U.S. Presidents / Joe Biden

Joe Biden

b. 1942

Joe Biden

This is a life-changing election. This will determine what America’s going to look like for a long, long time. Character is on the ballot. Compassion is on the ballot. Decency. Science. Democracy. They’re all on the ballot. Who we are as a nation, what we stand for. Most importantly, who we want to be, that’s all on the ballot. Acceptance Speech, Democratic National Convention

Overview

Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. was elected the 46th president of the United States after 36 years in the Senate and eight years as vice president. On January 20, 2021, at age 78, Biden became the oldest president in history to take the oath of office. He confronted a divided nation wracked by the worst health crisis in a century with the coronavirus pandemic, a staggered economy, protests for racial justice, and internal threats to American democracy.  

Life In Depth Essays

Fast Facts

Joseph Robinette Biden Jr.
Scranton, Pennsylvania
University of Delaware (B.A., 1965), Syracuse University Law School (J.D., 1968)
Roman Catholic
Lawyer, US Senator from Delaware (1973-2009), Vice President (2009-2017)
Democrat
“Amtrak Joe”
August 27, 1966 to Neilia Hunter (1942–1972), June 17, 1977 to Jill Jacobs
Joseph Robinette Biden III, Beau (1969-2015); Robert Hunter (1970- ); Naomi Christina, Amy (1971-1972); Ashley Blazer (1981- )
46
Steven Levingston

Chicago Style

Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. “Joe Biden.” Accessed April 25, 2024. https://millercenter.org/president/biden.

Editor

Steven Levingston

Steven Levingston is nonfiction editor of The Washington Post and author of "Barack and Joe: The Making of an Extraordinary Partnership" and "Kennedy and King: The President, the Pastor, and the Battle Over Civil Rights."

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November 13, 2020

Presidential transition in times of crisis

Congress adopted the Presidential Transition Act in 1963 to provide an important statutory framework for the peaceful transfer of power. Watch this discussion with former secretaries of homeland security and transition experts on the importance of a peaceful and effective presidential transition to ensure America's safety and security.