Who, by the way, is Joe Biden?

There is a lot of speculation on who is the presumptive 46th president of the United States of America. The only things I can say is that he is a decent man, a gentleman in the real sense of the word, dignified, honorable, and one who inspires respect and affection. So unlike, we hasten to add, another candidate we knew.

Joe Biden does not seek to divide people. He is not a racist, nor speaks rudely about women. He is neither haughty nor arrogant, nor claims to know everything. He does not put any person down, even the lowly and the poor. He pays his taxes honestly and is a very devoted and practicing Roman Catholic who hears Mass regularly. He is a devoted husband to Dr. Jill Tracy Jacobs Biden, and a loving father to his surviving son Hunter and daughter Ashley. Joe's first wife, Nella Hunter, died in a car accident together with their one-year-old daughter a few days before Christmas in 1972. Their car was hit by a cargo truck a few minutes after she started driving home from Christmas shopping.

Joe was born to a middle-class family in Stranton, Pennsylvania on November 20, 1942, during the height of the Second World War. His father was a successful car salesman and became a wealthy man. However, he later suffered a financial setback, which led the family to move out of Pennsylvania to Delaware. It was there that Joe obtained his basic and secondary education. He studied Law and became a lawyer. Then he entered politics by winning a seat in the Newcastle County Council. Then, just to try his luck, in 1972 Joe Biden ran for the US Senate, challenging a very strong and powerful Rebublican incumbent senator. He did not have money, organization, and any endorsement. In an unexpected upset election, he defeated the incumbent by a considerable margin. Only his family and close friends manned his campaign.

His political success, however, was overshadowed by two tragedies. His first wife was making a rush shopping a few days before Christmas day in 1972, together with their one-year-old daughter. The car she was driving was hit by a speeding cargo truck, killing his wife and daughter. His eldest son, Beau, who grew up years later into a lawyer and became a judge advocate assigned in Iraq, died of brain cancer. Joe Biden was grieving for many years. Then he met Dr. Jill Tracy Jacobs and they dated for some time. Jill doted on Joe's two sons, Beau and Hunter, and the boys adored her like a true mom. The two got married and became very devoted Catholics. The two have a daughter, Ashley, who is a social worker. Hunter became a Washington lawyer and lobbyist.

Joe Biden has been reelected senator of Delaware in the elections in 1978, 1984, 1996, 2002, and 2008. He was an active legislator and a very had-working member of the Foreign Relations Committee. He has a reputation of integrity and has been always identified as one of the less-wealthy senators. His income comes from his speaking engagements. He is reputed to consistently refuse lobby money in exchange of political favors. He was tapped by a junior senator from Illinois to run as his vice president. From that time on, the political alliance and personal friendship between Barack Obama and Joe Biden became stronger over the years. I strongly believe that Philippine-American relations will be in for better times under a Biden presidency.

The world will be safer, more peaceful, and more environmentally-caring under a world leader who is a decent, honest, and honorable man. A leader who loves life, is faithful to and caring for his family, and has a fear of God and patriotism for his country. Joe Biden can become another great US president, who will be friendly to our country and respectful of the long history of the strong alliance between the Americans and the Filipinos.