Anecdotes

He never drinks alcohol, citing a history of alcoholism in his family. He has sometimes quipped, "I'm the only Irishman you ever met that's never had a drink".

Longtime close friend of John McCain.

Third youngest person ever elected as a U.S. senator in history, several weeks before his 30th birthday. His wife and small daughter were killed in a car crash around the same time.

He is the first president to own a rescue animal as a pet.

Survived a cerebral aneurysm in 1988.

He is older than four of his presidential predecessors: Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump. He is also older than two of his previous vice presidents: Dan Quayle and Al Gore.

Elected president in November 2020, defeating President Donald Trump. Biden won every state carried by Hillary Clinton in 2016, and flipped Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Georgia and Nebraska's second congressional district. Biden became the first president from Delaware, the second Catholic president after John F. Kennedy, and the oldest president ever, taking office at age 78, surpassing Ronald Reagan who left office at 77. He received a record 81.3 million votes, surpassing Barack Obama's 69.5 million votes in 2008 as the most received by a presidential candidate.

Was sworn in as the 47th Vice President of the United States on January 20, 2009.

Was awarded the Presidential Medal Of Freedom by President Barack Obama [Jan 2017].

The first US president from the Silent Generation (1928-1945), following 28 years of Baby Boomer presidents.

Received 81.3 million votes in the 2020 presidential election, the most of any presidential candidate in U.S. history. Barack Obama previously held the record, receiving 69.5 million votes in 2008.

U.S. senator from Delaware, January 3, 1973-January 15, 2009. He was simultaneously elected as a U.S. senator and vice president in November 2008. He resigned 12 days into his Senate term to become vice president of the United States.

He is the first non-incumbent vice president to become president since Richard Nixon.

His address at the 2012 Democratic Convention was the most watched speech of either party's convention, including those of the presidential candidates themselves.

Although he had run for president twice before 2020 (in 1988 and 2008), he had never won a primary until South Carolina in 2020.

He is the first U.S. President since Ulysses S. Grant in 1868 whose predecessor (Donald Trump) did not attend his inauguration.

He received five deferments during the Vietnam War.

One of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World. (2013).

His mother, Jean Finnegan Biden, died on January 8, 2010 at the age of 92.

Sought the 1988 Democratic nomination for president in 1987, but had to drop out in September of that year when it came to light that he had lifted part of a speech given by British politician Neil Kinnock during his campaign. It was an aide to fellow presidential candidate (and eventual Democratic nominee for 1988) Michael Dukakis who leaked videotapes of Biden giving the speech. Biden had cited Kinnock as the source of the passage while giving the speech on earlier occasions, but on several later occasions did not.

First US president to have been born during World War II.

Identifies as Irish, although he is actually more English by descent.

He is the first older challenger to defeat an incumbent president since Ronald Reagan defeated Jimmy Carter in 1980. Biden was 77 when he beat Trump who was 74. In 1980, Ronald Reagan was 69 when he trounced Jimmy Carter who was 56.

Biden is known for his immense love for ice cream. Coincidentally, he dropped out of the 2024 presidential race on National Ice Cream Day, which is the third Sunday of July.

The first US president without an Ivy League degree since Ronald Reagan.

He is the first US president elected without carrying Ohio since John F. Kennedy in 1960.

Graduated from Syracuse University School of Law.

Received his undergraduate degree from the University of Delaware.

Father of Ashley Biden (born 1981) and father-in-law of Dr. Howard David Brein (born in 1967).

He launched his candidacy for the 2020 U.S. presidential election on April 25, 2019, his third run.

Born on exactly the same date as comedian Bob Einstein, aka "Super Dave" Osborne.

The 38-year age gap between Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is the widest between a sitting US president and a sitting British prime minister ever in history.

First president to have a fall birthday since Jimmy Carter.

He has a street named after him in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Served as a U.S. senator and vice president under eight U.S. presidents, four of whom he knew very well.

He is the son of Catherine Eugenia "Jean" (Finnegan) and Joseph Robinette Biden. His father was of Irish, English, French, and German ancestry, and his mother was of Irish descent.

Son of a car dealer in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Announced Senator Kamala Harris of California as his vice presidential running mate on August 11, 2020.

In 2020, he became the the oldest major party presidential nominee in American history, being 77 on Election Day, and two weeks shy of his 78th birthday. Bob Dole was previously the oldest first-time nominee at age 73 years, 3 months in 1996, while Ronald Reagan was the oldest nominee ever, at age 73 years, 9 months during his re-election campaign in 1984. Biden's opponent Donald Trump simultaneously became the second oldest, at age 74. Biden's record was surpassed by Donald Trump in 2024, who was nominated at age 78. Biden was expected to surpass him, being 81, but he withdrew from the race after winning the primaries but before being formally nominated.

Before becoming a Democrat, he was registered an Independent as he disagreed with both Republicans and Democrats.

Father of Beau Biden and Hunter Biden.

He is the first Democratic presidential candidate to win Georgia since Bill Clinton in 1992, as well as the first Democrat to win any statewide election there since 2006.

Biden is the 19th vice president to run for president and the sixth to have been elected after, John Adams (1796), Thomas Jefferson (1800), Martin Van Buren (1836), Richard Nixon (1968) and George Bush (1988).

Is the first US president to be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom before becoming president. While other presidents have been awarded it, it was after their terms in office.

Upon assuming the presidency, he was the second-oldest living US president (younger than only Jimmy Carter) due to being older than his four predecessors.

He is the first US president since James Buchanan to have been born in Pennsylvania.

Has two dogs.

Brother of Francis W. Biden, James Brian Biden and Valerie Biden Owens, a political strategist, campaign manager and former educator.

He is the first sitting US president to visit Glasgow, Scotland, UK. (Monday November 1, 2021).

Biden was among a group of US politicians who angered John Major's Conservative government when he argued publicly for Gerry Adams to be allowed into the United States as part of the drive towards the Northern Ireland peace process.