Joe Biden became one of the youngest senators ever when he was elected to represent Delaware in 1972. From there, it didn’t take long before he became an expert in foreign affairs, parlaying his Mr. Amtrak image (and connection to his home state) as a relatable answer to America’s modern politicians. Despite Biden’s occasional verbal gaffes, Barack Obama chose the senator as his running mate—hoping he would add foreign-policy chops, a working-man image, and congressional know-how to the presidential bid. Here, a look at the boy from Scranton, Penn. who became Obama’s most trusted advisor.
