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Biden chooses podium while Trump gets final word in first presidential debate
FOX News Videos4 hours agoFox News senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy has more on the upcoming debate as President Biden and former President Trump prepare to square off on 'Special Report.'
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- 3:23Biden chooses podium while Trump gets final word in first presidential debateFOX News VideosFox News senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy has more on the upcoming debate as President Biden and former President Trump prepare to square off on 'Special Report.'4 hours ago
- 9:10Some restraint on Trump's part could pay off big: Matthew ContinettiFOX News Videos'Special Report' panelists Mary Katharine Ham, Olivia Beavers and Matthew Continetti discuss how President Biden and former President Trump should approach the first 2024 presidential debate.5 hours ago
- 6:57Alex Castellanos on Biden-Trump debate: We're going to see two candidates at their bestFOX News VideosRepublican media consultant Alex Castellanos and Democratic strategist Matt Bennett discuss what to expect ahead of the first 2024 presidential debate and what issues voters care about on 'Special Report.'5 hours ago
- 10:43'The Five': Dems are worried Biden will 'blow it' in next week's debateFOX News Videos'The Five' co-hosts preview the upcoming presidential debate between President Biden and former President Trump.6 hours ago
- 9:41Biden and Trump prepare for first 2024 presidential debateCBS News VideosWith a week to go until the first presidential debate of the 2024 election cycle, President Biden is heading to Camp David on Thursday night to huddle with advisers. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump has held several private meetings with senators, policy experts and other allies. CBS News' Robert Costa and Weijia Jiang have more on the candidates' preparations.6 hours ago
- 7:38Lawrence Jones: Trump is in the NFL and Biden is in high schoolFox Business Videos'FOX & Friends' co-host Lawrence Jones predicts how the first presidential debate will pan out on 'Kudlow.'7 hours ago
- 2:45Biden and Trump are facing a historic rematch. Hear why it won’t be a rerunCNNCNN’s Jeff Zeleny says the rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump during CNN’s presidential debate on June 27 will have the familiar rivals but will focus on new issues.7 hours ago
- 5:42Chuck Todd: First debate will give candidates a chance to reach voters outside their 'bubbles'NBCNBC News Chief Political Analyst Chuck Todd joins Meet the Press NOW to discuss the upcoming presidential debate between President Biden and former President Trump and how it may affect the 2024 race.8 hours ago
- 1:19Trump to get final word at CNN debate after coin flipThe HillFormer President Trump will have the final word in next week’s first presidential debate after a coin toss, CNN announced Thursday. The Biden campaign won the coin toss, selecting tails, and choosing to pick the president’s standing position instead of reserving a speaking slot. Biden will stand on the right side of the stage from the viewer’s perspective, and Trump the left.8 hours ago
- 7:00'Any misstep' in debate could 'completely torpedo' Biden's campaign: Elise JordanNBCThe first presidential debate of the 2024 race is next week with President Biden and former President Trump facing off. NBC News' Monica Alba, NBC News' Vaughn Hillyard and MSNBC political analyst Elise Jordan join Katy Tur to share their expectations for the face off.9 hours ago
- 1:10Van Jones gives stark warning to President Biden about upcoming debateFOX News VideosFormer Obama adviser Van Jones predicted that if Biden messes up the first presidential debate, his chances at winning re-election are shot.10 hours ago
- 1:19:57Republican, Democrat advisers debate the economyFOX News VideosTrump campaign senior advisor Steve Moore and former Obama economic advisor Robert Wolf discuss how Trump and Biden should address questions on the economy in the first presidential debate10 hours ago
- 2:50Heads or tails: Biden wins debate coin flip to pick podium positionNBCPresident Biden’s campaign won a coin flip and chose to pick his podium position at the first presidential debate. Since Biden won the toss, former President Trump will be allowed the final word of the night. NBC News’ Monica Alba reports on preparations both candidates may be taking ahead of their first face-off.10 hours ago
- 10:03Half of America desperately needs a Fed rate cut right now: Charles PayneFox Business Videos'Making Money' host Charles Payne and 'The Claman Countdown' host Liz Claman preview the first presidential debate and discuss Fed rate cuts on 'The Big Money Show.'10 hours ago
- 7:40Trend of ‘politics without ethics’ threatens democracy, Biden attorney saysNBCIn his just-released book The Unraveling, President Joe Biden’s personal attorney and former Obama White House counsel Bob Bauer describes what he sees as today’s threats to democracy. Andrea Mitchell sits down with him to discuss the polarized political landscape and preview next week’s presidential debate.10 hours ago
- 2:18New polling numbers in presidential raceKTTVNew polling numbers are in just days before the first U.S. presidential debate.15 hours ago
- 9:05The 'mother of all U.S. presidential debates': Ed Luce on the stakes for next weekNBCNext week, President Biden and former President Trump will meet for the first debate of the 2024 election season, and Ed Luce discusses why this debate is the mother of all debates.16 hours ago
- 2:17How Trump is preparing for the debate, according to Maggie HabermanCNNCNN political analyst Maggie Haberman describes what she has heard about former President Donald Trump’s preparations for the June 27 CNN Presidential Debate.1 day ago
- 8:09What to expect in the first Biden, Trump presidential debate?FOX News Videos'Special Report' panelists weigh in on the latest presidential polling as both President Biden and former President Trump look to faceoff in a White House rematch this November.1 day ago
- 7:56Historic summer debate: See Obama vet on 2024 election fatigueNBCAhead of the first presidential debate of the 2024 election, both Donald Trump and Joe Biden facing scrutiny and hoping to break through with voters. See Obama vet Chai Komanduri and former MSNBC host Abby Huntsman discuss the risks and possible rewards for both candidates.1 day ago
- 10:55What the 'radical left lunatics' say is 'so terrible': Trump denies calling Milwaukee horribleNBCFormer President Trump is now praising Milwaukee after calling it "horrible." NBC News' Vaughn Hillyard, former Rep. Donna Edwards and former Rep. Carlos Curbelo join Ana Cabrera to discuss Trump's rhetoric, why "double hater" voters could be critical in the election and the upcoming presidential debate.2 days ago
- 5:07Trump holds rally in Wisconsin ahead of the first presidential debateNBCFormer President Trump held a rally in Wisconsin ahead of the first scheduled presidential debate. Both Trump and President Biden have spent time in the battleground state just this month.2 days ago
- 15:15It's ‘game over’ for Biden if Trump keeps gaining with Black voters: Kellyanne ConwayFOX News VideosFox News contributor Kellyanne Conway comments on former President Trump and President Biden’s campaigns ahead of the first presidential debate next week.3 days ago
- 7:19Carville bets Trump a no show at debate, but why he'll likely be thereNBCDemocratic strategist James Carville suggests Donald Trump could skip the first presidential debate of 2024. The Morning Joe panel discusses why he's likely to be there.3 days ago
- 2:25Biden and Trump teams gear up for debateCNNU.S. President Joe Biden slams Donald Trump as a ‘convicted criminal’ while Trump ally, Steve Bannon, threatens retribution against Trump’s political opponents. Richard Johnson, Lecturer in U.S. Politics at Queen Mary University of London, speaks with CNN’s Max Foster about soaring political tensions ahead of CNN’s presidential debate.3 days ago
A Leader in the Senate and 47th Vice President of the United States. As a Senator from Delaware for 36 years, then-Senator Biden played a leading role addressing some of our...
Joe Biden 's tenure as the 46th president of the United States began with his inauguration on January 20, 2021.
Joe Biden. CNN coverage of Joseph R. Biden, the 46th president of the United States. Latest Headlines. Biden envoy told Netanyahu his comments about US-supplied weapons were...
Jan 20, 2021 · WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Biden became the 46th President of the United States on Wednesday, declaring that “democracy has prevailed.” He swore the oath of office to take the helm of a deeply...
- 22 min
- Julie Pace
- Overview
- Early life and career in the Senate
- Presidential runs and vice presidency
- Presidential election of 2020
- Presidency
Joe Biden is the 46th president of the United States (2021– ). Biden was born on November 20, 1942, in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Delaware and a law degree from Syracuse University.
When was Joe Biden elected to the U.S. Senate?
Joe Biden was elected to represent Delaware in the U.S. Senate in 1972 at the age of 29, becoming the fifth youngest senator in U.S. history. He remained a senator until 2009.
When did Joe Biden receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom?
Vice President Joe Biden received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama on January 12, 2017.
Joe Biden (born November 20, 1942, Scranton, Pennsylvania, U.S.) 46th president of the United States (2021– ) and 47th vice president of the United States (2009–17) in the Democratic administration of Pres. Barack Obama. He previously represented Delaware in the U.S. Senate (1973–2009). In April 2023 Joe Biden formally announced his bid for reelection as president in 2024.
Biden, who was raised in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and New Castle county, Delaware, received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Delaware in 1965 and a law degree from Syracuse University in New York in 1968. During this time he married (1966) Neilia Hunter, and the couple later had three children.
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U.S. Presidential Firsts
After graduating from law school, Biden returned to Delaware to work as an attorney before quickly turning to politics, serving on the New Castle county council from 1970 to 1972. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1972 at the age of 29, becoming the fifth youngest senator in history. About a month later his wife and infant daughter were killed in a car accident, and his two sons were seriously injured. Although he contemplated suspending his political career, Biden was persuaded to join the Senate in 1973, and he went on to win reelection six times, becoming Delaware’s longest-serving senator. In 1977 he married Jill Jacobs, an educator, and they later had a daughter. In addition to his role as U.S. senator, Biden also was an adjunct professor (1991–2008) at the Wilmington, Delaware, branch of the Widener University School of Law.
Biden pursued the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination but withdrew after it was revealed that parts of his campaign stump speech had been plagiarized from British Labour Party leader Neil Kinnock without appropriate attribution. His 2008 presidential campaign never gained momentum, and he withdrew from the race after placing fifth in the Iowa Democratic caucus in January of that year. (For coverage of the 2008 election, see United States Presidential Election of 2008.) After Barack Obama amassed enough delegates to secure the Democratic presidential nomination, Biden emerged as a front-runner to be Obama’s vice presidential running mate. On August 23 Obama officially announced his selection of Biden as the Democratic Party’s vice presidential nominee, and on August 27 Obama and Biden secured the Democratic Party’s nomination. On November 4 the Obama-Biden ticket defeated John McCain and his running mate, Sarah Palin, and Biden also easily won reelection to his U.S. Senate seat. He resigned from the Senate post shortly before taking the oath of office as vice president on January 20, 2009. In November 2012 Obama and Biden were reelected for a second term, defeating the Republican ticket of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan.
As vice president, Biden played an active role in the administration, serving as an influential adviser to Obama and a vocal supporter of his initiatives. In addition, he was tasked with notable assignments. He helped avert several budget crises and played a key role in shaping U.S. policy in Iraq. In 2015 his eldest son, Beau, died from brain cancer; Biden recounted the experience in Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose (2017). Several months later, Biden—who enjoyed high favourability ratings, partly due to a candour and affable manner that resonated with the public—announced that he would not enter the 2016 presidential election, noting that the family was still grieving. Instead, he campaigned for Hillary Clinton, who ultimately lost the election to Donald Trump.
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Biden remained involved in politics and was a vocal critic of Pres. Donald Trump. Biden himself faced censure when, in 2019, various women accused him of inappropriate physical contact, notably hugging and kissing. Although his response was widely derided—“I’m sorry I didn’t understand more.…I’m not sorry for anything that I have ever done. I’ve never been disrespectful intentionally to a man or a woman”—his popularity remained high. Amid growing speculation that he would run for president in 2020, Biden announced his candidacy in April 2019, joining a crowded Democratic field.
Biden immediately became a front-runner, and he pursued a platform that was considered moderate, especially as compared with such candidates as Bernie Sanders. A poor performance in the party’s first debate in June 2019, however, raised questions about Biden, and his support dipped. After the first three nomination contests in early 2020, Sanders seemed poised to become the party’s nominee. However, worries about Sanders’s electability in the general election galvanized moderate voters, and in South Carolina in late February Biden won a resounding victory. Numerous candidates subsequently dropped out, and by early March it had become a two-man race between Biden and Sanders. As Biden registered more wins, he soon took a commanding lead in delegates. After the rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States stalled the campaigns, Sanders dropped out in April, and Biden became the presumptive Democratic nominee.
In the ensuing months Biden outlined a platform that included a number of policies that appealed to progressives. He notably supported government aid to low-income communities, ambitious climate change legislation, affordable child care, and the expansion of federal health insurance plans, such as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which had been enacted during Obama’s presidency. During this time Biden gained a somewhat sizable lead over Trump in nationwide polls, in part due to criticism of the president’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which had caused an economic downturn that rivaled the Great Depression. In August 2020 Biden chose Kamala Harris as his running mate—she became the first African American woman to appear on a major party’s national ticket—and later that month, he officially was named the Democratic presidential nominee. Although preelection polling had shown Biden with a significant lead in key battleground states, the actual contest proved to be much closer. Nevertheless, Biden and Harris succeeded in rebuilding the so-called “Blue Wall” through the Midwestern Rust Belt states, and on November 7, four days after the election, Biden secured the 270 electoral votes necessary to capture the presidency. Biden’s eventual electoral vote total was 306 to Trump’s 232; Biden won the popular vote by more than seven million votes.
Trump and several other Republican leaders subsequently challenged the election results, claiming voter fraud. Although a number of lawsuits were filed, no evidence was provided to support the allegations, and the vast majority of the cases were dismissed. During this time, Biden and Harris began the transition to a new administration, announcing an agenda and selecting staff. By early December all states had certified the election results, and the process then moved to Congress for final certification. Amid Trump’s repeated calls for Republicans to overturn the election, a group of Republican congressional members, notably including Senators Josh Hawley (Missouri) and Ted Cruz (Texas), announced that they would challenge the electors of various states. As the proceedings began on January 6, 2021, a large crowd of Trump supporters marched to the U.S. Capitol from a rally near the White House, where Trump had delivered an incendiary speech repeating false allegations of voter fraud by Democrats and urging his supporters to “fight like hell.” Overwhelming Capitol police, the rioters stormed the complex and vandalized and looted the interior, resulting in the deaths of five people, including one Capitol police officer (see United States Capitol attack of 2021). After several hours the building was finally secured, and Biden and Harris were certified as the winners. Two weeks later, amid a massive security presence, Biden was sworn in as president.
The 2020 election was marked by a historically large voter turnout, made possible in part by modifications in voting procedures initiated in many states to ensure that voters could cast their ballots safely amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Significantly more Democrats voted in the 2020 election than in previous presidential contests, and the Democratic Party not only won the presidential election but also maintained its control of the U.S. House of Representatives and took control of the U.S. Senate from Republicans, though only by the slimmest of margins (the resulting Senate membership was evenly divided between the two parties at 50 senators each, but tie votes could be broken by Vice President Harris, acting in her constitutional role as president of the Senate). In the view of many Democrats, particularly progressives, the party’s simultaneous control of the presidency and both houses of Congress afforded it a rare opportunity to pass transformative legislation that promised to make American society more democratic, equitable, and just.
During the first weeks of his presidency, Biden signed a raft of executive orders, actions, and memoranda, many of which rescinded policies of the Trump administration, particularly in the areas of immigration, health care, and the environment. Notably, on his first day in office, Biden issued executive orders that reentered the United States into the Paris Agreement on climate change and canceled the country’s withdrawal from the World Health Organization.
In March 2021 the Biden administration used budget reconciliation (a process that prevents certain budget-related bills in the Senate from being filibustered) to secure passage by Congress, without Republican support, of a $1.9 trillion pandemic relief bill, the American Rescue Plan. The law included, among other measures, one-time payments for lower- and middle-income Americans; extended unemployment benefits; an expanded child tax credit; financial aid to state and local governments, schools, and childcare providers; housing assistance; and additional funding for coronavirus testing, contact tracing, and vaccine distribution.
Biden supported three significant pieces of voting rights and electoral-reform legislation: the For the People Act, passed by the House in March 2021; the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, passed by the House in August; and the Freedom to Vote Act, introduced in the Senate in September. (The first two bills were later versions of legislation passed by the House in 2019.) All three bills were blocked in the Senate by Republican filibusters, which could be overcome only with the support of at least 60 senators. The bills were designed to prevent states from adopting egregious voter suppression laws, to eliminate partisan and racial gerrymandering, and to make elections more transparent by requiring “dark money” organizations to disclose their donors (see campaign finance; campaign finance laws). The failure of the electoral-reform measures, which Democrats viewed as essential to preserving American democracy, prompted progressive and even some moderate Democrats to urge the elimination of the filibuster, which is not established in the U.S. Constitution and can be ended by the Senate in a simple majority vote.
In August the Senate passed the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a drastically scaled-back ($550 billion) version of a wide-ranging infrastructure plan announced by Biden in March, its smaller scale made necessary by objections from Republicans and conservative Democrats to spending levels, tax increases on corporations and the wealthy, and several social spending provisions. The bill then languished in the House for months as progressive, moderate, and conservative Democrats debated its provisions, progressives refusing to support it except in combination with a larger social spending bill and conservatives insisting that it be voted on separately. In early November, following important off-year elections in which Democrats suffered several unexpected defeats—signaling a likely loss of the House and Senate to Republicans in the 2022 election—Biden and Democratic House leaders intensified their efforts to reconcile the factions, arguing that some tangible legislative achievement was necessary to retain the support of swing voters. After progressives finally conceded, the infrastructure bill was passed and sent to Biden for his signature.
On December 13, 2022, Biden signed into law the Respect for Marriage Act. The act formally repealed the federal Defense of Marriage Act (1996), which had defined marriage as a legal union between one man and one woman and had permitted states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states. Biden had also appointed as U.S. secretary of transportation (2021– ) Pete Buttigieg, the first openly gay cabinet member in American history who had unsuccessfully sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020.
U.S. President Joe Biden. Biden is the 46th president of the United States and was sworn in on January 20, 2021. Biden Gives Legal Protections to Undocumented Spouses of U.S. Citizens. The...
Mar 8, 2024 · President Joe Biden delivered a raucous third State of the Union address that could be among his most important speeches as he seeks reelection.
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