What Do You Know About Joe Biden?

Senator Joe Biden has been selected as the vice-presidential running mate for soon-to-be Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama.

Born in 1942, Biden is a Delaware Senator and has held that position in government for six terms.  As Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Biden enter the presidential race in both 1988 and 2008.

Although blessed with success, Biden’s life hasn’t been always pleasant.

In 1972, when first elected to the Senate, his first wife Neilia, and infant daughter, were tragically killed in an auto accident.  His two young sons were also seriously injured in the accident, but fully recovered.

His accomplishments as a Senator include the creation of a Drug Czar, legislation designed to protect those affected by domestic violence, and college aid and loan programs that allow families to deduct up to $10,000 on their tax returns for higher education expense.

Biden has a comprehensive foreign policy background as well.  During the Clinton administration, Biden led the charge to temper hostilities in the Balkans by traveling to the region.  He gained national attention when labeling Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic as a “war ciminal”, and convincing President Clinton to institute air strikes in that region in response to human rights violations.

He supported the war in Iraq and is on record calling for a larger force of troops, international participation in the conflict, and policies that federalize Iraq allowing the Kurds, Shiites and Sunnis to co-exist.

Biden brings strong foreign policy experience to Obama’s campaign, which is widely recognized and attacked as being weak.