Beau Biden: Difference between revisions

{{short description|American politician}}

|parents      = [[Joe Biden]] (father)<br>[[Neilia Hunter Biden]] (mother)

|education    = [[University of Pennsylvania]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br>[[Syracuse University]] ([[Juris Doctor|JD]])

|allegiance  = {{flag|United States}}

|branch      = {{army|United States}}

*{{Flagdeco|Delaware}} [[Delaware Army National Guard]]

|rank        = [[File:US-O4 insignia.svg|border|15px|link=]] [[Major (United States)|Major]]

|serviceyears = 2002–2015

'''Joseph Robinette''' "'''Beau'''" '''Biden III''' (February 3, 1969 – May 30, 2015) was an American politician, lawyer, and officer in the [[Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Army|Army Judge Advocate General's Corps]] from [[Wilmington, Delaware]]. He was the eldest of three children from the marriage of longtime U.S. [[United States Senate|Senator]], [[Vice President of the United States|Vice President]], and current [[President of the United States|President]] [[Joe Biden]] and his first wife, [[Neilia Hunter Biden]]. He served as the 44th [[Attorney General of Delaware]] and was a Major in the [[Delaware Army National Guard]].

Joseph Robinette Biden III was born in [[Wilmington, Delaware]], on February 3, 1969. He was the first son of former U.S. Senator and current President [[Joe Biden]] and his first wife, [[Neilia Hunter Biden|Neilia]]. On December 18, 1972, Biden's mother and his 13-month-old sister Naomi were killed in an automobile accident while Christmas shopping. Beau was just under four years old, and his brother [[Hunter Biden|Hunter]] was just under three years old. Both were in the car when the crash took place and were critically injured but survived. Beau sustained multiple broken bones while Hunter sustained injuries to his skull. Both spent several months in the hospital, where their father was sworn into the U.S. Senate in January 1973.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/01/25/joe-biden-2019-profile-grief-beau-car-accident-224178|title=How Grief Became Joe Biden's 'Superpower'| first=Michael|last=Kruse|date=January 25, 2019|work=[[Politico]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://apnews.com/article/e5a1e70314eb44219448eeb850c65f1e|title=Biden's prism of loss: A public man, shaped by private grief|first=Nancy|last=Benac| date=August 18, 2019|work=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/12/beau-biden-obit-213476|title=Remembering Beau Biden|first=Glenn|last=Thrush|work=[[Politico]]|date=December 29, 2015}}</ref>

According to some accounts, Beau and Hunter encouraged their father to marry again, even going so far as to ask him "when were 'we' going to get married".<ref name="nyt082508">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/25/us/politics/25wife.html|title=Jill Biden Heads Toward Life in the Spotlight|last=Seelye|first=Katharine Q.|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=August 24, 2008|access-date=August 25, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081210193454/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/25/us/politics/25wife.html |archive-date=December 10, 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref> In June 1977, eight-year-old Beau welcomed [[Jill Biden|Jill Jacobs]] as a "second mother". His half-sister, [[Ashley Biden|Ashley]], was born in 1981.<ref name="ap-timeline">{{cite news|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/08/22/politics/p222636D16.DTL |title=A timeline of U.S. Sen. Joe Biden's life and career |agency=[[Associated Press]] |work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] |date=August 23, 2008 |access-date=September 6, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080925021142/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fn%2Fa%2F2008%2F08%2F22%2Fpolitics%2Fp222636D16.DTL |archive-date=September 25, 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Biden graduated from [[Archmere Academy]], his father's high school alma mater, and the [[University of Pennsylvania]] in 1991,<ref>{{cite news|first=Avni |last=Kataria |url=https://www.thedp.com/article/2017/11/joe-biden-upenn-philadelphia-trump-elections-politics-professor-highered |title=Penn students were moved to tears by Joe Biden's stories of loss and grief on Thursday|work=[[The Daily Pennsylvanian]] |date=November 16, 2017 |access-date=September 30, 2020}}</ref> where he was a member of the [[Psi Upsilon]] fraternity.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/news/politics/20150531_Penn_frat_brothers_recall_Beau_Biden_with_affection.html|title=Penn frat brothers recall Beau Biden with affection| work=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]|date=May 31, 2015|first=Dan|last=Spinelli}}</ref> He was also a graduate of [[Syracuse University College of Law]], as was his father. After graduating from law school, he [[Law clerk|clerked]] for Judge [[Steven McAuliffe]] of the United States District Court of New Hampshire.<ref>{{cite news|title=Beau Biden, late son of the vice president, clerked for a year in Concord|url=http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1064915-469/beau-biden-late-son-of-the-vice.html|work=[[The Nashua Telegraph]]|date=June 2, 2015|first=David|last=Brooks|access-date=June 5, 2016}}</ref> From 1995 to 2004, he worked at the [[United States Department of Justice]] in Philadelphia, first as Counsel to the Office of Policy Development and later as a federal prosecutor in the [[United States Attorney|U.S. Attorney's Office]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Chase |first1=Randall |title=Beau Biden dies at 46; son of VP had life of adversity |url=https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-biden-cabinet-campaigns-beau-biden-cd7d717ab72b486a946602ca6c27280c |access-date=30 March 2021 |work=Associated Press |date=31 May 2015 }}</ref><ref name="OVMA">{{cite news |last1=Syracuse University: Office of Veteran and Military Affairs |title=Joseph "Beau" Biden III - OVMA |url=https://veterans.syr.edu/news/joseph-beau-biden-iii/ |access-date=30 March 2021 |work=veterans.syr.edu |date=7 February 2010 }}</ref>

Biden's unit was activated to deploy to Iraq on October 3, 2008, and sent to [[Fort Bliss, Texas]], for pre-deployment training,<ref name="WP2">{{cite news |title=Biden's Son Off to Iraq |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/08/20/bidens_son_off_to_iraq.html |work= [[The Washington Post]] |date= August 20, 2008 | first = Shailagh | last = Murray}}</ref> the day after his father participated in the 2008 presidential campaign's only [[United States vice-presidential debate, 2008|vice presidential debate]]. His father was on the record as saying, "I don't want him going. But I tell you what, I don't want my grandson or my granddaughters going back in 15 years, and so how we leave makes a big difference."<ref>{{cite news |title=Biden's Son Headed to Iraq in 2008 |url=http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=3489485 |agency=[[Associated Press]] |work=[[ABC News]] |date=August 16, 2007 |access-date=December 21, 2007 |archive-date=June 29, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629032956/http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=3489485 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Biden returned from Iraq in September 2009 after completing his yearlong stint on active duty.<ref name="Return">{{cite news|url=http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/09/ap_army_beau_biden_093009/|title=Vice president's son returns from Iraq|last=Chase|first=Randall|date=October 1, 2009|work=[[Army Times]]|access-date=October 1, 2009}}</ref> Biden had announced during his deployment that he would continue to actively serve as Delaware's Attorney General by working in conjunction with his office's senior staff in Delaware,<ref>{{cite press release | url=http://www.attorneygeneral.delaware.gov/media/releases/2008/openletter.pdf | title=Open Letter to Delawareans | last=Biden|first=Beau | publisher=[[Attorney General of Delaware]] | date=September 29, 2008 | access-date=April 18, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090429204650/http://www.attorneygeneral.delaware.gov/media/releases/2008/openletter.pdf | archive-date=April 29, 2009 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all }}</ref> although a member of his unit related Biden saying he had turned over most of his attorney general work to his deputy so as to focus on his duties in Iraq.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/10/23/politics/washingtonpost/main5414082.shtml | first=Jason|last=Horowitz|title=Beau Biden Lays Low Amidst Senate Talk | newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] | publisher=[[CBS News]] | date=October 23, 2009 | access-date=October 26, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091025204518/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/10/23/politics/washingtonpost/main5414082.shtml | archive-date=October 25, 2009 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all }}</ref>

In October 2009, Biden stated that he was considering a run for the Senate and that he would make a final decision in January. On January 25, Biden confirmed that he would forgo a Senate run so as to better focus on the prosecution of [[Earl Bradley]], a convicted serial child rapist.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dcnow/2010/01/beau-biden-takes-a-pass-on-a-senate-run.html | work=[[Los Angeles Times]] | title=Beau Biden takes a pass on a Senate run | date=January 25, 2010}}</ref>

On November 2, 2010, he was easily re-elected to a second term as Delaware Attorney General, beating [[Independent Party of Delaware]] candidate Doug Campbell by a large margin.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elections.delaware.gov/results/html/election.shtml|title=State Of Delaware – Elections Results|publisher=delaware.gov|access-date=May 31, 2015}}</ref>

Biden was criticized for his handling of the prosecution of [[Robert H. Richards IV]], an heir of the powerful Delaware-based [[Du Pont family]] accused of sexually assaulting his young daughter.<ref name="By Kevin Conlon and Stephanie Gallman">{{Cite web|author=Kevin Conlon and Stephanie Gallman|title=Du Pont heir convicted of rape spared prison|url=https://www.cnn.com/2014/04/02/justice/delaware-du-pont-rape-case/index.html|access-date=2020-10-17|website=CNN}}</ref> In 2008, Biden's office charged Richards with two counts of second-degree rape, charges punishable by a minimum of 20 years in prison, but later that year, his office entered a plea bargain with Richards in which Richards pleaded guilty to one count of fourth-degree rape and was sentenced by Judge Jan Jurden to eight years' probation.<ref name="By Kevin Conlon and Stephanie Gallman"/><ref>{{Cite web|last=Barrish|first=Chris|title=Delaware GOP turns up heat on AG Biden|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/04/04/delaware-gop-turns-up-heat-on-ag-biden/7333935/|access-date=2020-10-17|website=USA TODAY|language=en-US}}</ref> Defending the plea bargain and Jurden's sentencing in a letter to ''[[The News Journal]]'', Biden wrote "This was not a strong case, and a loss at trial was a distinct possibility" and said the judge "exercised sound discretion".<ref>{{Cite web|last=Barrish|first=Cris|title=Beau Biden defends handling of du Pont heir sex case|url=https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/crime/2014/04/03/beau-biden-defends-handling-du-pont-heir-sex-case/7255629/|access-date=2020-10-17|website=The News Journal|language=en-US}}</ref>

Biden did not seek election to a third term as Attorney General in 2014.<ref>{{cite news |last=Parra |first=Esteban |title=Denn takes race for Attorney General |url=http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/politics/2014/11/04/denn-takes-race-attorney-general/18508679/ |access-date=November 15, 2014 |work=[[The News Journal]] |date=November 5, 2014}}</ref> In the spring of that year, he announced his intention to run for [[governor of Delaware]] in the [[2016 Delaware gubernatorial election|2016 election]] to succeed term-limited Democratic Governor [[Jack Markell]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Beau Biden says he plans to run for governor in Delaware|url=http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2014/04/17/beau-biden-says-he-plans-to-run-for-governor-in-delaware/?hpt=hp_t2|access-date=April 17, 2014|work=[[CNN]]|date=April 17, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.beaubiden.com/splash/ |title=A message from Beau Biden|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419025318/http://www.beaubiden.com/splash/ |archive-date=April 19, 2014|publisher=Beau Biden: Delaware's Attorney General|access-date=May 7, 2014}}</ref> At the time of this announcement, the cancer that would kill Biden in 2015 had been diagnosed (in 2013), but was in remission.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/beau-biden-dead/66819/|title=Beau Biden Dies From Cancer|first1=Darelene |last1=Superville|first2=Randall |last2=Chase|work=[[WCAU]]|date=May 30, 2015|access-date=October 4, 2020}}</ref>

According to his father, [[Joe Biden]], Beau suffered from [[ankylosing spondylitis]], which he was diagnosed with in 2001, after returning from service in [[Kosovo]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-05-28|title=Remarks by President Biden Addressing Service Members and their Families|url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/05/28/remarks-by-president-biden-addressing-service-members-and-their-families/|access-date=2021-05-30|website=The White House|language=en-US}}</ref>

In August 2013, Biden was admitted to the [[University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center]] in Houston and diagnosed with [[glioblastoma multiforme]],<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sagalyn |first1=Dan |title=Biden addresses possible link between son's fatal brain cancer and toxic military burn pits |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/biden-addresses-possible-link-between-sons-fatal-brain-cancer-and-toxic-military-burn-pits |access-date=6 February 2021 |work=[[PBS NewsHour]] |date=10 January 2018 |language=en-us}}</ref> an aggressive type of brain cancer, after experiencing what [[White House]] officials called "an episode of disorientation and weakness".<ref>{{cite news |first=Lenny |last=Bernstein |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2015/05/31/brain-cancers-like-beau-bidens-kill-about-15000-adults-each-year/ |title=Brain cancers like Beau Biden's kill about 15,000 adults each year |work=[[The Washington Post]] |date=May 31, 2015}}</ref> A lesion was removed at that time. Biden had radiation and chemotherapy treatments and the cancer remained stable. On May 20, 2015, he was admitted to [[Walter Reed National Military Medical Center]] in Bethesda, Maryland, because of a recurrence of brain cancer. He died there ten days later, on May 30, 2015, at age 46.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/beau-biden-son-of-vice-president-joe-biden-dies-of-brain-cancer|title=Beau Biden, son of Vice President Joe Biden, dies of brain cancer|work=[[Fox News]]|date=May 31, 2015|access-date=May 31, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150712001335/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/05/31/beau-biden-son-vice-president-joe-biden-dies-brain-cancer/|archive-date=July 12, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> His funeral was held at [[St. Anthony's Roman Catholic Church (Wilmington, Delaware)|St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church]] in [[Wilmington, Delaware]], on June 6, 2015.<ref name=cspan>{{cite news|url=https://www.c-span.org/video/?326426-1/funeral-mass-beau-biden|title=Funeral Service for Beau Biden|work=[[C-SPAN]]|date=June 6, 2015|access-date=October 4, 2020}}</ref> He was buried at [[St. Joseph on the Brandywine]] in [[Greenville, Delaware]].<ref name="Kane">{{cite news|last=Kane|first=Paul|date=May 30, 2015|title=Beau Biden, vice president's son, dies of brain cancer|work=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2015/05/30/e1ac5a2a-0731-11e5-a428-c984eb077d4e_story.html|access-date=December 18, 2020}}</ref>

Biden's funeral was attended by then President [[Barack Obama]], First Lady [[Michelle Obama]], their daughters [[Malia Ann Obama|Malia]] and [[Sasha Obama|Sasha]], former President [[Bill Clinton]], former Secretary of State and former First Lady [[Hillary Clinton]], former US Army Chief of Staff General [[Ray Odierno]], and then-Senate Majority Leader [[Mitch McConnell]]. At his funeral, he was awarded the [[Legion of Merit]] Award by General Odierno, for his services in the [[Iraq War]]. President Obama described Biden as "an original. He was a good man. He did in 46 years what most of us couldn't do in 146." At his funeral service, a solo rendition of the song "[[X&Y|Til Kingdom Come]]" was performed by [[Chris Martin]], the lead singer of the band [[Coldplay]], of whom Beau had been a fan.<ref>{{cite news|last=Blistein|first=Jon|date=June 7, 2015|title=Chris Martin Performs ''Til Kingdom Come' for Beau Biden|work=[[Rolling Stone]]|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/chris-martin-honors-beau-biden-with-poignant-til-kingdom-come-20150607|access-date=December 18, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media|date=June 6, 2015 |title=Coldplay's Chris Martin plays at Beau Biden funeral |trans-title= |medium= |language=en |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kz8tJDQxcpk |format=video |time= |publisher=CBS News |access-date=6 February 2021}}</ref>

Beau Biden is buried at St. Joseph on the Brandywine Cemetery in [[Greenville, Delaware]]. His gravesite is near the graves of his grandparents Joe Sr. and Catherine, his mother [[Neilia Hunter Biden|Neilia]] and his sister Naomi.{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}

On November 4, 2015, Biden was posthumously awarded the [[Albert Schweitzer]] Leadership Award, the highest honor given by the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Foundation (HOBY), for his service to mankind.<ref name="HOBY Award">{{cite web |url=http://blog.hoby.org/hoby-will-honor-honorable-joseph-r-beau-biden/ |title=HOBY will honor Honorable Joseph R. "Beau" Biden |publisher=hoby.org|access-date=November 20, 2015}}</ref> A portion of the [[21st Century Cures Act]] (2016) was named the "[[Beau Biden Cancer Moonshot]]" initiative after him.<ref name="signing-remarks">{{cite web|last1=Biden| first1=Joe| last2=Obama|first2=Barack|title=Remarks by the President and the Vice President at the 21st Century Cures Act Bill Signing|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/12/13/remarks-president-and-vice-president-21st-century-cures-act-bill-signing|access-date=December 31, 2016|via=[[NARA|National Archives]]|work=[[whitehouse.gov]]|date=December 13, 2016}}</ref><ref name="AACR">{{cite web|publisher=[[American Association for Cancer Research]]|url=http://www.aacr.org/Newsroom/Pages/News-Release-Detail.aspx?ItemID=986|title=AACR Commends President Obama for Signing the 21st Century Cures Act|date=December 13, 2016|access-date=December 31, 2016}}</ref><ref name="APP">{{cite news|title=Learn from Cures Act bipartisanship|url=http://www.app.com/story/opinion/editorials/2016/12/17/st-century-cures-act-obama/95567222/|access-date=December 31, 2016|work=[[Asbury Park Press]]|date=December 17, 2016}}</ref> A named scholarship was established at [[Syracuse University]] [[Syracuse University College of Law|College of Law]] in 2016.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kobland |first1=Keith |title=College of Law Establishes Beau Biden Memorial Scholarship Fund |url=https://news.syr.edu/blog/2016/03/18/college-of-law-establishes-beau-biden-memorial-scholarship-fund-97185/ |access-date=21 January 2021 |work=SU News |date=March 18, 2016}}</ref>

On March 2, 2020, Joe Biden mentioned Beau in a speech, comparing him to former South Bend Mayor, [[Pete Buttigieg]], after Buttigieg endorsed Biden for the [[2020 United States presidential election|2020 presidential election]].<ref name=Bowden20200302>{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/485616-biden-on-buttigieg-at-rally-he-reminds-me-of-my-son-beau |title=Biden: Buttigieg 'reminds me of my son Beau' |last=Bowden |first=John |date=March 2, 2020 |work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |language=en |access-date=March 7, 2020}}</ref><ref name=CNN20200307>{{cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/02/politics/beau-biden-pete-buttigieg/index.html |title='He reminds me of my son Beau': Biden emotionally accepts Buttigieg's endorsement |work=[[CNN]] |language=en |access-date=March 7, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media |title=Joe Biden: Pete Buttigieg reminds me of my son Beau |work=[[CNN]] |medium=video |url=https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2020/03/03/biden-buttigieg-like-my-son-beau-sot-ebof-vpx.cnn |access-date=March 7, 2020}}</ref>{{quote|I don't think I've ever done this before, but [Buttigieg] reminds me of my son, Beau, and I know that may not mean much to most people, but to me, it's the highest compliment I can give any man or woman.<ref name=Bowden20200302/><ref name=CNN20200307/>|author=|title=|source=}}The Major Joseph R. "Beau" Biden III National Guard/Reserve Center, named for Biden, is in [[New Castle, Delaware]]; it was the site of a speech by Joe Biden the day before his [[Inauguration of Joe Biden|inauguration]] where he stated "we should be introducing him (Beau) as president".<ref>{{Cite web|agency=Associated Press|date=2021-01-19|title=12 Guard members removed from Biden inauguration|url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/2021/1/19/22239188/two-guard-members-removed-biden-inauguration|access-date=2021-01-20|website=Chicago Sun-Times|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Joe Biden honors late son Beau during emotional speech 1 day before inauguration|url=https://www.today.com/news/joe-biden-honors-late-son-beau-during-emotional-speech-1-t206135|access-date=2021-01-20|website=TODAY.com|language=en}}</ref>

On January 20, 2021, the day his father was sworn in as president, the band [[New Radicals]] reunited for the first time in 22 years to perform their 1998 hit song "[[You Get What You Give (song)|You Get What You Give]]" during an inauguration performance. The song was a favorite of Beau's and at his 2015 funeral his sister Ashley recited the lyrics in her eulogy. The band had rejected offers to reform over the past 22 years but wanted to honor this day and honor Beau. "We pledged if Joe [Biden] won, we’d get together and play our little song both in memory and in honor of our new president’s patriot son Beau and also with the prayer of Joe being able to bring our country together again with compassion, honesty and justice for a change,” singer [[Gregg Alexander]] said prior to their performance.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Exclusive: Watch the Complete New Radicals 'You Get What You Give' Inauguration Performance|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/new-radicals-you-get-what-you-give-inauguration-1116957/?fbclid=IwAR2Vij1uv7B-z-LR9wOqF0PVsEgMGGvqNbNhTzkltKZ4CXVjNh4V_SfwnAE|website=rollingstone.com|language=en}}</ref>

* {{C-SPAN|Joseph Beau Biden}}

[[Category:Deaths from brain tumor]]

[[Category:Deaths from cancer in Maryland]]

[[Category:Judge Advocate General's Corps, United States Army]]

[[Category:National Guard of the United States officers]]