At almost 78 years old and after his third attempt, Joe Biden made history by becoming the most voted president-elect in an election in the United States.
More than 74 million Americans supported the former vice president at the polls
, surpassing the milestone reached by Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential elections.
Born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, on November 20, 1942, Joseph Robinette Biden Jr — better known as Joe — has a history of nearly half a century in Democratic national politics.
His political career began as a county councilor.
By 1972, at just 30 years old, he had already run for senator from Delaware.
Since then, his life has been intrinsically linked to politics and public life.
Joseph R. Biden in December 1972 as a newly elected senator from Delaware.
Biden's life has also been marked by tragedy.
His first wife, Neilia, and their daughter Naomi were killed in a car accident in 1972, shortly before Christmas.
Years later, in 2015, her eldest son Beau passed away from cancer.
The most important influence in his life and his work has been that of his father, as recognized by Biden himself.
"My father would always tell me, 'Champion, a man's measure is not how often he gets knocked down but how fast he gets up," he said at one point.
Joe Biden gestures during a speech to students on the campus of the University of Iowa, April 13, 1987, in Iowa City. AP Photo / Rodney White
Biden is a rarity among the 45 leaders who preceded him, as he did not attend an Ivy League university, the most prestigious.
Instead, he went to the University of Delaware, and as he passed through the classrooms he was always more interested in partying and sports.
Joe Biden rests his head on the shoulder of his wife, Jill, as they await their presentation at a meeting in Dubuque, Iowa, on the day of the Iowa Election Assembly, Thursday, January 3, 2008.AP / Mark Hirsch
Those who know him say that despite his political ambitions, Biden has always been a "family man" and, in fact, used to say that "Delaware can always get another senator, but my children will not have another father," as Ted said. Kauffman, who was his chief of staff, told The New York Times.
The Democrat chaired several Senate committees, including the Judiciary Committee.
Before winning in 2020, he ran on two other occasions as a candidate for the presidency: in 1987, when his campaign came to an embarrassing end following accusations of plagiarizing a speech;
and in 2008, when he was defeated by Obama and other contenders in the primary vote in the
Iowa
caucuses
.
He was in the Senate for 36 years, until 2009, when he became vice president under Obama's leadership.
In November 2012, he and Obama celebrated their re-election in Chicago.
Barack Obama and Joe Biden rally in the rain at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2008.AP Photo / Alex Brandon / AP
In 2017, Obama surprised him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a decoration awarded by the president, and considered the highest civil decoration in the United States.
Former President Barack Obama presents then-Vice President Joe Biden with the Presidential Medal of Freedom during a ceremony in the White House State Dining Room in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017. AP / Susan Walsh
With Obama, Biden was part of a historic moment, as he was a running mate of the first black president in the country's history. By choosing Kamala Harris as his running mate, Biden ushered in another record: the California senator is the first black woman elected as the vice president of the United States.
Joe Biden and Kamala during a campaign event at the Alexis Dupont School in Wilmington, Delaware, on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2020.AP / Carolyn Kaster / AP
Led by Harris, Biden made a promise to voters to champion the cause of social justice and the advancement of minorities and migrants.
Experts consulted by Noticias Telemundo agree that just as his personal narrative has guided his political life, since the presidency, he will try to seek consensus.
Now-president Joe Biden, during a stop at Flat Rock Community High School in Flat Rock, Michigan, Monday, Sept. 15, 2008. AP / Paul Sancya
In his first speech as president-elect, Biden promised this Saturday to be "a president for all Americans" and not just for those who voted for him.
"I promise to be a president who does not seek to divide, but to unify. Who does not see red and blue states, but the United States. And who will work with all his heart to win the trust of all the people. I sought this position to restore the soul of the United States. United, "he said.
President-elect Joe Biden greets supporters from a stage on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, in Wilmington, Delaware.
It was his first speech after learning that he had exceeded 270 electoral votes to win the White House.
AP