From humble beginnings to the Whitehouse, In this episode we go over everything about Joe Biden... From his early days to his scandals, from pathological lies to dementia from his personal tragedy to the presidency. This is an autobiography using a combination of recorded moments from throughout his life, to give a better feel for the 46th president.
From humble beginnings to the Whitehouse, In this episode we go over everything about Joe Biden... From his early days to his scandals, from pathological lies to dementia from his personal tragedy to the presidency. This is an autobiography using a combination of recorded moments from throughout his life, to give a better feel for the 46th president.
Joe Biden
The 46th President
From Tragedy to Triumph to Pathological lies to the white house Joe Biden has definitely had an interesting life
Early years
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. was born November 20, 1942, in Scranton, Pennsylvania,[3]:5 to Catherine Eugenia "Jean" Biden and Joseph Robinette Biden Sr. The oldest child in a Catholic family.
Biden's father was initially wealthy, but Scranton fell into economic decline during the 1950s and his father’s business failed. Biden's father could not find steady work. And so he moved the family to live In an apartment in Claymont Delaware. Biden SR. later became a successful used car salesam allowing the family to have a middle-class lifestyle
Biden Excelled as an athlete in highschool, But he had a stutter which earned him the nickname “Dash” His Stutter caused him to be bullied a lot in highschool. Biden overcame his stutter by staring into the mirror everynight and repeating back phrases.
At Archmere Academy in Claymont,[3]:27, 32 Biden was a standout halfback and wide receiver on the high school football team;[11][14] he also played baseball.[11] Though a poor student, he was class president in his junior and senior years. He graduated in 1961.
At the University of Delaware in Newark, Biden briefly played freshman football[16][17] and, as an unexceptional student,[18] earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1965 with a double major in history and political science, and a minor in English.
In 1968, Biden earned a Juris Doctor from Syracuse University College of Law, ranked 76th in his class of 85, after failing a course due to an acknowledged "mistake" when he plagiarized a law review article for a paper he wrote in his first year at law school.[24] He was admitted to the Delaware bar in 1969. A mistake which would comeback to haunt him in the future.
He stayed in Delaware for college where he met his future wife Neilia Hunter they married 2 years later. He soon had 3 small children. Biden being a catholic would have these children consecutively from 1969-1971
Joseph R. "Beau" Biden III (1969–2015), Robert Hunter Biden (born 1970), and Naomi Christina "Amy" Biden (1971–1972). (EXCLUDE DATES )
Biden got a law degree and almost immediately jumped into local politics He was elected a New Castle County Councillor in 1970
In 1972 Biden Ran for senate, an utter longshot
. He was the only Democrat willing to challenge the Incumbent named Boggs.[28] His campaign had almost no money, and he was given no chance of winning.[11] Family members managed and staffed the campaign, which relied on meeting voters face-to-face and hand-distributing position papers,[40] an approach made feasible by Delaware's small size. He received some help from the AFL–CIO a progressive unionist organization and Democratic pollster Patrick Caddell.[28] His platform focused on withdrawal from Vietnam, the environment, civil rights, mass transit, more equitable taxation, health care, and public dissatisfaction with "politics as usual". A few months before the election Biden trailed Boggs by almost thirty percentage points,[28] but his energy, attractive young family, and ability to connect with voters' emotions worked to his advantage,[13] and he won with 50.5 percent of the vote just 3,000 votes. Biden became the sixth-youngest senator in American history he was elected to the U.S. Senate from Delaware in 1972, at the age of 29.
Tragedy
Just a few weeks after the election, Biden's wife Neilia and one-year-old daughter Naomi were killed in an automobile accident while Christmas shopping. His other two children Beu and Hunter were in the automobile but survived. Biden considered resigining from his newly appointed senatorship but Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield persuaded him not to.
Biden was sworn in beside his son Beau’s hospital bed
He said at his innaguration
“If in 6 months or so there is a conflict between my being a good father and being a good senator, which I hope will not occur we can always get another senator but they cant get another father”
-Insert Biden speech from video- 2:25 seconds---
Biden commuted to Washington DC by train some 4 hours a day to be with his kids at night, both events Biden would heavily publicize in his 2020 election campaign. Something which Biden would write in his book, this infuriated him, the thought (that other people) of him exploiting his families tragedy for political gain.
the accident had filled him with anger and religious doubt. He wrote that he felt God had played a horrible trick on him,[52] and he had trouble focusing on work.
Biden credits his second wife, teacher Jill Tracy Jacobs, with the renewal of his interest in politics and life;[55] they met in 1975 on a blind date[56] and were married at the United Nations chapel in New York on June 17, 1977.[
1970’s and bussing
In a 1974 interview, Biden described himself as liberal on civil rights and liberties, senior citizens' concerns and healthcare but conservative on other issues, including abortion and the military conscription
At this time The Dixiecrats held a lot of power within the democratic party. The Dixicrats were essentially southern racist democrats who wanted to continue Jim crow segregation laws.
They formed after Harry S Truman’s 1948 election victory and announcement of integration of Blacks into the American military. The Dixicrats would stay a consistent part of the Democratic party until the late 80’s
Biden worked with the Dixiecrats as he had to at the time.
In one of the most controversial moments of the 2020 Democratic presidential debates. Former competitor for the Democratic nomination and now Biden’s Vice President Kamala Harris hammered Biden hard on his stance on Bussing
---- Harris Bussing Debate----
This moment would temporarily boost Harris in the polls and was the most prominent attack to stick on Biden during the 2020 Democratic presidential debates
This is a very nuanced issue but essentially bussing was meant to better integrate White and black America after The civil rights movement of the 60s ended segregation. The issue of bussing was met with a lot of Criticism, children from higher income areas would be shipped, sometimes far away into lower income areas and vice versa, in an attempt to integrate the heavily segregated US.
The idea of bussing has been viewed as mostly negative in the White community and even some in the African American community have criticized the issue.
Biden was one of the Senate's strongest opponents of race integration bussing, his mostly white state of Delaware strongly rejected bussing.
Due to its unpopularity the democrats mostly abandoned school integration policies
Biden said busing was a "bankrupt idea [violating] the cardinal rule of common sense"
By 1980 Biden had a second daughter named Ashley, During the 80’s Biden would continue winning his elections to the senate.
He had some successful and controversial bills he worked on.
he was a Democratic floor manager for the successful passage of the Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984 a “tough on crime” bill that would face scrutiny in later years. The bill had been the first major revision of criminal code since the early 1900’s. The bill led to a 32% rise in prisoners and a doubling of residential and commercial property seized. some have credited it with being one of the reasons for the massive crime epidemics of the late 80s and early 90s.
It should be noted that the United States today has the highest percentage of prisoners per capita of any country in the world.
First Presidental run 1988
Biden came to the front of the Democratic party in 1986 when he gave a scolding speech at a senate hearing criticizing the Reagan administration, for its stance on South Africa and its system of Apartheid.
After this Biden was recognized as potentially one of the strongest candidates in the 1988 presidential election, He had a moderate image and was praised for his speaking ability on the stump.
Biden was considered one of the best orators among the potential presidential candidates for 1988.
At the age of 44, Biden became one of the official candidates for Democratic nomination, formally declaring his candidacy at the Wilmington train station on June 9, 1987. --- Insert Speech ---
In his speech, Biden said that Americans should rise above "the mere accumulation of material things".[13] In language intended to recall John F. Kennedy, he said, "For too long in this society, we have celebrated unrestrained individualism over common community. For too long as a nation, we have been lulled by the anthem of self-interest. For a decade, led by Ronald Reagan, self-aggrandizement has been the full-throated cry of this society: 'I've got mine so why don't you get yours' and 'What's in it for me?' ... We must rekindle the fire of idealism in our society, for nothing suffocates the promise of America more than unbounded cynicism and indifference."
Biden also laid out the platform he was running on, which included a middle stance between protectionism and free trade, opposition to the Reagan Strategic Defense Initiative better known as The star wars program, and support for child welfare, reduction of poverty, and the war against illegal drugs.[3] Biden also emphasized the need for integrity in government.
In the first quarter of 1987 Biden raised 1.7 million $ more than any other candidate.
However once the campaign began there was a lot of confusion among Biden’s staff due to rivalries and bickering. The message of the campaign wasn’t clear and often confusing to voters. "Pepsi Generation", "Voice of optimism", "Save the children", and "Scold the voters” were all pushed.
Pat Caddell a personal friend of Biden, who had supported him when he was a nobody, also pushed him to run for president. He was a particular disruption In the campaign and Biden due to his personal relationship had a hard time firing him.
Biden decided on another theme, which was a John F Kennedy like New Generation theme… meaning he wanted to appeal as a youthful, New, Fresh politician. Ushering in A brighter era.
This message would have worked in 1960, or maybe in 2008 but it wasn’t catching on in the Conservative world of the Reganic, 80’s. Biden also had a hard time connecting with the social elite of Washington DC
He would later write that his messaging had been "a bit opaque, like audiences were hearing me through a veil. ... I started looking at the race through the wrong prism. I looked around, judg[ing] myself against the other potential candidates for the nomination ..."[
He began losing momentum and then on August 23Rd at the Democratic Debate Biden gave a speech ---INSERT SPEECH--- KINNOCK PLAGARISM
Biden went on to duplicate other parts of Kinnock's speech, such as their forebears' ability to read and write poetry, their strength in working for hours underground in a mine only to come up and play football afterward, and their being limited by lack of a "platform" upon which to stand.[
The Speech was Plagarized from Niel Kinnock the leader of the British Labour Party.
Biden later went on to say that Politicians often times, mimic other politicians in speech but what really came off as dubious was his exaggerations of his and his family’s exploits.
After the Kinnock controversy it came out that before the election Biden had plagarized a Robert F Kennedy Speech
--INSERT RFK SPEECH AND BIDEN---
What was really damming were Newsreals playing back the Speech by RFK which had been televised next to Biden.
-INSERT RFK SPEECH AND BIDEN--
And he did the same from a 1976 Hubert Humphry Speech
Pat Caddell took the blame, and stated that the reuse without credit was his own fault, and that he had never informed Biden of the source of the material.[28] It was also reported that the California speech had taken a short phrase from the 1961 inaugural address of John F. Kennedy.
A final scandal sunk Biden when questioned by a New Hampshire resident about his grades in law school Biden said ----INSERT BIDEN ATTACKING GUY AND LYING----
During this time, Biden also released his undergraduate grades, which were unexceptional.
Another shocking revelation from the 1988 failed presidential run was Biden’s tendency to invent a past as a fighter and marcher in the Civil Rights Movement
in a February 1987 speech in New Hampshire, he said, "When I marched in the civil rights movement, I did not march with a 12-point program. I marched with tens of thousands of others to change attitudes. And we changed attitudes.”
Statements of this nature had been made by Biden going back to at least 1983.[27] Such statements concerned campaign advisors, who knew they did not represent a truthful recollection of Biden's past; Biden said he understood, but continued to make them
According to the Washington Post
Joe didn’t march. He was in high school, playing football.”
But there was one teammate, a black guy, and one day they all went to the Charcoal Pit for french fries, and counterman was not going to serve the black kid—So Joe walked out….and so did the rest of the guys, they walked out…and that was the same feeling in the marches, right? And that was the feeling Joe wanted to share, see? ….The gurus would shake their heads. “That’s not marching.” And Joe would say, “I know. Okay.” But then, a week later, another crowd…and Joe would do it again.
.” He also said in 1987: “When I was 17 years old, I participated in sit-ins to desegregate restaurants and movie houses of Wilmington, Del.”
But ultimately it appears three events can be more or less confirmed:
— He walked out of a restaurant as a high school student because a black football player would not be served.
— Over the summer while in college, he became the only white lifeguard at an all-black swimming pool. This event would gain heavy media coverage in his future presidential bids “the tale of Corn-pop”
— In 1962-63, he participated in pickets of the last segregated movie theater in Wilmington. Richard “Mouse” Smith, the former president of the Delaware NAACP who met Biden at the pool, in 2019 vouched that Biden was there: “We know Joe as the ally who was there beside us to protest the Rialto Theater’s discriminatory policy to segregate moviegoers based on race.”
The Route 40 effort, with the cooperation of the State Department, quickly won the cooperation of many restaurants, earning a letter of thanks in November from President Kennedy. Raymond Arsenault, a history professor at the University of South Florida and author of “Freedom Riders: 1961 and the Struggle for Racial Justice,” said about half of the restaurants along Route 40 desegregated in 1961, with most of the rest quickly following suit in 1962. Relatively few sit-ins were necessary in the end.
Smith told The Fact Checker he could not specifically recall that Biden was involved in the Route 40 campaign. “But I can tell you he was part of the movement,” he said.
Arsenault told The Fact Checker it would have been unusual for someone as young as Biden to be involved in the Route 40 demonstrations. “He’s a story-teller and he naturally embellishes,” he said. “There may be a grain of truth but the specifics, he has walked it back a number of times.”
These events sunk Biden’s campaign. He gave a press conference at the US Capitol to try to put these issues behind him he said that "I've done some dumb things, and I'll do dumb things again.”
He said he would stay in the race regardless but the damage was fatal to his campaign. The media at the time had nothing else of interest going on so they focused on Biden’s flubs. Biden lacked a strong demographic or political group to help him survive the Crisis. It also brought to light what Biden is today most famous for… His Verbal Gaffes.
Biden disgracefully withdrew from the Nomination race on September 23, 1987, saying his campaign had been overrun by The Exaggerated shadow of past mistakes.
Biden would later take blame for his mistakes saying "All I had to say was 'Like Kinnock.' If I'd just said those two words, 'Like Kinnock,' and I didn't. It was my fault, nobody else's fault.”
Later Biden, always being the lighthearted type would make light of the situation by introducing Neil Kinnock on one of his visits to the US senate as “my greatest speechwriter”
On another, he ruefully recalled, "'Hey pal, you want to compare IQs?' What an immature thing to say."[
Biden had felt poorly physically during parts of the campaign, suffering repeated headaches and at one point in September 1987 having to halt a speech in New Hampshire for 15 minutes after feeling faint.[33] During his time on the road he carried an oversize bottle of Tylenol with him.
the scandals and early dropout actually saved Biden’s life… as he suffered several Aneurysms. He underwent life-saving surgery right after dropping out
if the aneurysms had been detected later he might not have lived out the year.
Biden was unable to attend the senate for 7 months.
ANITA HILL
Once he returned to the senate he oversaw Clarence Thomas to the supreme court. The 2nd African American to have the position. Thomas is today considered the most conservative member on the supreme court.
Thomas's confirmation hearings were bitter and intensely fought, centering on an accusation that he had sexually harassed attorney Anita Hill, a subordinate at the Department of Education and the EEOC. Hill claimed that Thomas made multiple sexual and romantic overtures to her despite her repeatedly telling him to stop. Thomas and his supporters asserted that Hill, as well as the witnesses on her behalf and supporters, had fabricated the allegations to prevent the appointment of a Black conservative to the Court.
Biden at this time was Judiciary Chairman, one of the few senators to oversee nominations to the supreme court.
Other women came to testify with Hill but Biden agreed with republicans to limit the hearing to Hill alone. At the time the Televised Hearings Gripped the nation – INSERT HILL BIDEN DOC 6:25-
Biden said he wanted to preserve Thomas's privacy and the hearings' decency.
Clarence was elected by a slight margin of 52-48 with Biden Opposing
-7:55 BIDEN I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY SHE DIDN’T GET TREATED WELL-
Liberal legal advocates and women's groups felt strongly that Biden had mishandled the hearings and not done enough to support Hill.[117] Biden later sought out women to serve on the Judiciary Committee and emphasized women's issues in the committee's legislative agenda.
In 2019, he told Hill he regretted his treatment of her, but Hill said afterward she remained unsatisfied.
Biden however was praised for his fairness transcending both party lines. Something he would become famed for.
1990’s
Biden in the 90’s voted against equal rights for homosexuals, in 1993 voting for a provision that prohibited homosexuals from joining the military and another one in 1996 that defined marriage as between “A man and a woman”
In 1994 he used his Judiciary chairmanship to push for another large crime bill the controversial
Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 or as its better known
The 1994 Crime bill –
This was another “Tough on crime” Bill that in addition to many other things, attempted to ramp up the war on drugs. It imposed longer sentences for drug crimes and other offences.
The USA in the 90’s was engulfed in drug and crime epidemics, partially brought on by The scandalous and often contested IRAN-CONTRA affair, This would make for a great episode in and of itself but essentially the Central Intelligence Agency CIA was involved in funding a right wing Paramilitary group in the Nicaraguan Civil war, a late cold war attempt at stopping communism.
The Raegan Administration was caught selling arms to their dreaded enemy Iran and using the money to fund the Nicaraguan Civil war.
In addition to the Iran-Contra affair Gary Webb an investigative journalist in the mid 90’s uncovered the origins of the crack cocaine trade in Los Angeles and claimed that members of the anti communist Contra rebels in Nicaragua had played a major role in creating the trade, using cocaine profits to support their struggle. It also suggested that the Contras may have acted with the knowledge and protection of the (CIA). The series provoked outrage, particularly in the Los Angeles African-American community, and led to four major investigations of its charges
Biden attempted to combat this pandemic with his “tough on crime” measures. He introduced tougher prison sentences for drug offenders such as mandatory minimum sentencing
The legislation was aimed at addressing rising crime in the country and contained a host of policing and crime prevention provisions — including “three-strikes” mandatory life sentences for repeat violent offenders, funding for community policing and prisons, an assault weapons ban and the Violence Against Women Act. It authorized $30.2 billion, according to a Congressional Research Service report on federal crime measures. It increased federal crimes subject to the death penalty and enabled juveniles to be tried as adults for violent and firearm-involved federal crimes.
The results of the 1994 Crime bill ended up locking up a generation of black, brown and poor white people.
However on the positive side of the bill was the 1994 the Violence against women act which created a national strategy for combating and prosecuting domestic abuse and sexual violence against women.
It has been nationally praised by many political and social groups
Senate Foreign Relations Committee
In 1997 Biden became a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and led it as chairman from 2001-2003 and again in 2007-2009. His positions were generally Liberal Internationalist, meaning he supported the idea that liberal states (such as the USA) should intervene in other sovereign states (such as Iraq or Yugoslavia) to persue liberal Objectives. These invasions can include both military invasion and humanitarian aid.
Foreign policy
Biden was among the first to call for the “Lift and Strike” policy in the 1991 Yugoslav wars. A policy which proposed lifting the arms embargo, training Bosnian Muslims and supporting them with NATO air strikes, and investigating war crimes. The George H. W. Bush administration and Clinton administration were both reluctant to implement the policy, fearing Balkan entanglement.
In April 1993, Biden spent a week in the Balkans and held a tense three-hour meeting with Serbian leader Slobodan Milošević.[128] Biden always one to speak his mind, related that he had told Milošević "I think you're a damn war criminal and you should be tried as one."
Biden has called his role in affecting Balkans policy in the mid-1990s his "proudest moment in public life" related to foreign policy
Biden voted against the 1991 Gulf war invasion. A defensive war which has been universally praised for its swift destruction of the Invading Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi army, following the destruction of the Iraqi Army George HW Bush SR, the then president decided against a land invasion of Iraq, a mistake his son would make and Biden would vote for roughly 12 years later
In 1999 Biden worked across the Aisle again, with senator John Mccain to propose the McCain-Biden Kosovo Resolution In response to the 1999 Kosovo war. Biden Supported the bombing of Yugoslavia and called on President Clinton to use all necessary force including a land invasion over The Serbians actions and alleged Genocide.
Biden was a strong supporter of the 2001 War in Afghanistan, saying, "Whatever it takes, we should do it.”
Probably his biggest foreign relations blunder was his adamant approval of the 2003 Iraq invasion he said in 2002 that Iraqi president Saddam Hussein was a threat to national security and there was no other option than to "eliminate" that threat.[131] In October 2002, he voted in favor of the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq, approving the U.S. invasion of Iraq.[125] As chair of the committee, he assembled a series of witnesses to testify in favor of the authorization. They gave testimony grossly misrepresenting the intent, history and status of Saddam and his secular government, which was an avowed enemy of al-Qaida, and touting Iraq's fictional possession of weapons of mass destruction.[132] Biden eventually became a critic of the war and viewed his vote and role as a "mistake", but did not push for U.S. withdrawal
By late 2006, Biden's stance had shifted considerably. He opposed the Iraqi troop surge of 2007. Similar to Vietnam American generals instead of accepting defeat and withdrawing were attempting to convince then president George W Bush to give them more guns, and more men to end the war swiftly. Biden instead advocated dividing Iraq into a loose federation of three ethnic states. Rather than continue the existing approach or withdrawing, the plan called for "a third way": federalizing Iraq and giving Kurds, Shiites, and Sunnis "breathing room" in their own regions. Iraq’s political leadership was furious denouncing the resolution as a De Facto partitioning of the country.
Vice president under Obama
By 2007 Biden had been a US senator for 34 years, a career politician, he set his goals once again on the presidency,
Biden who was always notorious for his bluntness, had many GAFFES including one on the day he announced his campaign where he said about then senator Barack Obama "the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy."
He later explained himself by meaning “Fresh not clean” the remark nonetheless was met with criticism
Biden was also noted for his one-liners during the campaign; in one debate he said of Republican candidate Rudy Giuliani: "There's only three things he mentions in a sentence: a noun, and a verb and 9/11."[155] Overall, Biden's debate performances were an effective mixture of humor and sharp and surprisingly disciplined comments -INSERT SPEECH RUDY GULLIANI BURN- 20 secondss
Biden was eclipsed by the former first lady Hillary Clinton and New rising star the young, African-American, Barrack Obama. After performing poorly in the Iowa caucus he dropped out without endorsing either front runner in 5th place.
Obama clinched the nominee a few months later, he privately told Biden he wanted him as his Vice President, Biden declined Obama's first request to vet him for the vice-presidential slot, fearing the vice presidency would represent a loss in status and voice from his Senate position, but he later changed his mind.
Traditionally a ceremonial role, or a role where successful and or dangerous politicians are sent to waste away their career. The Vice presidency of America is often times not a coveted position.
Obama and Biden were the perfect team however. Obama Chose Biden as his Nominee due to Biden shoring up some needed support with rural White voters. A group Biden always performed well with, represented by his nickname “uncle Joe”
Obama was the cool charismatic charmer who would pull crowds to his side. (Obama speech)
Biden was the blunt, humble politician who connected directly with people 1 to 1 (biden bluntess)
Many reporters noted how Obama seemed much cooler with Joe Biden around him.
Biden was prone to Blunt speaking and his famous GAFFES -INSERT GAFFE I DON’T HAVE ONE YET---
Obama was also interested in Biden due to his ability to work with republicans and reach across the Aisle… an often times uncommon situation in the Bipartisanship of American politics.
Biden had years of experience on Obama.
ELECTION 2008
Biden Fell into the shadow of his former colleagues in the election of 2008, after being nominated as Obama’s VP the Republican Nominee also a Blunt man of the people John McCain overshadowed Biden with his VP pick, the virtually unknown Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin.
Palin was a very controversial choice, a young woman from Alaska who had little experience in government. She often times seemed Like a deer in headlights which the media obsessed over at the time pushing Biden’s often covered gaffes to the side.
When greeting Joe Biden in the first presidential debate she said “Can I call you Joe?” coming off as very unprofessional and goofy ---INSERT SARAH PALIN---
Critics think she performed better than was predicted but still lost to the Veteran and renowned debater Joe Biden.
It was a difficult campaign cycle, as presidential elections often are…
Biden often attacked McCain heavily despite a long-standing personal friendship.[nb 1] He said, "That guy I used to know, he's gone. It literally saddens me."[
Biden and Mccain had a close friendship dating all the way back to the 1970’s
Under instructions from the campaign, Biden kept his speeches succinct and tried to avoid the offhand remarks that so often got him in trouble. Privately, Biden's remarks frustrated Obama. "How many times is Biden gonna say something stupid?" he asked. Obama campaign staffers referred to Biden blunders as "Joe bombs" and kept Biden uninformed about strategy discussions, which in turn irked Biden. Relations between the two campaigns became strained for a month, until Biden apologized on a call to Obama and the two built a stronger partnership
Nationally, Biden did well earning a 60% favorability rating compared to his contender Palin at 44%
On November 4, 2008, Obama and Biden were elected with 53% of the popular vote and 365 electoral votes to McCain–Palin's 173.[
In an emotional farewell having served the senate for 36 years, Biden told the Senate: "Every good thing I have seen happen here, every bold step taken in the 36-plus years I have been here, came not from the application of pressure by interest groups, but through the maturation of personal relationships." --- SENATE SPEECH---
Vice Presidency
Normally the Vice president is a ceremonial role. Biden was not however… immediately once he became Vice President Obama assigned him to oversee the 2009 infrastructure spending to counteract the Great Recession which had been draining the economy of 100s of thousands of jobs a month. Just after the inauguration, Congress had passed a 787 Billion dollar Stimulus plan and Obama assigned Biden with the task of seeing how the money would be spent.
Using his connections with both Republicans and Democrats Biden was able to bridge the gap between the parties and assisted in Healthcare reform
Another milestone in American politics.
the Affordable Care Act also known as Obamacare This was the most significant regulatory makeover of the U.S. healthcare system since the 1960s. Under the new regulations, Obama sought to increase quality, affordability, and access to healthcare.
Later he would be the key negotiator with the Republican Senate minority leader mitch McConnell using his popularity among both parties and likability.
in the Fiscal Crisis Extending the Bush tax cuts His negotiations with congressional Republicans helped pass legislation including the 2010 Tax Relief Act, which resolved a taxation deadlock; the Budget Control Act of 2011, which resolved a debt ceiling crisis; and the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, which addressed the impending "fiscal cliff".
On may 6th 2012 Biden would once again cause a scandal for the Obama administration.
In what seems like another world, 8 years ago, gay marriage was a hot topic issue. In an interview During an appearance on “Meet the Press” host David Gregory quizzed Biden on the subject, the Vice President made some news:
Gregory: You’re comfortable with same-sex marriage now?
Biden: Look, I am Vice President of the United States of America. The President sets the policy. I am absolutely comfortable with the fact that men marrying men, women marrying women, and heterosexual men marrying women are entitled to the same exact rights. All the civil rights, all the civil liberties. And quite frankly I don’t see much of a distinction beyond that. -INSERT-
Wow 8 years ago… This was a scandal? Today A presidential candidate can talk about Grabbing women by the pussies and mocking physically challenged reporters and still get elected
I am convinced the Mayans were right and we all died in 2012 and this is another reality
The white house quickly responded by saying “The vice president was saying what the president has said previously—that committed and loving same-sex couples deserve the same rights and protections enjoyed by all Americans, and that we oppose any effort to rollback those rights. That’s why we stopped defending the constitutionality of section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act in legal challenges and support legislation to repeal it. Beyond that, the Vice President was expressing that he too is evolving on the issue, after meeting so many committed couples and families in this country.”
Obama was quite Irked from this, since Obama had planned to shift position several months later and within days, Obama announced that he too supported same-sex marriage, an action in part forced by Biden's remarks
Obama chose Biden to lead his efforts on the foreign policy front due to Bidens experience with the senate foreign relations committee. He led efforts to pass the NEW START treaty between Russia and the United states, which called for halving the number of strategic nuclear missile launchers. And A new nuclear inspection and verification regime would be established
Biden also helped formulate US policy towards IRAQ through the Withdrawal of US troops in 2011…
Despite their different personalities, Obama and Biden formed a close friendship, their Bromance would become famous in meme’s showing Obama and Biden hanging out, getting a burger or playing minigolf on the whitehouse lawn among other things. Partly their friendship was based around Obama's daughter Sasha and Biden's granddaughter Maisy, who attended Sidwell Friends School together.
Members of the Obama administration said Biden's role in the White House was to be a contrarian and force others to defend their positions.[217] Rahm Emanuel, White House chief of staff, said that Biden helped counter groupthink.[200] White House press secretary Jay Carney, Biden's former communications director, said Biden played the role of "the bad guy in the Situation Room".[217] Another senior Obama advisor said Biden "is always prepared to be the skunk at the family picnic to make sure we are as intellectually honest as possible."[162] Obama said, "The best thing about Joe is that when we get everybody together, he really forces people to think and defend their positions, to look at things from every angle, and that is very valuable for me."
Biden campaigned heavily for Democrats in the 2010 midterm elections, maintaining an attitude of optimism in the face of predictions of large-scale losses for the party
November 6, 2012
Reelected
The Obama administration would win relection. And Biden would be set with another important task almost immediately..
The Sandyhill Massacre occurred a little over a month after re-election.
Sandyhill was an Elementary school that was shot up by a mentally disabled 20 year old. It shocked the nation and reopened the discussion of gun control. Biden would enter discussions over attempts at instituting stronger gun control. The talks would fail.
Biden’s Violence against women act was reauthorized in 2013 The act led to related developments, such as the White House Council on Women and Girls, as well as the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault, with Biden and Valerie Jarrett as co-chairs.
On Foreign policy Biden focused on Syria where he favored arming Syrian rebel fighters. By 2014 Syria had completely fallen apart, Biden remarked the U.S. would follow ISIL "to the gates of hell".
Biden focused a lot of his energy (IGNORE THE PUN) on assisting Ukraine, which had been invaded by Russia in 2014, The invasion was met with strong sanctions from The Obama administration
Just days before the end of the Obama Administration Obama surprised Biden with The Presidential Medal of Freedom
Obama said of Biden "the best vice president America's ever had" and a "lion of American history," Obama gave his White House partner the surprise award in an emotional ceremony, initially billed as a farewell. -INSERT SPEECH-
Overcome with tears and completely caught off guard by the award, Biden praised the president as "remarkable man who did remarkable things for this country" who had truly treated him like an equal partner in governance.
"This honor is not only well beyond what I deserve, but it's a reflection of the generosity of your spirit," Biden told Obama. "I don't deserve this. But I know it came from the president's heart."
Throughout the ceremony it was evident not just how close the two men were but how close their families and staffs had become, and Obama said his "family is honored to call ourselves honorary Bidens."
Biden had spent much of his 2nd term preparing for a possible 2016 Presidential Run.
However Tragedy struck him the year before, when his eldest son Beau Biden died of brain cancer.
Beau Biden was Joe Bidens Protégé, he had been considering setting aside his own ambitions of becoming president in favor of his son Beau’s.
Beau was young, only 46 when he died, a combat veteran who had served in Iraq and a promising politician who served as Delaware’s Attorney General.
At Beau’s funeral President Obama said of Beau “He is Joe 2.0” -INSERT SPEECH-
Biden said of his son “He was the same as me but without the flaws”
Biden faced an existential crisis after the untimely death of his son. Similar to the one he faced when his young wife and daughter died almost 43 years before. He began to question God… He took inspiration from his late son… Which Joe Biden wrote about in his Book “promise me dad”
The title of the book was inspired by a conversation Biden had with Beau after his cancer had progressed significantly. Coming to terms with his own mortality, Beau assured his father that no matter what happened, he would be okay. He then asked his father to promise the same in return.
The book is a genuine and heartwarming mix of personal tragedy and political insight. Focusing mostly around his son’s fight with brain cancer and Biden’s life. It gives a good feel for the type of person Joe Biden is.
This would seemingly end the career of the ambitious Biden,
For a career politician such as Biden the end goal must always be the presidency…
Only 15 Vice Presidents have gone on to become President. Of the 15 presidents who also served as vice presidents, only five first rose to the role via an election, with Mr Biden being the first to do so in 28 years.
Richard Nixon was the only other president to serve as president and vice president after taking a gap in years following their Vice Presidencies.
2016 election
Hillary Clinton, Biden’s former competitor and colleague under the Obama administration announced she would be seeking 2016 democratic nomination
Many Urged Biden to run as he seemed more likeable compared to the cold Hillary Clinton. Biden cited his son's recent death as a large drain on his emotional energy, and said, "nobody has a right ... to seek that office unless they're willing to give it 110% of who they are”
Biden announced from the Rose Garden with his wife Jill and Obama at his side he would not be running for president.
After this Obama endorsed Hillary Clinton and Biden endorsed her later that day.
Biden heavily endorsed and campaigned for Hillary Clinton and often went to blows against Clinton’s competitor and Bidens future competitor Donald Trump. The two famed for their bluntness often used colorful language when addressing each other. With Biden Even saying he would “beat the hell out of” President Donald Trump if they were in high school over his crude comments about women.
After the shocking defeat of Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election Biden decided to write his memoir about his son “Promise me, Dad” and went on a book tour which was very successful. Biden earned 15.6 million from the book between 2017-2018
In 2018 Biden gave a Eulogy for his former adversary and friend John Mccain who had recently died of Brain cancer. Biden praised McCain’s willingness to reach across the political aisle and his embrace of American ideals.
After Hillary Clinton unexpectedly was defeated in the 2016 election the Democratic party lacked leadership. Many friends and media outlets urged Biden to run for the presidency. Biden spent the next 2 years giving ambivalent answers when asked about his potential run… saying “Never say never.” And a few days later “I’ll Run if I can walk”.
Always an outspoken critic of President Trump, Biden formally announced his run for the presidency on April 25th 2019.
He said that the 2017 White Supremecist marches in Charlotssville virginia inspired his run for white house. He referenced previous trumps words “very fine people were involved on both sides of the clashes that followed” -INSERT TRUMP--
At the time he wrote “we are in a battle for the soul of this nation” -INSERT BIDEN-
This would be bidens 3rd attempt at the white house.
2020 ELECTION
28 fellow democrats ran for the whitehouse in addition to Biden. It was the largest turnout since 1972.
The United states is a Bicameral federal democratic republic… Our presidential election works like this, first we have an election where the two parties, (Democrats and Republicans) have the primaries, an election to choose the best contender for the Presidency, after this election there is a campaign between the representatives of the 2 parties and whichever party wins gets the presidency
Joe Bidens main thing was his electability and His name recognition, He was VP for an extremely popular President Barack Obama (in Democratic circles admittedly)
Obama didn’t endorse Joe Biden up until the very end stating he wanted to let people decide for themselves who they wanted to choose
What plagued biden most during this campaign were his allegations of Dementia, Often times spewing his ever so famous verbal gaffes but this time often slurring or forgetting what he was saying or where he was
Insert Biden dementia ---
The Media heavily ignored Biden’s mistakes which seemed to be occurring daily
Insert more dementia---
Leading to more resentment from a populace that already distrusted their media
According to a gallup poll Americans Remain Distrustful of Mass Media
one of the few times a negative news story about biden did come out was when in February of 2020
Biden claimed at a south Carolina towhall meeting that when he was a senator for Delaware he had been visiting the country South Africa with a delegation of American officials and planned to visit Nelson Mandela in Prison. But during the trip, Mr Biden said he had "had the great honour of being arrested with our UN ambassador on the streets of Soweto" while trying to reach the civil rights leader on Robben Island. The town of Soweto is more than 760 miles (1,223km) from Robben Island.
At a black history awards brunch in Las Vegas, he also said Mandela had thanked him for his efforts.
"He threw his arms around me and said, 'I want to say thank you,'" Mr Biden told onlookers. "I said, 'What are you thanking me for, Mr President?' He said: 'You tried to see me. You got arrested trying to see me.'"
Joe Biden was not arrested in South Africa while trying to see Nelson Mandela, his campaign later conceded.
The US presidential contender had repeatedly said he was arrested during a trip there in the 1970s, when South Africa was under apartheid.
But a deputy campaign managers told reporters Mr Biden had been referring to an episode where he was "separated" from black colleagues at an airport.
"When I exited the plane I was directed to one side of the tarmac, while the African American congressmen travelling with me were sent to the other side," said Mr Biden. "I refused to break off, and the officials finally relented."
Another scandal Biden faced during his presidential campaign was his allegations of inappropriate physical contact… Biden has described himself as a "tactile politician”. You could often see Biden at ceremonies during his Vice presidential time touching people in inappropriate ways, often placing his hand son and talking to people closely. Many people have defended Biden.
In March 2019, former Nevada assemblywoman Lucy Flores alleged that Biden had touched her without her consent at a 2014 campaign rally in Las Vegas. In an op-ed, Flores wrote that Biden had walked up behind her, put his hands on her shoulders, smelled her hair, and kissed the back of her head, adding that the way he touched her was "an intimate way reserved for close friends, family, or romantic partners—and I felt powerless to do anything about it."
In April 2019, former Biden staffer Tara Reade said she had felt uncomfortable on several occasions when Biden touched her on her shoulder and neck during her employment in his Senate office in 1993.[354] In March 2020, Reade accused him of a 1993 sexual assault.[355] Biden and his campaign vehemently denied the allegation.[356][357]
Biden apologized for not understanding how people would react to his actions, but said his intentions were honorable and that he would be more "mindful of people's personal space". He went on to say he was not sorry for anything he had ever done, which led critics to accuse him of sending a mixed message
It was also noted that the media heavily ignored the outsider’s Bernie Sanders who after performing very well in the 2016 election was now a household name. Andrew Yang and Tulsi Gabbard who at one point the news network MSNBC used the wrong photos of them for a piece.
Most likely this was the result of The medias disdain for President Trump who often times would resort to calling reporters names and claiming they were “Fake News”. They wanted him out of office and were pushing what seemed to be the “most electable”
During the Democratic presidential Primaries
The nominees could be broken up into 2 categories
The outsiders- (generally far leftist for American politics)
Bernie Sanders- famed democratic socialist who ran against Hillary Clinton in 2016 he was the 2nd frontrunner
Elizabeth warren, - who made a name for herself Fighting big banks and wallstreet
Andrew Yang – an entrepreneur famous for his outsider ideas and UBI (Universal basic income)
And The centrists -
Amy klobuchar – a veteran politician, Minnesota senator
Pete Buddigeig – a newcomer, mayor of south bend Indiana
Mike Bloomberg – a billionaire who dumped over 500 million dollars into the campaign.
The Centrist wing was very uninspiring but seemed stable, an attack Trump often threw at Biden was that nobody was going to see him, where Trump Himself would fill Arenas with supporters who treated Trump not so much as a president but as a Rockstar.
Biden eventually rose to the head of the centrist wing
Biden as the front runner was the target of all his fellow competitors wrath in the subsequent Democratic debates,
-Insert attacks from fellow competitors-
Considering his many Gaffes and the accusations of Dementia he performed rather well in the debates. The Majority of Times batting away or even having a sharp retort to his attackers -Insert kicking Gillenbrand ass (maybe Klobuchar)
Biden who had fallen behind Senator Sanders due to his problems with speaking eventually came back with a vengeance.
It is alleged that Joe Biden’s former boss and best friend. President Obama made a line of phone calls to the other centrist candidates, offering them positions in a biden administration should they drop out.
Just before Super Tuesday the largest and most important election of the primary elections occurred.
Buttigieg and Klobuchar dropped out of the race endorsing Biden. Sanders who at this time was leading the race was crippled by his friend and former ally Elizabeth Warren.. who stayed in the race until after Super Tuesday, Dividing the leftists vote and Dooming the Democratic Socialists chances
Joe Biden clinched the nomination and proceeded to the presidential race
Biden mentioned in one of his debates
----BIDEN CHOOSES WOMAN---- SPEECH-
Biden eventually chose Kamala Harris as his running mate
Biden and Trump had a similar appeal to them, both were blunt speakers that often came off as honest (ironically)
Trump’s main attack towards Biden was his allegations that him and his chosen VP (a senator and former Prosecutor from California named Kamala Harris) were radical leftists who wanted to overthrow the traditional American system in favor of “socialism”
These attacks were amplified when on May 25th 2020, George Floyd an African American man was killed by a police officer due to him kneeling on his neck. Riots erupted protesting police brutality in a deeply polarized nation with the slogan 8 minutes and :46 seconds… the time the police officer had his knee on George Floyd’s neck.
Biden took a moderate stance condemning the action but sticking up for both the African American community and the police who often were at odds with each other. In comparison to Trump who solely stuck up for the Police leading to more polarization and anger.
The state of the USA was exacerbated by the now proliferating Corona Virus. Which caused the federal system to have many delayed elections. The presidential election was not however… and was to be on November 3rd. Due to the corona Virus the prospect of mail in voting was heavily publicized. (mail in voters tend to swing democratic)
Trump always a pot stirrer made allegations of voter fraud for months against the mail in voting.
Next came the presidential debates. Which Trump (who was falling behind in the polls) due to the BLM protests, and Corona running rampant throughout the country. Had to win.
The first Presidental debate occurred on September 29th. The debate was a vicious chaotic mess, the two men often spoke over each other and called each other names. -INSERT WILL YOU JUST SHUT UP MAN- -INSULT NAME CALLING-
Biden was generally viewed as the winner with a significant minority of news outlets claiming trump won.
One moment that stuck out
-INSERT TRUMP NOT DENOUCNING WHITE SUPREMIST-
The second debate was cancelled due to Trump himself contracting the Corona Virus.
The Third debate took place on October 22nd. Due to the chaotic nature of the first debate the rules had been changed in order for a more civil debate. Biden was generally considered the victor of this debate.
Trump during all this time was constantly throwing around allegations of a conspiracy scandal that occurred. This event was heavily investigated and pushed by Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Guiliani (famed as the mayor of New York City during 9/11) ---REPEAT RUDY 911 BURN---
The Scandal was called The Biden Ukraine conspiracy theory.
Hunter Biden before his fathers vice presidency was a career lawyer and lobbyist and during the time of his fathers vice presidency he was hired to work on the board of a Ukranian gas company Burisma. . A s he had no prior experience in the energy sector and no knowledge of the Ukrainian or Russian languages, some viewed this as a likely attempt to buy influence via his father.
Trump began pressuring Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate alleged wrongdoings by Biden and his son Hunter Biden. The conspiracy theory alleges that then-vice President Biden withheld loan guarantees to pressure Ukraine into firing a prosecutor to prevent a corruption investigation into Burisma and to protect his son.
Trump became convinced that Hunter Biden was using his father’s influence to withhold funding to Ukraine, a country still locked In a bitter guerilla war with Russia. He intended to use this against Biden in the 2020 Presidential election as he foresaw that Biden would be the challenger.
This led to Trump impeachment charge. The Inquiry of the charge was that Trump withheld military aid in order to influence Ukraine to promote the conspiracy theory and investigate Hunter and Joe Biden’s alleged wrongdoings
The House adopted two articles of impeachment against Trump: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The Senate acquitted Trump of these charges on February 5, 2020.
Due To the chaotic year of 2020 and abysmal state of the USA. Biden was heavily predicted to be the winner of the 2020 election. A statement Trump challenged by once again accusing the “FAKE NEWS” Media of lying for their corporate puppet.
The election took place on November 3rd.
Due to Corona a major portion of the population would be voting by mail (in order to prevent the spreading of the virus)
the votes counted first would be the day of voters and the mail in voters would be counted 2nd.
This led to what political experts predicted would happen (the Red wave followed by the blue wave) first it would appear as if Trump had won the election due to the day of – walk-in votes being counted first and over the next few days the blue wave would counteract the red wave once the mail in votes were counted.
The night of November 3rd many went to bed with what looked like a neck-to-neck race.
the Areas considered battleground states in the 2020 election were Arizona, Florida, Georgia, , Michigan, Minnesota, , Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin,[27] with Florida, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin constituting the "Big Four" most likely to decide the electoral college.[28] In the end, Joe Biden won Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, while Donald Trump only won Florida, North Carolina, and Ohio.
Trump immediately made accusations of Voter fraud and refused to concede the election. Biden spent the next couple of months preparing for his presidency
On January 6th 2 weeks before Biden would assume the presidency Trump attempted … what some have called a coup attempt
If you are curious about this event I did a podcast on this topic called “Storming the Capitol” you can listen there in order to get a clearer idea about this event.
Joe Biden was now be President elect Joe Biden… the 46th president of the united states.
My opinion on Biden
Just a few weeks into Biden’s presidential term we cant be sure of what his presidency will look like. He has done some Day 1 executive orders that have essentially rolled back most of what Trump did throughout the last 4 years. The most important of which being, the rollback of trumps muslim ban, protecting illegal immigrants children by reviving DACA and halting construction of the notorious Mexican Border Wall.
Biden is now working on a 15$ Federal minimum wage.
Some of the other things he has done are Extending forclosures and protections during COVID, Freezing student debt payments, Rejoining the paris climate accord, and canceling a contract with the Keystone XL pipeline.
After this podcast you can decide on your own what you think of Biden, many leftists complain that he is a centrist puppet who will only help the rich, many right wingers complain that he is a radical socialist coming to change our way of life.
I believe Biden is a good person, but a flawed person. He works for a system that as former US president Jimmy Carter once said “The US Is an Oligcarchy with Unlimited political Bribery”. We will see if he continues the corruption that is as Trump called it “The Swamp of Washigntn DC”
Biden coming from Humble beginnings, has always been one of the poorest members of the senate. Which he attributes to joining the senate at a very early age (it should be noted that being one of the poorest members of the senate, you are still a millionaire) and that after his writing his book he is in the multi millions level.
a funny story from his life, When he was a senior member of the senates foreign relations committee then new member Barack Obama contacted him. Biden being a kindhearted guy asked if he wanted to go out and get dinner some time to talk about the committee, saying “we can go somewhere not too expensive” Obama Arrogantly replied “don’t worry I am doing rather well from my book memoirs..” Biden later recalled the confusion… as Biden realized the young Obama probably thought he was trying to be polite, assuming a new senator wouldn’t have so much money… Biden was referring to himself
Bidens allegations of dementia have since cleared up and he is speaking much better. I believe he might have some early onset issues but the state that he was in while running must have been extravagated by the daunting task of running an election.
----Insert biden innaguration ---