Joe Biden, at 81 years old, has announced his departure as the Democratic candidate for the Presidency of the United States, marking a significant point in his extensive political career. Conceivably, Vice-President Kamala Harris, who Biden has backed, might face opposition from Donald Trump in the November election. Biden intends to hold his position within the White House until January, allowing for an entirely changed political scene without his steering hand.
Biden, a native Pennsylvanian born in 1942, pursued his academic career at the University of Delaware and Syracuse law school. After public defence service, he transitioned into politics. Remarkably, he secured a US Senate role at 29 in 1972, overthrowing J Caleb Boggs, a Republican who was more than twice his age. The same year that saw Biden enter the Senate, Richard Nixon was re-elected in a landslide victory.
Biden’s career spanned nearly five decades, during which time he served as senator for 36 years and vice-president for eight. This period also saw him endure personal loss; in 1972, his wife, Neilia Biden and their young daughter, Naomi, tragically died in a car accident. Biden became known for his train journeys from Delaware to Washington DC, a commitment stemming from his dedication to his surviving sons Beau and Hunter. Biden remarried to Jill Jacobs in 1977, and their daughter, Ashley, was born in 1981.
During his 17-year tenure as a key player in the Senate judiciary committee, Biden presided over five US supreme court confirmations. His handling of Clarence Thomas’s nomination in 1991, where Thomas was accused of sexual harassment, was widely criticised. By 2019, Biden owned up to the mishandling, admitting that Anita Hill, the accuser, wasn’t adequately supported. Biden’s political legacy also carried controversy in relation to his endorsement of the 1994 crime bill, which many argue exacerbated issues of racial inequality and mass incarceration. However, the same year, he also supported a bill to prohibit assault weapons – a decision he cherishes.
Mr Biden held the position of chair or ranking member of the foreign relations committee for over a decade. He cast his vote against the Gulf war in 1991 but later, post 9/11 in 2002, he supported the Iraq invasion, a decision he subsequently labelled a mistake.
In 1987, Mr Biden entered the race for president for the first time. Despite his relative youth at 45 and ambition to emulate John F Kennedy, his campaign was unsuccessful as portrayed by Richard Ben Cramer in his renowned work, What It Takes. He quoted Neil Kinnock, then Britain’s Labour leader, on being the first in his family to attend university, but he stopped attributing the quote, which the US media was not sympathetic to, although Mr Kinnock didn’t object. He was subjected to criticism and came under scrutiny due to his free-flowing style of speech, and often alluding to his Irish heritage. This was quite remarkable given his childhood stammer, but he was undeniably an adept communicator.
Shortly after ending his presidential bid, Mr Biden suffered a severe brain aneurysm, leading to an administration of the last rites by a priest. A few months later, he went through another episode. However, he exhibited impressive resilience and twenty years later, attempted to run for president once more. His debate line about a GOP opponent, “Rudy Giuliani, there’s only three things he mentions in a sentence: a noun, a verb and 9/11”, made history, although he eventually dropped out of the race.
The presidential nomination was won by Barack Obama, who selected Mr Biden, 66 at the time, as vice-president. The New York Times commented on this choice as a balanced one, intended to reassure voters with an experienced Washington figure rather than focusing on creating a perception of change. His relationship with Obama was not as intimate as it was widely portrayed during his vice presidency. In his tenure, Mr Biden was instrumental in promoting LGBTQ+ rights, authoring legislation to combat violence against women, and aiding healthcare reform. However, his attempts at gun reform were unsuccessful.
In 2015, Mr Biden considered a third presidential race, however, the tragic loss of his son Beau to brain cancer had a great impact. Former President Obama supported Hillary Clinton, adding to the complexities. Mr Biden, undeterred by the tumultuous Trump tenure, chose to run once more. His bid was boosted by solid backing from the Black community, propelling him to victory in the primaries. The Covid-19 pandemic curtailed campaign travel, yet for the septuagenarian candidate it didn’t pose a big hindrance. In the final count, Mr Biden triumphed with a buyer’s lead of over 7 million votes and a comfortable Electoral College victory.
The inaugural book on the 2020 election, titled “Lucky: How Joe Biden Barely Won the Presidency,” didn’t diminish the impact of his campaign’s message about the struggle for America’s soul, underpinning two fruitful years. Alongside his Democrat allies in Congress, Mr Biden championed significant legislative changes that stimulated the economy post-Covid, secured funding for climate crisis mitigation and promoted infrastructure investment.
While Mr Trump provoked an assault on Congress, his influence—Trumpism—remained undefeated, with the Republicans reclaiming the House. Mr Biden faced both triumph and turmoil on the foreign policy front, successfully rallying support for Ukraine against Russia, but experiencing a disorderly withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Cracks appeared in Mr Biden’s presidency as doubts about his age and capability escalated, highlighted by a contentious debate in Atlanta in June where Democratic opposition came to the forefront. Mr Biden initially maintained his fighting spirit, criticising “elites” he believed he’d never been a part of, promising to persevere. However, following a failed attempt on Mr Trump’s life, which seen him emerge more potent, Democratic voices calling for Mr Biden to step down became harder to ignore. In due course, he heeded their calls.