He was once one of the youngest senators in American history and can now become the oldest president. 77-year political veteran Joe Biden is on his third attempt to capture the White House and seems closer than ever.

 

In many ways, Biden appears to be the antithesis of his opponent, political street fighter and real estate magnate Donald Trump. Born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Biden is the son of a used car dealer and prided himself on his humble lifestyle.

He called himself “Middle-Class Joe” and joked that he was the “poorest person” in Congress. In recent years, he has also earned millions of dollars from book sales and by giving speeches.

The Democrat has been active in politics for half a century. He won a Senate election in the small state of Delaware in 1972 at the age of 29.

In that year, fate also struck. Just before Christmas, Biden lost his wife Neilia and daughter Naomi in a severe traffic accident. His sons Beau and Hunter were seriously injured. Biden, therefore, did not go to Washington to be sworn in as a senator but took the oath of office at the hospital.

He decided to stay in Wilmington to spend more time with his children and took the train to work in the capital. In 1977 he married his current partner Jill. The couple had a daughter, Ashley, in 1981.