Public image of Joe Biden

{{Joe Biden series|expanded=Personal}}

During his Senate tenure, Joe Biden was consistently ranked among the least wealthy members,{{Cite news |last=Wallsten |first=Peter |date=August 24, 2008 |title=Demographics Part of Calculation: Biden Adds Experience, Yes, but He Could Also Help with Catholics, Blue-collar Whites and Women |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-aug-24-na-assess24-story.html |url-status=live |access-date=August 25, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190515025410/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-aug-24-na-assess24-story.html |archive-date=May 15, 2019}}{{Cite news |date=August 24, 2008 |title=A Look at Biden's Net Worth |work=The Boston Globe |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2008/08/24/a_look_at_bidens_net_worth/ |url-status=dead |access-date=February 6, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120725145844/http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2008/08/24/a_look_at_bidens_net_worth/ |archive-date=July 25, 2012}}{{Cite news |last=Broder |first=John M. |date=September 13, 2008 |title=Biden Releases Tax Returns, in Part to Pressure Rivals |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/13/us/politics/13biden.html |url-status=live |access-date=September 13, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110425024153/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/13/us/politics/13biden.html |archive-date=April 25, 2011}} which he attributed to being elected at a young age.{{Cite news |last=Mooney |first=Alexander |date=September 12, 2008 |title=Biden Tax Returns Revealed |work=CNN |url=http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/12/biden-tax-returns-revealed/ |url-status=dead |access-date=September 13, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080913001912/http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/12/biden-tax-returns-revealed/ |archive-date=September 13, 2008}} In November 2009, Biden's net worth was only $27,012,{{Cite web |title=237 Millionaires in Congress |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/237-millionaires-in-congress/ |website=www.cbsnews.com |access-date=April 27, 2021 |archive-date=August 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818145713/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/237-millionaires-in-congress/ |url-status=live }} but it had increased to $9 million by November 2020, largely due to book sales and speaking fees after his vice presidency.{{Cite web |title=How Much Is President Joe Biden Worth? |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/much-president-joe-biden-worth-153007387.html |website=finance.yahoo.com |access-date=April 27, 2021 |archive-date=August 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210827112252/https://finance.yahoo.com/news/much-president-joe-biden-worth-153007387.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Borden |first=Taylor |title=President-elect Joe Biden Just Turned 78. Here's How He Went from 'Middle-Class Joe' to Millionaire. |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/joe-biden-net-worth-lifestyle-real-estate-family-wealth-assets-2020-1 |website=Business Insider |access-date=April 27, 2021 |archive-date=March 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210319163402/https://www.businessinsider.com/joe-biden-net-worth-lifestyle-real-estate-family-wealth-assets-2020-1 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Tindera |first=Michela |title=Here's How Much 2020 Presidential Candidate Joe Biden Is Worth |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/michelatindera/2019/08/28/joe-bidens-net-worth-how-the-2020-presidential-candidate-built-a-9-million-fortune/ |website=Forbes |access-date=April 27, 2021 |archive-date=March 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210319162048/https://www.forbes.com/sites/michelatindera/2019/08/28/joe-bidens-net-worth-how-the-2020-presidential-candidate-built-a-9-million-fortune/ |url-status=live }}

Political writer Howard Fineman wrote that "Biden is not an academic, he's not a theoretical thinker, he's a great street pol. He comes from a long line of working people in Scranton—auto salesmen, car dealers, people who know how to make a sale. He has that great Irish gift."{{Cite news |last=Palmer |first=Nancy Doyle |date=February 1, 2009 |title=Joe Biden: 'Everyone Calls Me Joe' |url=https://www.washingtonian.com/2009/02/01/joe-biden-everyone-calls-me-joe/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160731071850/https://www.washingtonian.com/2009/02/01/joe-biden-everyone-calls-me-joe/ |archive-date=July 31, 2016 |access-date=February 4, 2009 |work=Washingtonian}} In 2021, The Nation wrote that "Biden's attempt to identify with the working class has always been more aspiration than reality," and "he has long sought to appeal to the white working class, to position himself as part of it, even if this was as much a question of salesmanship and fantasy as anything else".{{cite web |date=April 20, 2021 |title=Joe From Scranton |url=https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/evan-osnos-biden/ |accessdate=July 2, 2023 |website=The Nation |archive-date=July 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230702232824/https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/evan-osnos-biden/ |url-status=live }} Political columnist David S. Broder wrote that Biden has grown over time, saying "he responds to real people—that's been consistent throughout." Journalist James Traub wrote that "Biden is the kind of fundamentally happy person who can be as generous toward others as he is to himself."{{Cite news |last=Traub |first=James |author-link=James Traub |date=November 24, 2009 |title=After Cheney |page=MM34 |work=The New York Times Magazine |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/29/magazine/29Biden-t.html |url-status=live |access-date=January 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210103084703/https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/29/magazine/29Biden-t.html |archive-date=January 3, 2021}}

After the 2015 death of his eldest son Beau, Biden was praised for his empathetic nature and ability to communicate about grief.{{Cite web |last=Baldoni |first=John |title=How Empathy Defines Joe Biden |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnbaldoni/2020/08/20/how-empathy-defines-joe-biden/ |access-date=March 17, 2021 |website=Forbes |language=en |archive-date=June 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220618172934/https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnbaldoni/2020/08/20/how-empathy-defines-joe-biden/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Nagle |first=Molly |date=December 19, 2020 |title=Nearly 50 Years After Death of Wife and Daughter, Empathy Remains at Joe Biden's Core |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/50-years-death-wife-daughter-empathy-remains-joe/story?id=74814251 |access-date=March 17, 2021 |website=ABC News |language=en |archive-date=March 2, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210302080416/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/50-years-death-wife-daughter-empathy-remains-joe/story?id=74814251 |url-status=live }} CNN wrote in 2020 that his presidential campaign aimed to make him "healer-in-chief", while the New York Times described his extensive history of being called upon to give eulogies.{{Cite news |last1=Glueck |first1=Katie |last2=Flegenheimer |first2=Matt |date=June 11, 2020 |title=Joe Biden, Emissary of Grief |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/11/us/politics/joe-biden-funeral-speech.html |access-date=March 17, 2021 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=June 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611071047/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/11/us/politics/joe-biden-funeral-speech.html |url-status=live }}

On July 2, 2010, Biden delivered a eulogy for West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd, for which he was criticized due to Byrd's prior association with the Ku Klux Klan.{{cite web |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna38059338 |title=Obama, Biden attend Byrd memorial in W.Va. |date=July 2, 2010 |first1=Tim |last1=Huber |website=NBC News |access-date=February 15, 2024 |archive-date=February 16, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240216010051/https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna38059338 |url-status=live }} Biden has also been criticized for praising segregationist senators John Stennis, James Eastland, and Strom Thurmond.{{cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/factsfirst/politics/factcheck_2d5fbe5a-0a38-4db7-b699-c841dc133baf |title=CNN's Facts First searchable database |website=CNN |access-date=August 3, 2023 |archive-date=August 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230803161834/https://www.cnn.com/factsfirst/politics/factcheck_2d5fbe5a-0a38-4db7-b699-c841dc133baf |url-status=live }}

A 2006 investigation by editors of the online encyclopedia Wikipedia found that Biden staffers had edited the site, removing and modifying descriptions of incidents of alleged plagiarism and recasting discussion of a possible Biden 2008 presidential candidacy in a more favorable light.{{cite news | url=http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/media/article728983.ece | title=Washington's politicians edit Wikipedia | author=Blakely, Rhys | newspaper=The Times | date=February 9, 2006 | location=London | access-date=March 29, 2024 | archive-date=June 11, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611161915/http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/media/article728983.ece | url-status=dead }} In February 2006, The Washington Post quoted Biden spokesperson Norm Kurz as saying that the changes that were "made to Biden's site by this office were designed to make it more fair and accurate."{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/08/AR2006020802212.html | title=Wikipedia's Help From the Hill | author=Noguchi, Yuki | newspaper=The Washington Post | date=February 9, 2006 | access-date=March 29, 2024 | archive-date=April 21, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120421113239/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/08/AR2006020802212.html | url-status=live }}

In 2006, journalist and TV anchor Wolf Blitzer described Biden as loquacious.{{Cite news |date=January 12, 2006 |title=Transcripts |work=The Situation Room |publisher=CNN |url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0601/12/sitroom.01.html |url-status=live |access-date=September 21, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080719103425/http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0601/12/sitroom.01.html |archive-date=July 19, 2008}} Jake Tapper said in 2007 that Biden sometimes "puts his foot in his mouth",{{Cite news |last=Tapper |first=Jake |author-link=Jake Tapper |date=January 31, 2007 |title=A Biden Problem: Foot in Mouth |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Story?id=2838420 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080827211803/http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Story?id=2838420 |archive-date=August 27, 2008 |access-date=September 21, 2008 |work=ABC News}}{{Cite news |last=Leibovich |first=Mark |date=September 19, 2008 |title=Meanwhile, the Other No. 2 Keeps on Punching |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/20/us/politics/20biden.html |access-date=September 20, 2008 |work=The New York Times |archive-date=September 21, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080921063344/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/20/us/politics/20biden.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last=Seelye |first=Katharine Q. |date=March 19, 1998 |title=Senate Struggles to Pay Attention to the Remapping of NATO |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/03/19/world/senate-struggles-to-pay-attention-to-the-remapping-of-nato.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110045839/http://www.nytimes.com/1998/03/19/world/senate-struggles-to-pay-attention-to-the-remapping-of-nato.html |archive-date=November 10, 2012 |access-date=September 21, 2008 |work=The New York Times}}{{Cite magazine |last=Halperin |first=Mark |author-link=Mark Halperin |date=August 23, 2008 |title=Halperin on Biden: Pros and Cons |url=http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1835480,00.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140722092813/http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1835480,00.html |archive-date=July 22, 2014 |access-date=September 21, 2008 |magazine=Time}} and according to Ben Smith, writing for Politico in 2008, Biden often deviates from prepared remarks.{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=Ben |date=December 2, 2008 |title=Biden, Enemy of the Prepared Remarks |work=Politico |url=https://www.politico.com/blogs/ben-smith/2008/12/biden-enemy-of-the-prepared-remarks-014500 |url-status=live |access-date=December 2, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150911131530/http://www.politico.com/blogs/ben-smith/2008/12/biden-enemy-of-the-prepared-remarks-014500 |archive-date=September 11, 2015}} In 2008, Mark Leibovich wrote for The New York Times that Biden's "weak filters make him capable of blurting out pretty much anything". In 2018, Biden called himself a "gaffe machine".{{Cite web |date=April 25, 2019 |title='I Am a Gaffe Machine': A History of Joe Biden's Biggest Blunders |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/apr/25/joe-biden-2020-public-gaffes-mistakes-history |access-date=January 26, 2021 |website=The Guardian |language=en |archive-date=February 2, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210202133135/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/apr/25/joe-biden-2020-public-gaffes-mistakes-history |url-status=live }}

Some of his gaffes have been characterized as racially insensitive.{{cite web |last=Allen |first=Jonathan |date=August 9, 2019 |title=Whether Biden's gaffe is an old problem or a new one, he needs a fix |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/whether-biden-s-gaffe-old-problem-or-new-one-he-n1040946 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210829203645/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/whether-biden-s-gaffe-old-problem-or-new-one-he-n1040946 |archive-date=August 29, 2021 |access-date=August 29, 2021 |publisher=NBC News}}{{cite web |last1=Durkee |first1=Alison |date=August 9, 2019 |title="Gaffe Machine" Biden Comes Under Fire For "White Kids" Remark |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/08/biden-trump-gaffe-poor-kids-white-kids |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124102522/https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/08/biden-trump-gaffe-poor-kids-white-kids |archive-date=November 24, 2020 |access-date=August 29, 2021 |website=Vanity Fair}}{{cite web |last1=Jaffe |first1=Alexandra |date=August 8, 2020 |title=Biden risks alienating young Black voters after race remarks |url=https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-ap-top-news-race-and-ethnicity-politics-joe-biden-6cbd8c13529fee67c42e417175c425e5 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210830214908/https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-ap-top-news-race-and-ethnicity-politics-joe-biden-6cbd8c13529fee67c42e417175c425e5 |archive-date=August 30, 2021 |access-date=August 30, 2021 |work=Associated Press}}{{cite news |last1=Stevens |first1=Matt |date=August 9, 2019 |title=Joe Biden Says 'Poor Kids' Are Just as Bright as 'White Kids' |website=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/09/us/politics/joe-biden-poor-kids.html |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=August 30, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190809164022/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/09/us/politics/joe-biden-poor-kids.html |archive-date=August 9, 2019}} In 2006, Biden stated to an Indian American voter that "In Delaware, the largest growth of population is Indian Americans, moving from India. You cannot go to a 7/11 or a Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent."{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/BothSidesAllSides/story?id=2844607 |title=Revolution Is in The Air |website=ABC News |date=February 22, 2007 |accessdate=March 5, 2023 |archive-date=February 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230225204645/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/BothSidesAllSides/story?id=2844607 |url-status=live }} In 2020, he told Charlamagne tha God during an interview that "if you have a problem figuring out whether you're for me or Trump, then you ain't Black."{{cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/22/politics/biden-charlamagne-tha-god-you-aint-black/index.html |title=Biden: 'If you have a problem figuring out whether you're for me or Trump, then you ain't black' |website=CNN |date=May 22, 2020 |first1=Eric |last1=Bradner |first2=Sarah |last2=Mucha |first3=Arlette |last3=Saenz |accessdate=March 5, 2023 |archive-date=January 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106213559/https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/22/politics/biden-charlamagne-tha-god-you-aint-black/index.html |url-status=live }}

According to The New York Times, Biden often embellishes or exaggerates elements of his life, a trait also noted in 2014 by The New Yorker.{{Cite magazine |last=Osnos |first=Evan |date=2014-07-20 |title=The Evolution of Joe Biden |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/07/28/biden-agenda |access-date=2022-12-06 |magazine=The New Yorker |language=en-US |archive-date=August 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814120718/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/07/28/biden-agenda |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Shear |first1=Michael D. |last2=Qiu |first2=Linda |date=October 10, 2022 |title=Biden, Storyteller in Chief, Spins Yarns That Often Unravel |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/10/us/politics/biden-exaggeration-falsehood.html |accessdate=October 11, 2022 |archive-date=October 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221011010842/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/10/us/politics/biden-exaggeration-falsehood.html |url-status=live }} In October 2022, the Washington Post wrote that Biden often stretches the truth in order to connect with the ethnicity or identity of his audience.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/10/05/biden-jewish-greek-puerto-rican/ |title=Biden is actually Greek. And Jewish. And raised by Puerto Ricans. |date=October 5, 2022 |newspaper=Washington Post |first1=Matt |last1=Viser |accessdate=March 5, 2023 |archive-date=October 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221006194959/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/10/05/biden-jewish-greek-puerto-rican/ |url-status=live }} Biden has claimed to have been more active in the civil rights movement than he actually was, and has falsely recalled being an excellent student who earned three college degrees. The Times wrote, "Biden's folksiness can veer into folklore, with dates that don't quite add up and details that are exaggerated or wrong, the factual edges shaved off to make them more powerful for audiences."

During and after the first debate of the 2024 presidential election, Biden came under immense scrutiny by both Democrats and Republicans for his repeated gaffes.{{Cite web |last1=Salvanto |first1=Anthony |last2=Backus |first2=Fred |last3=Pinto |first3=Jennifer De |last4=Khanna |first4=Kabir |date=2024-07-01 |title=Increasing numbers of voters don't think Biden should be running after debate with Trump — CBS News poll - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/poll-debate-should-biden-be-running-mental-abilities/ |access-date=2024-07-12 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Tausche |first=MJ Lee, Kayla |date=2024-07-10 |title=Democrats are still fretting about Biden's disastrous debate. He's ready to be done talking about it. {{!}} CNN Politics |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/10/politics/joe-biden-debate-discussions/index.html |access-date=2024-07-12 |website=CNN |language=en}} CBS News reported during the debate that Biden was "struggling" with a "hoarse voice."{{Cite web |last=Yilek |first=Caitlin |date=2024-06-28 |title=Biden struggles early in presidential debate with hoarse voice - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/first-presidential-debate-biden-voice/ |access-date=2024-07-12 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}} Politico described Biden as "playing into Democrats' worst fears" and "while he wasn't speaking, he stood frozen behind his podium, mouth agape, his eyes wide and unblinking for long stretches of time."{{Cite web |last=Kashinsky |first=Lisa |date=June 27, 2024 |title=Dems freak out over Biden's debate performance: 'Biden is toast' |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2024/06/27/biden-debate-opening-concerns-00165595 |website=Politico}} Early on the debate, Biden mistook million for billion and trillionaires for billionaires, stating, "We have a thousand trillionaires in America. I mean billionaires in America. And what’s happening? They’re in a situation where they in fact pay 8.2 percent in taxes. If they paid 24 percent, 25 percent, either one of those numbers, they’d raise $500 million—billion dollars, I should say—in a 10-year period."{{Cite web |last=Graham |first=David A. |date=2024-06-28 |title=A Disaster for Joe Biden |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2024/06/presidential-debate-trump-biden/678817/ |access-date=2024-07-12 |website=The Atlantic |language=en}} Later, after Biden gaffed "we finally beat Medicare," Trump mocked Biden by responding, "Well, he’s right: He did beat Medicare. He beat it to death."{{Cite web |last=staff |first=C. N. N. |date=2024-06-28 |title=READ: Biden-Trump debate transcript {{!}} CNN Politics |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/27/politics/read-biden-trump-debate-rush-transcript/index.html |access-date=2024-07-12 |website=CNN |language=en}} When bringing up the topic of abortion, widely considered one of the Democrat's "strongest lines of attack" against Trump,{{Cite web |last=Horowitch |first=Rose |date=2024-05-08 |title=Trump's Latest Abortion Position Is More Radical Than It Sounds |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2024/05/trump-abortion-comstock-election/678320/ |access-date=2024-07-12 |website=The Atlantic |language=en}} Biden attempted to remark on women being arrested for crossing state lines in search of abortion care especially in situations of rape and incest; however, these remarks were described in The Atlantic as "extremely hard to follow."{{Cite web |date=2024-06-27 |title=Biden bizarrely mentions family rape while mumbling about abortion and migrants |url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/biden-speaks-abortion-then-changes-212200661.html |access-date=2024-07-12 |website=Yahoo News |language=en-US}} Biden's poor performance in the debate led directly to his decision to withdraw from the presidential race.

{{Main|Joe Biden (The Onion)}}

Between 2009 and 2019, satirical online newspaper The Onion consistently portrayed Biden as an outrageous character who shared almost nothing in common with his namesake besides the title of vice president of the United States.{{cite news |last=Cavna |first=Michael |author-link=Michael Cavna |date=January 19, 2017 |title=As Joe Biden exits, comedy bids farewell to a one-man gold mine |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2017/01/19/as-joe-biden-exits-comedy-bids-farewell-to-a-one-man-gold-mine/ |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=April 26, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403080847/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2017/01/19/as-joe-biden-exits-comedy-bids-farewell-to-a-one-man-gold-mine/ |archive-date=April 3, 2019 |via=WashingtonPost.com {{subscription required}}}}{{cite web |last=Farzan |first=Antonia Noori |date=May 17, 2019 |title=The Onion turned Joe Biden into a lovable meme. Now one writer is apologizing. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/05/17/joe-biden-onion-campaign-meme/ |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190518135634/https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/05/17/joe-biden-onion-campaign-meme/ |archive-date=May 18, 2019 |access-date=May 19, 2019 |via=WashingtonPost.com {{subscription required}} |newspaper=The Washington Post}} The character was also known as "Diamond Joe".{{cite web |last=Roose |first=Kevin |author-link=Kevin Roose |date=April 16, 2020 |title=Biden Is Losing the Internet. Does That Matter? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/16/technology/joe-biden-internet.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417171659/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/16/technology/joe-biden-internet.html |archive-date=April 17, 2020 |newspaper=The New York Times}} The publication portrayed Biden as a blue-collar "average Joe", an affable "goofy uncle", a muscle car driver, an avid fan of 1980s hair metal, a raucous party animal, a shameless womanizer, a habitual petty criminal, and a drug-dealing outlaw.{{cite web |last=Gavin |first=Patrick |date=October 15, 2012 |title=The Onion's Biden craze |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2012/10/the-onions-biden-craze-082394 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180208112627/https://www.politico.com/story/2012/10/the-onions-biden-craze-082394 |archive-date=February 8, 2018 |access-date=July 1, 2019 |website=Politico}}{{cite web |last=Izadi |first=Elahe |date=March 9, 2020 |title=The Onion created lovable 'Diamond Joe' Biden. Then it destroyed him. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2020/03/09/joe-biden-diamond-joe-onion/ |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200311205017/https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2020/03/09/joe-biden-diamond-joe-onion/ |archive-date=March 11, 2020 |via=WashingtonPost.com {{subscription required}} |newspaper=The Washington Post}} Biden's character became one of The Onion{{'}}s most popular features during the Obama presidency, garnering critical acclaim and a large readership.{{cite news |last=Bernstein |first=Jonathan |date=May 19, 2014 |title=How Biden Became Diamond Joe Six-Pack |newspaper=Bloomberg.com |publisher=Bloomberg News |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2014-05-19/how-biden-became-diamond-joe-six-pack |url-status=live |access-date=July 5, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190706001638/https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2014-05-19/how-biden-became-diamond-joe-six-pack |archive-date=July 6, 2019}}

In 2019, Joe Garden, one of the contributors to the Onion's depiction of Biden, wrote an article in Vice Magazine expressing regret, and stating he "didn't take him seriously enough" and that The Onion "screwed up" and "let him off easy".{{cite web |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/area-man-regrets-helping-turn-joe-biden-into-a-meme/ |title=Area Man Regrets Helping Turn Joe Biden Into a Meme |date=May 16, 2019 |website=Vice.com |first1=Joe |last1=Garden |access-date=February 11, 2024 |archive-date=February 24, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240224034753/https://www.vice.com/en/article/xwngb3/area-man-regrets-helping-turn-joe-biden-into-a-meme |url-status=live }}

Despite the extreme differences between the fictional character and the real politician, The Onion was regarded as having a significant, mostly positive influence on Biden's public image. Commentators noted that the character likely reinforced public perceptions of Biden as a political figure with populist working-class appeal and a good-natured, easy-going disposition. After briefly reviving the "Diamond Joe" version of Biden in 2019 for its coverage of the Democratic primaries, The Onion retired the character and the Onion's depiction changed from "goofy", "fun", and "relatable", to "biting, sometimes vicious satirical critiques of the actual candidate", and "a creep".

{{See also|Saturday Night Live parodies of Joe Biden}}

Nine people have portrayed Biden on Saturday Night Live starting with Kevin Nealon in 1991. Jason Sudeikis portrayed Biden during the 2008 United States Presidential election and has since returned to the role numerous times. During the 2020 United States Presidential election various performers played Biden including John Mulaney, Alex Moffat, Mikey Day, Woody Harrelson and Jim Carrey. In the Fall of 2024 Dana Carvey assumed the role for the 2024 United States presidential election.{{cite web |date=September 27, 2024 |title=Everyone Who Has Played Joe Biden on SNL |url=https://www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/joe-biden-snl-actors |accessdate=October 12, 2024 |website=NBC}}{{cite magazine |title=Dana Carvey's Joe Biden Is the Real Star of 'Saturday Night Live' |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/story/saturday-night-live-nate-bargatze-dana-carvey |magazine=Vanity Fair |accessdate=October 12, 2024}}

In 2016, Greg Kinnear portrayed then Senator Biden in the HBO television film Confirmation about the controversial Clarence Thomas Supreme Court nomination hearings. Kerry Washington portrayed Anita Hill and Wendell Pierce played Clarence Thomas. Kinnear said he took the role because, "[Biden] is an interesting character, I understood his predicament, I understood the situation that he was in and I felt like that would be a great part to play."{{cite web |title=Greg Kinnear Doesn’t Do Impressions, But He Did Channel Joe Biden in ‘Confirmation’ (Consider This) |url=https://www.indiewire.com/news/general-news/greg-kinnear-joe-biden-confirmation-emmys-1201682835/ |accessdate=October 12, 2024 |website=IndieWire}} Brian Lowry of Variety described his performance as "uncanny".{{cite web |title=Confirmation TV Review |url=https://variety.com/2016/tv/reviews/confirmation-review-kerry-washington-wendell-pierce-anita-hill-hbo-movie-1201743989/ |accessdate=October 12, 2024 |website=Variety}} Emma Brockes of The Guardian described Kinnear as "particularly excellent".{{cite web |title=HBO's Confirmation: how far is too far when it comes to retelling the truth? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/apr/17/hbo-confirmation-anita-hill-clarence-thomas |accessdate=October 12, 2024 |website=The Guardian}} Joe McGovern of Entertainment Weekly cited his performance as being "fantastic", adding "Kinnear nails the duality of Biden’s position, attempting on one hand to maintain comity among his colleagues in the Senate while also trying, often fecklessly, to be sensitive to Hill".{{cite web |title=Confirmation: EW review |url=https://ew.com/article/2016/04/14/confirmation-ew-review/ |accessdate=October 12, 2024 |website=Entertainment Weekly}}

{{See also|2021 opinion polling on the Joe Biden administration|l1=2021|2022 opinion polling on the Joe Biden administration|l2=2022|2023 opinion polling on the Joe Biden administration|l3=2023|2024–2025 opinion polling on the Joe Biden administration}}

According to FiveThirtyEight, Biden's favorable approval rating remained higher than his disapproval rating until August 30, 2021. Since then, Biden's approval ratings have remained consistently below 45%, with his disapproval ratings being consistently above 50%.{{cite web | url=https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/biden-approval-rating/ | title=How Popular is Joe Biden? | date=January 28, 2021 | access-date=February 7, 2021 | archive-date=January 28, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128032510/https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/biden-approval-rating/ | url-status=dead }}

Biden began his presidency with an approval rating above 53 percent, according to the same source, FiveThirtyEight, which takes an average of multiple individual polls. Biden's average disapproval rating rose to 57 percent by July 2022, before improving to the 51 to 52 percent mark by October 2022.{{Cite news |last=Rakich |first=Nathaniel |date=2022-07-26 |title=Why The Gap Between Biden's Popularity and Democrats' Polls Isn't That Weird |language=en-US |work=FiveThirtyEight |url=https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/why-democrats-midterm-chances-dont-hinge-on-bidens-approval-rating/ |access-date=2022-08-16 |archive-date=August 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220825192946/https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/why-democrats-midterm-chances-dont-hinge-on-bidens-approval-rating/ |url-status=live }} Similarly, his approval rating dipped to 38 percent in July 2022, before recovering to the 42 to 43 percent mark by September 2022. His 2023 approval and disapproval ratings have remained flat on average around these percentage points (42 to 43 percent and 51 to 53 percent, respectively), which is comparable to former President Donald Trump at a similar stage in his presidency.

According to Gallup, Biden's approval fell to 37 percent in April and October 2023, the lowest in their polling surveys for Biden at the time.{{Cite web |title=Presidential Job Approval Center |url=https://news.gallup.com/interactives/185273/presidential-job-approval-center.aspx |access-date=2022-07-31 |website=Gallup.com |language=en |archive-date=December 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211208003148/https://news.gallup.com/interactives/185273/presidential-job-approval-center.aspx |url-status=live }} Gallup's poll for July 2024 put Biden's approval rating at 36 percent.{{cite web |url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/647633/biden-approval-rating-hit-new-low-exit-race.aspx |title=Biden's Approval Rating Hit New Low Before Exit From Race |date=July 23, 2024 |first1=Megan |last1=Brenan |website=Gallup |accessdate=August 21, 2024}} In December 2023, Biden's approval fell to 33 percent in a Pew Research poll, the lowest since he took office.{{cite web |url=https://nypost.com/2023/12/14/news/bidens-approval-rating-falls-to-just-33-poll/ |title=Biden's approval rating plunges to just 33%, lowest since he took office: poll |date=December 14, 2023 |first1=Victor |last1=Nava |website=New York Post |accessdate=December 15, 2023 |archive-date=December 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231215043203/https://nypost.com/2023/12/14/news/bidens-approval-rating-falls-to-just-33-poll/ |url-status=live }} In February 2021, Gallup reported that 98 percent of Democrats approved of Biden;{{Cite news |last=Jones |first=Jeffrey M. |date=February 4, 2021 |title=Biden Begins Term With 57% Job Approval |language=en-US |work=Gallup |url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/329348/biden-begins-term-job-approval.aspx |access-date=July 18, 2023 |archive-date=February 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210221200729/https://news.gallup.com/poll/329348/biden-begins-term-job-approval.aspx |url-status=live }} however, as of October 2023 that number had declined to 75 percent. Democrats' opinion of Biden's job has dropped by 11 percent during October 2023. According to Gallup, Biden has alienated some members of his own party with his swift and decisive show of support for Israel.{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=David |title=Does Biden's unwavering support for Israel risk his chance for re-election? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/oct/29/biden-israel-gaza-conflict-re-election |agency=The Guardian |date=29 October 2023 |access-date=November 4, 2023 |archive-date=November 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231104064454/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/oct/29/biden-israel-gaza-conflict-re-election |url-status=live }} Biden's approval rating among Republicans was 12 percent in February 2021, but ever since August 2021, that number has remained below 10 percent. In August 2023, a poll by the Associated Press and NORC Public Affairs Research Center found that three-quarters of people think Biden is too old for another term.{{cite news |last1=Xiao |first1=Eva |title=Battle of the ages: how America's gerontocracy is a challenge for democracy |url=https://www.ft.com/content/faa721e6-4fcf-4b9b-ae39-9ad6c44ed971 |agency=Financial Times |date=2023 |access-date=September 26, 2023 |archive-date=September 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230926082924/https://www.ft.com/content/faa721e6-4fcf-4b9b-ae39-9ad6c44ed971 |url-status=live }} By the end of 2023, Biden's approval rating was at 39 percent, which Gallup noted to be the lowest approval rating in modern history for a first-term president in the year preceding his re-election campaign.{{cite web |title=Biden Ends 2023 With 39% Job Approval |url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/547763/biden-ends-2023-job-approval.aspx |access-date=2024-01-01 |website=Gaullup.com |language=en |archive-date=January 1, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240101162121/https://news.gallup.com/poll/547763/biden-ends-2023-job-approval.aspx |url-status=live }}

According to Gallup, in July 2024, Biden's approval rating dropped to 36%, the lowest of his presidency, prior to his decision to end his re-election campaign; his highest approval rating dated back to 57% in April 2021.{{Cite web |date=2024-07-23 |title=Biden's Approval Rating Hit New Low Before Exit From Race|url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/647633/biden-approval-rating-hit-new-low-exit-race.aspx|access-date=2024-09-11 |publisher=Gallup |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2021-04-23 |title=Biden Job Approval a Respectable 57% at 100 Days|url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/348974/biden-job-approval-respectable-100-days.aspx|access-date=2024-09-11 |publisher=Gallup |language=en}}

In April 2025, Biden had a favorability rating of 40%.

{{excerpt|Age and health concerns of Joe Biden}}

• Hunter Biden laptop controversy
• "Let's Go Brandon"
• Sleepy Joe (nickname)

{{reflist}}

{{Joe Biden}}

Category:Joe Biden

Category:Old age in the United States

Biden, Joe