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'''Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr.''' (born 20 November 1942) is the Vice President of the [[United States]]. In August 2008, Barack Obama selected him as the Democratic Party's Vice Presidential nominee for the [[2008 Presidential election]]. Biden, notorious for his long-winded speeches and his predisposition to foot-in-mouth moments, is an expert on foreign affairs, as noted by his support of opening a new front on the War on Terror in 2003. He is also a staunch liberal.

'''Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr.''' (born 20 November 1942) is the Vice President of the [[United States]]. In August 2008, Barack Obama selected him as the Democratic Party's Vice Presidential nominee for the [[2008 Presidential election]]. Biden, notorious for his long-winded speeches and his predisposition to foot-in-mouth moments, is an expert on foreign affairs, as noted by his support of opening a new front on the War on Terror in 2003. He is a staunch liberal on domestic policy.

The speeches proved unavailing in the 2008 Democratic primaries; he dropped out after placing fifth in Iowa in January, 2008. Biden since became Barack Obama's vice-presidential running mate. Biden stresses his Irish Catholic roots in appeals to working class Democrats, who deserted Obama in the primaries.

He won few votes when running for president in 2008; he dropped out after placing fifth in Iowa in January, 2008. Biden became Barack Obama's vice-presidential running mate. His campaign stressed his Irish Catholic roots in appeals to working class Democrats, who had deserted Obama in the primaries but returned in the fall.

Biden, senator from [[Delaware]] since 1972, formerly chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee and subsequently the Committee on Foreign Relations. Biden is a self-described northeast [[liberal]] and in 2007 was ranked as the third most liberal U.S. Senator by the non-partisan National Journal. He previously ran for President in 1988 but dropped out of the race after admitting he had [[plagiarism#Joe Biden|plagiarized ]] a speech by the leader of the British Labour Party.<ref>

Biden, senator from [[Delaware]] 1972-2008, chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee and subsequently the Committee on Foreign Relations. Biden in 2007 was ranked as the third most liberal Senator by the non-partisan ''National Journal''. He previously ran for President in 1988 but dropped out of the race after admitting he had [[plagiarism#Joe Biden|plagiarized ]] a speech by the leader of the British Labour Party.<ref>

[http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/50116538.html?FMT=FT&dids=50116538:50116538&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Sep+20,+1987&author=JOHN+HARWOOD&pub=St.+Petersburg+Times&desc=Biden's+way+with+words+now+seems+to+be+a+liability&pf=1 Biden's way with words now seems to be a liability] - St. Petersburg Times - Sep 20, 1987</ref> Joe Biden's son Beau, who was elected Attorney General of Delaware in 2006, is currently serving in Iraq as a military attorney. <ref>http://updatedfrequently.com/beau-biden-ships-out-to-iraq</ref>

[http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/50116538.html?FMT=FT&dids=50116538:50116538&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Sep+20,+1987&author=JOHN+HARWOOD&pub=St.+Petersburg+Times&desc=Biden's+way+with+words+now+seems+to+be+a+liability&pf=1 Biden's way with words now seems to be a liability] - St. Petersburg Times - Sep 20, 1987</ref> Joe Biden's son Beau, who was elected Attorney General of Delaware in 2006, is currently serving in Iraq as a military attorney, and is a likely canidate for Biden's old Senate seat in 2010.<ref>http://updatedfrequently.com/beau-biden-ships-out-to-iraq</ref>

 

In a 2009 interview, Biden was asked about one of his administration's web sites. Biden became confused asked his interviewer what the "website number" was. <ref>http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2009/02/website-number.html</ref>

==Early Life and Education==

==Early Life and Education==

Joseph Biden was born in Scranton, [[Pennsylvania]]<ref>Joe Biden Timeline [http://biden.senate.gov/senator/timeline/]</ref> and grew up in New Castle County, Delaware, <ref>Joe Biden Biography [http://biden.senate.gov/senator/]</ref> in a middle class family.  His father was a white collar businessmen who did well, but had fallen on hard times when Biden was a youth.<ref>http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/08/joe_bidens_mythical_bluecollar.html</ref>  Biden attended Archmere Academy, a private Catholic college-preparatory high school in the Wilmington, Delaware area, graduating in 1961.<ref>Joe Biden Biography [http://biden.senate.gov/senator/]</ref> (Tuition for the 2008-2009 school year at Archmere is $18,450.) Biden took a summer job to help his family pay for his schooling.<ref>http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/08/joe_bidens_mythical_bluecollar.html</ref><ref>Archmere Academy [http://www.archmereacademy.com/Default.aspx?tabid=74]Tuition for 2008-2009 is $18,450.</ref> He graduated from the University of Delaware in 1965, and from the Syracuse University College of Law in 1968 near the bottom of his class.<ref>Joe Biden Biography [http://biden.senate.gov/senator/]</ref>  While attending Syracuse Law School, he submitted a paper in which he plagiarized from a law review article. After receiving a grade of F, he was permitted to retake the course.<ref>Biden Admits Plagiarism in School But Says It Was Not 'Malevolent', By E. J. DIONNE JR., SPECIAL TO THE NEW YORK TIMES, Published: September 18, 1987 [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE3DB143FF93BA2575AC0A961948260]</ref>

Biden was born in Scranton, [[Pennsylvania]]<ref>Joe Biden Timeline [http://biden.senate.gov/senator/timeline/]</ref> and grew up in New Castle County, Delaware, <ref>Joe Biden Biography [http://biden.senate.gov/senator/]</ref> in a middle class family.  His father was a white collar businessmen who did well, but had fallen on hard times when Biden was a youth.<ref>http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/08/joe_bidens_mythical_bluecollar.html</ref>  Biden attended Archmere Academy, a private Catholic college-preparatory high school in the Wilmington, Delaware area, graduating in 1961.<ref>Joe Biden Biography [http://biden.senate.gov/senator/]</ref>  Biden took a summer job to help his family pay for his schooling.<ref>http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/08/joe_bidens_mythical_bluecollar.html</ref><ref>Archmere Academy [http://www.archmereacademy.com/Default.aspx?tabid=74]Tuition for 2008-2009 is $18,450.</ref> He graduated from the University of Delaware in 1965, and from the Syracuse University College of Law in 1968 near the bottom of his class.<ref>Joe Biden Biography [http://biden.senate.gov/senator/]</ref>  While attending Syracuse Law School, he submitted a paper in which he plagiarized from a law review article. After receiving a grade of F, he was permitted to retake the course.<ref>Biden Admits Plagiarism in School But Says It Was Not 'Malevolent', By E. J. DIONNE JR., SPECIAL TO THE NEW YORK TIMES, Published: September 18, 1987 [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE3DB143FF93BA2575AC0A961948260]</ref>

In 1966, while still in law school, Biden married Neilia Hunter.<ref>Joe Biden Timeline [http://biden.senate.gov/senator/timeline/]</ref>  They had three children together: Joseph R. "Beau" Dien, III, Robert Hunter, and Naomi.  Shortly after his election to the Senate in 1972, his wife and infant daughter were killed in a car accident, and his two sons were seriously injured.<ref>Joe Biden Timeline [http://biden.senate.gov/senator/timeline/]</ref>  He eventually remarried to Dr. Jill Biden (nee Jacobs), an educator in Delaware's schools.<ref>Joe Biden Biography [http://biden.senate.gov/senator/]</ref> She currently is an instructor<ref>http://www.dtcc.edu/catalog/pdf/personnel.pdf</ref> teaching at Delaware Technical Community College. Together, the couple added a daughter, Ashley Biden, to the family.<ref>[http://biden.senate.gov/senator/]</ref>

In 1966, while still in law school, Biden married Neilia Hunter.<ref>Joe Biden Timeline [http://biden.senate.gov/senator/timeline/]</ref>  They had three children together: Joseph R. "Beau" Dien, III, Robert Hunter, and Naomi.  Shortly after his election to the Senate in 1972, his wife and infant daughter were killed in a car accident, and his two sons were seriously injured.<ref>Joe Biden Timeline [http://biden.senate.gov/senator/timeline/]</ref>  He eventually remarried to Dr. Jill Biden (nee Jacobs), an educator in Delaware's schools.<ref>Joe Biden Biography [http://biden.senate.gov/senator/]</ref> She currently is an instructor<ref>http://www.dtcc.edu/catalog/pdf/personnel.pdf</ref> teaching at Delaware Technical Community College. Together, the couple added a daughter, Ashley Biden, to the family.<ref>[http://biden.senate.gov/senator/]</ref>