First Presidential Campaign

In 1987, at the age of 44, Biden began his first presidential campaign. Although he was initially viewed as a strong contender for the Democratic nomination, his campaign failed to gain traction in opinion polls.

In September that year, The New York Times and The Des Moines Register published articles accusing Biden of plagiarising a speech by Neil Kinnock, the British leader of the opposition. The scandal quickly devoured his campaign, and he withdrew from the race just 11 days after the accusation. (Photo: Consolidated News Pictures, Editorial Use)