearly 50 years after death of wife and daughter, empathy remains at Joe Biden's core|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/50-years-death-wife-daughter-empathy-remains-joe/story?id=74814251|access-date=March 17, 2021|agency=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]|archive-date=March 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210302080416/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/50-years-death-wife-daughter-empathy-remains-joe/story?id=74814251|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2020, CNN wrote that his presidential campaign aimed to make him "healer-in-chief", while ''The New York Times'' described his extensive history of being called upon to give eulogies.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Glueck|first1=Katie|last2=Flegenheimer|first2=Matt|date=June 11, 2020|title=Joe Biden, Emissary of Grief|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/11/us/politics/joe-biden-funeral-speech.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611071047/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/11/us/politics/joe-biden-funeral-speech.html |archive-date=June 11, 2020 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=March 17, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>