Joe Biden: The Fast Facts That May Surprise You
Last Updated on: 18th June 2024, 09:30 am
Joe Biden was the 47th Vice President and is the 46th President of the United States. Here are some more facts about Joe Biden that may surprise you:
1. He Was Sworn In As Senator In A Hospital Room
In 1972, life took a tragic turn for Joe Biden. A car accident claimed the lives of his first wife, Neilia, and their 13-month-old daughter, Naomi “Amy” Biden. Amidst the grief and wreckage, Joe found himself at a critical juncture—he had just been elected to the United States Senate.
Majority Leader Mike Mansfield urged him to continue in public service, and Biden was sworn into office in January 1973 at the hospital bedsides of his surviving sons Beau and Hunter.
2. Joe Biden and Jill Biden: The Official Story
According to Insider, in 1972, Joe Biden, a 33-year-old US senator and widower with two sons, met Jill, a 24-year-old college senior who was in the process of divorcing.
“I was a senior, and I had been dating guys in jeans and clogs and T-shirts, he came to the door and he had a sport coat and loafers, and I thought, ‘God, this is never going to work, not in a million years,'” Jill Biden told Vogue. “He was nine years older than I am! But we went out to see ‘A Man and a Woman’ at the movie theater in Philadelphia, and we really hit it off. When we came home … he shook my hand good night … I went upstairs and called my mother at 1:00 a.m. and said, ‘Mom, I finally met a gentleman.'”
After persistent proposals, they married on June 17, 1977. The couple had a small wedding ceremony at the United Nations chapel and a reception lunch at Sign of the Dove in New York City. In 1981, they welcomed their daughter, Ashley.
3. Joe Biden and Jill Biden: The Alternate Story
After his wife’s death, Joe found love with Jill, marrying her in 1977. However, Jill had previously been married to Bill Stevenson, whom she married in 1970 and divorced in 1975.
Stevenson claimed Joe and Jill’s relationship started in 1974, while he was still married to Jill. He alleged Joe drove Jill’s Corvette in a fender bender, indicating a relationship before the official divorce.
Stevenson told Inside Edition, “I was betrayed by the Bidens. Joe was my friend. Jill was my wife.”
Stevenson says that, unlike the blind date story Joe and Jill claim to be their first meeting, Joe actually met Jill in 1972 during a fundraiser Stevenson threw for him.
“We got married in ’70, I introduced Joe to Jill in ’72. Right before the election in ’72, Jill, Joe, Neilia and I were in his kitchen. How do you forget that?” Stevenson said.
4. He Has Been Known To Stretch The Truth
Joe Biden has been known to tell a few “whoppers,” when politically expedient.
CNN fact checker Daniel Dale recently made a list of just a few of the more memorable ones.
One instance was Biden’s claim of being at Ground Zero in NYC the day after the 9/11 attacks, contradicted by his autobiography that confirms he visited on September 20, 2001.
Another claim involved witnessing a bridge collapse in Pittsburgh in 2022, though the collapse happened before his visit.
Similarly, Biden made inaccurate statements about his grandfather’s death, a conversation with an Amtrak driver, an arrest during a civil rights protest, a visit to a Pittsburgh synagogue, driving an 18-wheeler, and teaching at the University of Pennsylvania.
Then, there are stories that may be just a little exaggerated—for instance, the famous, “Corn Pop” story.
5. He Championed the 1994 Crime Bill But Regrets It
In 1994, Biden sponsored The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, commonly known as the crime bill, touting it as a solution to surging crime rates and a means to enhance safety in communities.
However, as time has progressed, Biden’s stance has changed. The repercussions of the crime bill have become more evident, with its contribution to mass incarceration and the disproportionate impact on marginalized communities coming under scrutiny.
In 2019, Biden said that the crime bill was a “huge mistake” because of its damage to the black community.
6. He is Being Investigated By The House of Representatives Over His Family’s Alleged “Corrupt International And Domestic Business Schemes”
The House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, led by Chairman James Comer, has initiated an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. The inquiry focuses on allegations of corruption and abuse of power related to Biden and his family’s business dealings.
Comer highlighted evidence suggesting that Biden lied about his involvement in his family’s financial activities and their connections to foreign business interests, particularly from China.
The committee says it has uncovered information about shell companies, significant financial transactions, and the participation of multiple Biden family members in these business schemes. The goal is to ensure accountability and prevent public officials from leveraging their positions for personal financial gain.
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