Explainer | Joe Biden: biography, net worth, family tragedy and path to presidency
- Joe Biden brings to his political career a mix of blue-collar credentials, foreign policy experience and a compelling life story
- The 78-year-old’s long climb to the political top includes two previous failed presidential bids
A stalwart of American political life for decades, Joe Biden, has experienced many ups and downs during his long career in Washington. Here’s what we know about the US president.
Biography
Joseph Robinette Biden Jnr was born November 20, 1942 and raised in the rust belt town of Scranton, Pennsylvania, in an Irish-Catholic family.
His father was a car salesman, but when the city went through tough times in the 1950s and he lost his job, he moved the family to neighbouring Delaware when Joe Biden was 10.
“My dad always said: ‘Champ, when you get knocked down, you get back up’,” Biden said.
He made Delaware his political domain. As a young man he served as a lifeguard in a majority-black neighbourhood, an experience he said sharpened his awareness of systemic inequalities and strengthened his political interest.
