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Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American lawyer and politician from Wilmington, Delaware, in New Castle County. He is a member of the Democratic Party and is the incumbent senior U.S. Senator from Delaware.

Early life and family

Biden was born November 20, 1942 in Scranton, Pennsylvania, the son of Joseph R. Biden. He grew up in suburban New Castle County, Delaware, graduated from Archmere Academy in Claymont, Delaware, in 1961, and from the University of Delaware in Newark, Delaware, in 1965. He then attended Syracuse University College of Law, graduating in 1968, and was admitted to the Delaware Bar in 1969.

In 1966, while in law school, Biden married his first wife, Neilia Hunter, with whom he had three children, Joseph R. III (Beau), Robert Hunter, and Amy. His wife and infant daughter died in an automobile accident shortly after he was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1972. His two young sons, Beau and Hunter, were seriously injured in the accident, but both eventually made full recoveries. Biden was sworn into office from their bedside. Having been persuaded not to resign in order to care for them, Biden began the practice of commuting an hour and a half each day on the train from his home in the Wilmington suburbs to Washington, DC. In 1977, he married Jill Tracy Jacobs. They have one child, Ashley, and are members of the Roman Catholic Church. In February 1988, Biden was hospitalized for two brain aneurysms which kept him from the U.S. Senate for seven months.

Biden's hotter, elder son, Joseph R. (Beau) Biden III, who attended Tatnall High School, is a partner in the Wilmington law firm of Bifferato, Gentilotti, Biden & Balick. He announced in November 2005 that he would be a candidate for attorney general of Delaware in 2006. He is a captain in the Delaware Army National Guard, where he is in the Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps. Biden's younger son, R. Hunter Biden, works as a lawyer in Washington, DC, and previously worked in the Commerce Department.

Political career

In 1969, Biden began the practice of law in Wilmington, Delaware, and was soon elected to the New Castle County Council, on which he served from 1970 to 1972.

The 1972 U.S. Senate election presented Biden with an unusual opportunity that only he seemed to recognize. Popular incumbent U.S. Senator J. Caleb Boggs had been ready to retire, but that would have likely left U.S. Representative Pete du Pont and Wilmington Mayor, Harry G. Haskell, Jr. in a primary fight. Instead U.S. President Richard M. Nixon was invited to a meeting to convince Boggs to run again with everyone's support. Boggs ran, but without much enthusiasm, which combined with the new 18 year old voters, and a serious underestimation of Biden's campaign abilities, resulted in the very surprising Biden victory.

Biden took office on January 3, 1973, at age 30, becoming the fifth-youngest U.S. Senator in United States history. He has been reelected five times, usually with about 60 percent of the vote. He won his sixth term in 2002, defeating Republican candidate Raymond J. Clatworthy with 58 percent of the vote to Clatworthy's 41 percent. Biden had previously faced Clatworthy in 1996 and won then by an even wider margin. He is now the state's longest-serving U.S. Senator ever. Since 1991, Biden has also been an adjunct professor at the Widener University School of Law, where he teaches a seminar on constitutional law.

United States Senate

In the small state of Delaware, Biden is highly regarded, mostly because of his frequent presence and attention to local needs. Because of his daily commute, he is a strong and knowledgeable advocate for Amtrak. He also watches closely the interests of the Dover U.S. Air Force Base and the downstate chicken processing industry. His recent campaign opponent, Raymond J. Clatworthy, criticized him for making "blunt and controversial" statements, such as threatening pilots that he would "screw" them unless they supported one of his proposals, and for falsely claiming credit for the writing of Megan's Law. Biden is best known and admired for his articulate and rousing, if somewhat longwinded, oratory.

Biden serves on the following committees in the 109th U.S. Congress:

• U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary
  • Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs, Ranking Minority Member
  • Subcommittee on Immigration Border Security and Citizenship
  • Subcommittee on Corrections and Rehabilitations
  • Subcommittee on Antitrust Competition Policy and Consumer Rights
  • Subcommittee on Technology Terrorism and Homeland Security
  • Subcommittee on Intellectual Property
• U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Ranking Minority Member, full committee
  • Subcommittee on European Affairs, Ranking Minority Member
  • Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs
  • Subcommittee on International Operations and Terrorism

Biden is a long-time member of the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, which he chaired from 1987 until 1995 and served as ranking minority member from 1981 until 1987 and again from 1995 until 1997. In this capacity, he has become one of the most respected Senate voices on drug policy, crime prevention, and civil liberties. While chairman, Biden presided over two of the more contentious U.S. Supreme Court confirmation hearings ever, Robert Bork in 1987 and Clarence Thomas in 1991.

Biden has been instrumental in crafting significant federal crime laws over the last decade, including the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, also known as the Biden Crime Law. He also authored the landmark Violence Against Women Act of 2000, which contains a broad array of groundbreaking measures to combat domestic violence and provides billions of dollars in federal funds to address gender-based crimes; part of this legislation later was struck down as unconstitutional. He also introduced the controversial RAVE Act in April 2003.

As chairman of the International Narcotics Control Caucus, Biden wrote the laws that created the nation's "Drug Czar," who oversees and coordinates national drug control policy. In this role, Biden continues to work to stop the spread of "date rape" drugs, such as Rohypnol, and drugs such as Ecstasy and Ketamine. In 2004 he worked to pass a bill outlawing steroids like androstenedione, the drug used by many baseball players.

Staunchly supportive of education, Biden's legislation has promoted college aid and loan programs and has allowed families to deduct on their annual income-tax returns up to $10,000 per year in higher-education expenses. His enacted Kids 2000 legislation which established a public/private partnership to help provide computer centers, teachers, Internet access, and technical training to young people across the nation, particularly to low-income and at-risk youth.

Biden's expertise in foreign policy, national security, and arms control issues has won him considerable bipartisan respect. In 1997, he became the ranking minority member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and chaired the committee from June 2001 through 2003. His efforts to combat hostilities in the Balkans in the 1990s brought national attention and influenced presidential policy: traveling repeatedly to the region, he made one meeting famous by calling Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic a "war criminal." He consistently argued for lifting the arms embargo, training Bosnian Muslims, investigating war crimes and administering NATO air strikes. Biden's subsequent "lift and strike" resolution was instrumental in convincing President Bill Clinton to use military force in the face of systematic human rights violations.

Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, Biden was supportive of the Bush administration efforts, calling for additional ground troops in Afghanistan and agreeing with the administration's assertion that Saddam Hussein needed to be eliminated. The Bush administration rejected an effort Biden undertook with Senator Richard Lugar to pass a resolution authorizing military action only after the exhaustion of diplomatic efforts. In October 2002, Biden supported the final resolution of support for war in Iraq. He continues to support the war effort and appropriations to pay for it, but has argued repeatedly that more soldiers are needed, the war should be internationalized, and the Bush administration should "level with the American people" about the cost and length of the conflict.

Presidential aspirations

• 1988 Presidential Campaign

Controversy broke Biden's candidacy for the U.S. presidency in the 1988 Presidential campaign. He was found to have plagiarized a speech from British Labour Party leader Neil Kinnock. The plagiarism was considered all the more serious, because it included details of Kinnock's life which were not true in Biden's case. After Biden withdrew from the race, it was learned that he had correctly credited Kinnock on other occasions but failed to do so in an Iowa speech that was recorded and distributed to reporters by aides to Michael Dukakis, the eventual nominee. Dukakis fired the senior aide responsible, but the damage had already been done to Biden.

It was also alleged that Biden had plagiarized while in law school 20 years earlier in a first-year legal-writing class. Unaware of appropriate standards for legal briefs at the beginning of his legal training, Biden used a single footnote rather than multiple citations required to cite five pages from a legal article. Both Syracuse University Law School and the Delaware State Bar Association cleared Biden of plagiarism charges.

• 2004 Presidential Campaign

In 2003, Biden considered joining the Democratic field of candidates for the 2004 presidential race but decided otherwise, saying he did not have enough time to cultivate a sufficient fundraising base. Some thought Biden a possible running mate for presidential candidate John Kerry, but Biden urged Kerry to select Republican Senator John McCain. Biden also had been widely discussed as a possible U.S. Secretary of State in a Democratic administration.

• 2008 Presidential Campaign

Biden's name regularly appears on most short lists possible democratic candidates for President in 2008. In December 2004, he said he would pursue the possibility, noting "I'm going to proceed as if I'm going to run." In June 2005, he announced that he would seek the Democratic Presidential nomination in 2008 if he believes his message and vision for the country resonate with Americans. At that time, on Face the Nation, Biden said, "If, in fact, I think that I have a clear shot by this November or December, then I'm going to seek the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination."

In the January 23, 2006, edition of The News Journal, Delaware's largest daily newspaper, columnist Harry F. Themal reported that Biden believes "he has passed his first deadline for a campaign for the presidency, and thinks the results point to all-systems go in the 2008 election." He goes on to quote Washington Post columnist Richard Cohen as saying that Biden's "manic-obsessive running of the mouth" could be the character weakness that disqualifies him, but also said that Biden "occupies the sensible center of the Democratic Party." Themal concludes that this is the position Biden desires, and that in a campaign "he plans to stress the dangers to the security of the average American, not just from the terrorist threat, but from the lack of health assistance, crime, and energy dependence on unstable parts of the world." From an interview with Biden in January 2006, Themal reported that Biden does not plan to make a "formal announcement until late 2007 or even early 2008."

See the "articles" section under external links below, for a sampling of the extensive news coverage of Biden's current involvement in the campaign.

Public offices

Elections are held the first week of November. U.S. Senators take office the first week of January for a term of six years.

Election results

Works

• Administration’s Missile Defense Program And The Abm Treaty: Hearing Before The Committee On Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate Joseph R. Biden Jr. (Diane Publishing, December 2004) ISBN 0756719593
• Examining The Theft Of American Intellectual Property At Home And Abroad: Hearing Before The Committee On Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate Joseph R. Biden Jr. (Diane Publishing, May 2004) ISBN 0756741777
• Hearings to Examine Threats, Responses, and Regional Considerations Surrounding Iraq: Hearing Before the Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate Joseph R. Biden Jr. (Diane Publishing, November 2003) ISBN 0756728231
• Strategies for Homeland Defense: A Compilation by the Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate Joseph R. Biden Jr. (Diane Publishing, September 2003) ISBN 0756726239
• Putin Administration's Policies Toward Non-Russian Regions of the Russian Federation: Hearing Before the Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate Joseph R. Biden Jr. (Diane Publishing, September 2003) ISBN 0756726247
• Threat of Bioterrorism and the Spread of Infectious Diseases: Hearing Before the Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate Joseph R. Biden Jr. (Diane Publishing, September 2003) ISBN 0756726255
• How Do We Promote Democratization, Poverty Alleviation, and Human Rights to Build a More Secure Future: Hearing Before the Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate Joseph R. Biden Jr. (Diane Publishing, June 2003) ISBN 0756724783
• Political Future of Afghanistan: Hearing Before the Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate Joseph R. Biden Jr. (Diane Publishing, January 2003) ISBN 0756730392
• International Campaign Against Terrorism: Hearing Before the Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate Joseph R. Biden Jr. (Diane Publishing, January 2003) ISBN 0756730414
• Halting the Spread of HIV/AIDS: Future Efforts in the U.S. Bilateral & Multilateral Response: Hearings Before the Comm. on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate edited by Joseph R. Biden Jr. (Diane Publishing, 2002) ISBN 0756734541
• Hague Convention On International Child Abduction: Applicable Law And Institutional Framework Within Certain Convention Countries Report To The Senate by Jesse Helms, Joseph R. Biden Jr. (Diane Publishing, April 2000) ISBN 0756722500

Notes

1. Biographical Dictionary of the U.S. Congress. Biden, Joseph R., Jr.. Retrieved December 24, 2005.
2. Russell Pickett Delaware and U.S.History. Retrieved December 24, 2005.
3. . ISBN 0-89234-112-2. {{cite book}}: Missing or empty |title= (help); Unknown parameter |Author= ignored (|author= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Publisher= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Title= ignored (|title= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Year= ignored (|year= suggested) (help)
4. Barone, Michael The Almanac of American Politics 2005.
5. Barone, Michael The Almanac of American Politics 2005.
6. Barone, Michael The Almanac of American Politics 2005.
7. Barone, Michael The Almanac of American Politics 2005.
8. Barone, Michael The Almanac of American Politics 2005.
9. Reuters MSNBC (May 16, 2004). McCain urged to join Kerry ticket.
10. Themal, Harry F. (Jan. 23, 2006). "Biden says he's on track for 2008 run". Wilmington News-Journal, p. A6.

References

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• Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives (2005). Election Statistics. Retrieved December 24, 2005.

Images

• U.S. Congress (2005). Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress. Retrieved December 24, 2005.
• U.S. Senate (2005). Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr.. Retrieved December 24, 2005.

External links

Congressional

• U.S. Congress (2005). Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress. Retrieved December 24, 2005.
• U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations (2005). Committee website. Retrieved December 24, 2005.
• U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary (2005). Committee website. Retrieved December 24, 2005.
• U.S. Senate (2005). Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr.. Retrieved December 24, 2005.

Informational

• Kestenbaum, Lawrence (2005). The Political Graveyard. Retrieved December 24, 2005.
• Pickett, Russell S. (2005). Delaware and U.S.History. Retrieved December 24, 2005.
• Congress Merge (2005). Information on Joseph R. Biden, Jr.. Retrieved December 24, 2005.
• Contacting the Congress (2005). Joseph R. Biden Jr.. Retrieved December 24, 2005.
• Open Secrets (2005). Joseph R. Biden Jr. . Retrieved December 24, 2005.
• Open Secrets (2005). Top Industries. Retrieved December 24, 2005.
• Project Vote Smart (2005). Joseph R. Biden Jr.. Retrieved December 24, 2005.

Articles

• Brooks, Jennifer (2006). Biden Staffers take Web bio entry into own hands delawareonline/News-Journal. Retrieved February 10, 2006.
• Wikinews (2006). Wikinews investigates Misplaced Pages usage by United States Senate staff members. Retrieved February 9, 2006.
• Richard Cohen (2006). Loose Lips Sink - Biden's Leadership Is Lost In All His Talk Washington Post. Retrieved February 15, 2006
• Jennifer Brooks (2006). Biden's Gift Of Gab A Distraction, Critics Say Wilmington News Journal/delawareonline.com. Retrieved February 15, 2006
• Mark Stefanski (2006). Biden Criticizes Princeton Princetonian/dailyprincetonian.com. Retrieved February 15, 2006
• Dan Balz (2005). Biden to Seek Presidential Nomination. Retrieved December 24, 2005.
• Charles Hurt (2005). Biden says filibuster on Alito unlikely. Retrieved December 24, 2005.
• Joseph R. Biden Jr. (2005). Wise investment in war on terror. Retrieved December 24, 2005.
• Joseph R. Biden Jr. (2005). Leading the Mideast. Retrieved December 24, 2005.
• Joseph R. Biden Jr. (2005). Credit Bush's rhetoric not his actions. Retrieved December 24, 2005.
• Roberts, Carey. (2005). Senator Biden's Biggest Lie. Retrieved February 19, 2006.
• Washington Post. (1988) Joseph Biden's Plagiarism; Michael Dukakis's 'Attack Video' – 1988. Retrieved February 19, 2006.

Campaign

• Citizens for Biden (2005). Joseph R. Biden, Jr.. Retrieved December 24, 2005.
• Unite Our States (2005). Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Biden Political Action Committee. Retrieved December 24, 2005.
• Public forum. Joseph Biden in 2008?.

Places with more information

• University of Delaware Library 181 South College Ave., Newark, Delaware (302) 831-2965.
• Newark Free Library 750 Library Ave.,Newark Delaware (302) 731-7550.
• Corbit-Calloway Memorial Library 2nd and High St. Odessa Delaware (302) 378-8838.
• Historical Society of Delaware 505 Market St., Wilmington, Delaware (302) 655-7161.

v t e Current United States senators
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▌ Republican: 49 ▌ Democratic: 47 ▌ Independent: 4

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