Born November 20 1942 in Scranton, Pennsylvania, the first of four children.
Graduated from University of Delaware in 1965 in history and political science and from the Syracuse University of Law in 1968.
Career Former wunderkind. Biden was 29 when he won election to the senate in 1972, and one of the youngest senators in history. His political star crashed though in 1988 when he was forced to end his run for the White House after plagiarising a speech by Neil Kinnock, then leader of Britain's Labour party.
He led the senate judiciary committee hearing into charges of sexual harassment against the supreme court justice, Clarence Thomas.
Became chair of senate foreign relations committee in 2007.
Personal life Biden, who claims working-class Irish Catholic roots, overcame a severe stutter as a young man.
His first wife and baby daughter were killed, and two sons injured, in a car crash soon after his election to the senate.
Married second wife, Jill, a teacher, and had another daughter.
He had a near-death experience in 1988 because of a brain aneurysm.
Eldest son, Beau, is leaving for Iraq with Delaware national guard.
World according to Biden Voted for the war on Iraq, though turned into one of its fiercest critics.
Advocated the partition of Iraq into Shia, Sunni and Kurdish autonomous zones. Pushed for US intervention in Bosnia in the early 1990s.
Opposed the first Gulf war after the invasion of Kuwait.
Stuff of political legend Rides the train 125 miles every day from his home in Wilmington, Delaware, to Washington. Has never lived in Washington.
Not known for Staying quiet.
Best line of this election season "Rudy Giuliani. There's only three things he mentions in a sentence - a noun, a verb, and 9/11. There's nothing else! There's nothing else! And I mean this sincerely. He's genuinely not qualified to be president."
Worst line of this election season Biden on Obama: "I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy."
