Joe Biden – The 46th President

Joe Biden was the 46th president of the United States. At age 78, he was the oldest person to enter the office. He was also the first commander-in-chief from Delaware and the second Roman Catholic president. His term was filled with both successes and turmoil. He led the nation during the COVID-19 pandemic, instituted infrastructure laws, and took on Big Pharma to try to reduce some prescription drug costs.

Early Years

Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, on Nov. 20, 1942, during World War II. Later, his family moved to Delaware where he attended the University of Delaware and Syracuse Law School.

Growing up, Joe Biden suffered from a severe stutter. It was so bad, kids called him “Dash,” because, as he said in his memoir, Promises to Keep, “I talked like Morse code. Dot-dot- dot-dot-dash-dash-dash-dash.” He claimed to have told his bullies, “You gu-gu-gu-gu-guys sh-sh-sh-sh-shut up!” However, that nickname was replaced when he got older and involved in sports, where he became known as “Hands,” for his skills.

In 1964, he met Neilia Hunter, and they married two years later. They had three children, Beau, Hunter, and Naomi (Amy). On Dec. 18, 1972, Neila and the children were Christmas shopping and got into a car accident. Neilia and Amy were killed while Hunter and Beau were badly injured.

Joe Biden was sworn in as senator in the hospital chapel with Beau, Hunter, and other family members attending.

Politics

Joe Biden met Jill Jacobs in 1975, and they were married two years later.

He served in the Senate for 36 years, during which time he held several positions. He was chairman or a ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee for 17 years, had leading roles on both the Judiciary Committee and the Foreign Relations Committee, and he chaired confirmation hearings for five Suprerme Court justices, including Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas.

In 1990, Joe Biden introduced the Violence Against Women Act, inspired by the killing of 14 women in Montreal who were targeted because the shooter thought they were feminists. It was passed four years later, providing federal punishment for crimes committed, and he called it his “proudest legislative accomplishment.”

In 1991, he voted against giving President George H.W. Bush authorization to go to war against Iraq, but in 2002, after the 9/11 terrorist attack, he voted in favor of war. Later, he opposed the war and said his vote had been a “mistake.”

Since his days at Archmere Academy, Joe Biden had wanted to become president of the United States and put in his bid for the Democratic nomination for the 1988 presidential election. However, it was found out that he plagiarized a speech by British Labor Party leader Neil Kinnock during a debate at the Iowa State Fair, and the press published articles claiming there were other plagiarism incidents dating back to when he was in school. He dropped out of the race on Sept. 23, 1987.

In 2007, Joe Biden again took a run at the presidency. This time, he described Barack Obama, a co-candidate, as “the first sort of mainstream African American who is articulate and bright and clean.” This comment sounded racially insensitive and damaged his campaign. He withdrew on Jan. 3, 2008, but he became Obama’s vice president from 2009 to 2017.

President Joe Biden

As the saying goes, third time’s the charm. Joe Biden ran for president for a third time in the 2020 presidential election. He entered the race saying, “We are in the battle for the soul of the nation.” It was a very contentious election, but he captured the American people’s votes against President Donald Trump, who was running for a second term. He chose Kamala Harris as his vice president, the first woman of color in that position.

One of his biggest challenges was dealing with the COVID pandemic, becoming the fourth president to face such medical trials. During President Woodrow Wilson’s term in office, there was the Spanish Flu of 1918, Ronald Regan’s presidency suffered from the HIV pandemic starting in 1981, and then Donald Trump and Joe Biden dealt with COVID.

Forced vaccinations caused discontent among many Americans. People refused to get the vaccines and lost their jobs as a result. Some argued the inoculation saved lives, while others disagreed, saying it was not tested to determine long-term effects.

American troops had been in Afghanistan for nearly 20 years, and citizens wanted them returned to the United States. Joe Biden accomplished this, but many criticized the fast removal and chaotic withdrawal. The Taliban seized Kabul, the Afghan government collapsed, 13 US service members were killed, and hundreds of US citizens had been left behind.

Joe Biden went after Big Pharma and negotiated lower prescription costs for some drugs, including capping insulin for diabetics at $35 a month for senior citizens.

On Feb. 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. America vowed to help support Ukraine’s defense and sent them billions of dollars as well as weapons and humanitarian aid. But as the war dragged on, Americans became upset with how much money and munitions the country was sending to Ukraine.

Illegal immigration was another hot topic for President Joe Biden. While trying to appease his party and his own beliefs, he practically opened the border, allowing millions of immigrants into the country; in many cases, they were not even properly vetted. During his four years in office, around 14 million migrants entered the country illegally, which many consider a threat to national security.

President Joe Biden sought a second term, running against former President Donald Trump. However, during a crucial debate, Biden’s mental cognition came into question. This was something Republicans had questioned throughout his term in office, but, after this debate, Biden’s own party turned against him. He withdrew from his presidential campaign, and Vice President Kamala Harris stepped into his place, losing the 2024 presidential election to  Trump.

1. President Joe Biden tried three times to win the White House, finally succeeding to become the 46th president.
2. His vice president, Kamala Harris, was the first woman of color in that position.
3. One of his biggest challenges was the COVID-19 pandemic.

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