Joe Biden

== Vice presidential campaigns of 2008 and 2012 ==

=== 2008 campaign ===
{{Main|Barack Obama 2008 presidential campaign|2008 Democratic Party vice presidential candidate selection}}
[[File:Biden Obama 3b.jpg|thumb|Biden speaks at the August 23, 2008, vice presidential announcement at the [[Old State Capitol State Historic Site|Old State Capitol]] in [[Springfield, Illinois]].|alt=Photo of Biden outdoors behind a lectern, with Obama seated behind him and smiling]]

Shortly after Biden withdrew from the presidential race, Obama privately told him he was interested in finding an important place for Biden in his administration.<ref name="ny-lizza">{{cite news |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008/10/20/bidens-brief |title=Biden's Brief |last=Lizza |first=Ryan |magazine=[[The New Yorker]] |date=October 20, 2008 |access-date=November 24, 2008 |author-link=Ryan Lizza |archive-date=July 25, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140725212805/http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008/10/20/bidens-brief |url-status=live }}</ref> In early August, Obama and Biden met in secret to discuss the possibility,<ref name="ny-lizza" /> and developed a strong personal rapport.{{sfn|Wolffe|2009|p=218}} On August 22, 2008, Obama announced that Biden would be his [[running mate]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Obama's veep message to supporters |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/23/AR2008082300455.html |first=Jose Antonio |last=Vargas |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=August 23, 2008 |access-date=August 23, 2008 |archive-date=December 4, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101204011137/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/23/AR2008082300455.html |url-status=live }}</ref> ''The New York Times'' reported that the strategy behind the choice reflected a desire to fill out the ticket with someone with [[foreign policy]] and [[national security]] experience.<ref>{{cite news |first1=Adam |last1=Nagourney |author-link=Adam Nagourney |first2=Jeff|last2=Zeleny |title=Obama Chooses Biden as Running Mate |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/24/us/politics/24biden.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080825223450/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/24/us/politics/24biden.html |archive-date=August 25, 2008 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=August 23, 2008 |access-date=August 23, 2008 }}</ref> Others pointed out Biden's appeal to middle-class and [[blue-collar]] voters.<ref>{{#invoke:cite magazine||last=Dionne |first=E. J. Jr. |author-link=E. J. Dionne |title=Tramps Like Us: How Joe Biden will reassure working class voters and change the tenor of this week's convention |url=https://newrepublic.com/article/62212/tramps-us |magazine=[[The New Republic]] |date=August 25, 2008 |access-date=August 25, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828210626/http://tnr.com/politics/story.html?id=2ecbd0b9-c2c4-44d7-824a-603b4a418c74 |archive-date=August 28, 2008 }}</ref>{{sfn|Wolffe|2009|p=217}} Biden was officially nominated for vice president on August 27 by voice vote at the [[2008 Democratic National Convention]] in [[Denver]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2008/08/27/biden-accepts-vp-nomination// |title=Biden accepts VP nomination |first=Jennifer |last=Brown |work=[[The Denver Post]] |date=August 27, 2008 |access-date=September 7, 2021 |archive-date=September 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210907020534/https://www.denverpost.com/2008/08/27/biden-accepts-vp-nomination/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Biden's vice-presidential campaigning gained little media attention, as the press devoted far more coverage to the Republican nominee, [[List of Governors of Alaska|Alaska governor]] [[Sarah Palin]].<ref name="nyt-no2">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/20/us/politics/20biden.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080921063344/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/20/us/politics/20biden.html |archive-date=September 21, 2008 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Meanwhile, the Other No. 2 Keeps On Punching |last=Leibovich |first=Mark |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=September 19, 2008 |access-date=September 20, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/09/joe-who.html |title=Joe Who? |last=Tapper |first=Jake |work=[[ABC News]] |date=September 14, 2008 |access-date=September 15, 2008 |author-link=Jake Tapper |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915055913/http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/09/joe-who.html |archive-date=September 15, 2008 }}</ref> Under instructions from the campaign, Biden kept his speeches succinct and tried to avoid offhand remarks, such as one he made about Obama's being tested by a foreign power soon after taking office, which had attracted negative attention.<ref name="nyt103008">{{cite news |last=Broder |first=John M. |date=October 30, 2008 |title=Hitting the Backroads, and Having Less to Say |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/31/us/politics/31biden.html |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=October 31, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081031091558/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/31/us/politics/31biden.html |archive-date=October 31, 2008}}</ref><ref name="time102908">{{cite news |last=Tumulty |first=Karen |date=October 29, 2008 |title=Hidin' Biden: Reining In a Voluble No. 2 |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |url=https://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1855355,00.html |access-date=November 1, 2008 |archive-date=January 9, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109102805/http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1855355,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Privately, Biden's remarks frustrated Obama. "How many times is Biden gonna say something stupid?" he asked.<ref name="gamechange" />{{rp|411–414, 419}} Obama campaign staffers called Biden's blunders "Joe bombs" and kept Biden uninformed about strategy discussions, which in turn irked Biden.<ref name="nyt0508122" /> Relations between the two campaigns became strained for a month, until Biden apologized on a call to Obama and the two built a stronger partnership.<ref name="gamechange" />{{rp|411–414}}

As the [[financial crisis of 2007–2010]] reached a peak with the [[financial crisis of 2007–2010|liquidity crisis of September 2008]] and the [[Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008|proposed bailout of the United States financial system]] became a major factor in the campaign, Biden voted for the $700{{nbsp}}billion [[HR1424|Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008]], which passed in the Senate, 74–25.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.ny1.com/content/features/86538/senate-passes-economic-rescue-package/Default.aspx |title=Senate Passes Economic Rescue Package |publisher=[[NY1]] |date=October 1, 2008 |access-date=October 2, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081005022401/http://www.ny1.com/content/features/86538/senate-passes-economic-rescue-package/Default.aspx |archive-date=October 5, 2008 }}</ref> On October 2, 2008, he participated in the [[United States vice-presidential debate, 2008|vice-presidential debate]] with Palin at [[Washington University in St. Louis]]. Post-debate polls found that while Palin exceeded many voters' expectations, Biden had won the debate overall.{{sfn|Witcover|2010|pp=655–661}}

On November 4, 2008, Obama and Biden were elected with 53% of the popular vote and 365 [[Electoral College (United States)|electoral votes]] to McCain–Palin's 173.<ref>{{#invoke:cite news||url=https://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/04/election.president/index.html |title=Obama: 'This is your victory' |work=[[CNN]] |access-date=November 5, 2008|date=November 4, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Franke-Ruta |first=Garance |url=https://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/11/19/mccain_takes_missouri.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151023022914/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2008/11/mccain-takes-missouri.html |title=McCain Takes Missouri |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |archive-date=October 23, 2015 |date=November 19, 2008 |access-date=November 19, 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://edition.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/president/ |title=President—Election Center 2008 |work=[[CNN]] |access-date=November 19, 2008 |archive-date=November 9, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081109050840/http://edition.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/president/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

At the same time Biden was running for vice president, he was also running for reelection to the Senate,<ref name="ap082408">{{cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Aug24/0,4670,CVNBidenTwoCampaigns,00.html |title=Biden Wages 2 Campaigns At Once |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=August 24, 2008 |access-date=August 29, 2008 |first=Randall |last=Chase |publisher=[[Fox News]] |archive-date=January 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210115185451/https://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Aug24/0,4670,CVNBidenTwoCampaigns,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref> as permitted by Delaware law.<ref name="aap08-366">''Almanac of American Politics'' 2008, p. 366.</ref> On November{{nbsp}}4, he was [[2008 United States Senate election in Delaware|reelected]] to the Senate, defeating Republican [[Christine O'Donnell]].<ref name="ap110408">{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2008-11-04-420465768_x.htm |title=Biden wins 7th Senate term but may not serve |last=Nuckols |first=Ben |agency=[[Associated Press]] |newspaper=[[USA Today]] |date=November 4, 2008 |access-date=February 6, 2009 |archive-date=February 26, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090226050628/http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2008-11-04-420465768_x.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Having won both races, Biden made a point of waiting to resign from the Senate until he was sworn in for his seventh term on January 6, 2009.<ref name="dnj010709">{{cite news |url=https://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009901070333 |title=A bittersweet oath for Biden |last=Gaudiano |first=Nicole |work=[[The News Journal]] |date=January 7, 2009 |access-date=February 7, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090212100305/http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009901070333 |archive-date=February 12, 2009 }}</ref> Biden cast his last Senate vote on January 15, supporting the release of the second $350{{nbsp}}billion for the [[Troubled Asset Relief Program]],<ref>{{cite news |first=Trish |last=Turner |agency=[[Associated Press]] |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/senate-releases-350-billion-in-bailout-funds-to-obama |title=Senate Releases $350 Billion in Bailout Funds to Obama |publisher=[[Fox News]] |date=January 15, 2009 |access-date=January 25, 2009 |archive-date=December 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191230182202/https://www.foxnews.com/politics/senate-releases-350-billion-in-bailout-funds-to-obama |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[resignation from the United States Senate|resigned from the Senate]] later that day.{{efn| Delaware's Democratic governor, [[Ruth Ann Minner]], announced on November 24, 2008, that she would appoint Biden's longtime senior adviser [[Ted Kaufman]] to succeed Biden in the Senate.<ref name="bloom112408" /> Kaufman said he would serve only two years, until [[2010 United States Senate special election in Delaware|Delaware's special Senate election in 2010]].<ref name="bloom112408">{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=apZPaTS_UmpM |title=Kaufman Picked by Governor to Fill Biden Senate Seat (Update 3) |last=Milford |first=Phil |publisher=[[Bloomberg News]] |date=November 24, 2008 |access-date=November 24, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081116003829/http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087 |archive-date=November 16, 2008 }}</ref> Biden's son [[Beau Biden|Beau]] ruled himself out of the 2008 selection process due to his impending tour in Iraq with the [[Delaware Army National Guard]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/blogs/scorecard/1108/Minner_appoints_Ted_Kaufman_to_Biden_seat.html |title=Ted Kaufman to succeed Biden in Senate |last=Kraushaar |first=Josh |work=[[Politico]] |date=November 24, 2008 |access-date=November 24, 2008 |archive-date=January 24, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090124112431/http://www.politico.com/blogs/scorecard/1108/Minner_appoints_Ted_Kaufman_to_Biden_seat.html |url-status=live }}</ref> He was a possible candidate for the 2010 special election, but in early 2010 said he would not run for the seat.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/25/bidens-son-will-not-run-for-delaware-senate-seat/ |title=Biden's Son Will Not Run for Delaware's Open Senate Seat |last=Hulse |first=Carl |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=January 25, 2010 |access-date=January 25, 2010 |archive-date=January 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100127063705/http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/25/bidens-son-will-not-run-for-delaware-senate-seat/ |url-status=live }}</ref>}}

=== 2012 campaign ===
{{Main|Barack Obama 2012 presidential campaign}}
In October 2010, Biden said Obama had asked him to remain as his running mate for the [[2012 United States presidential election|2012 presidential election]],<ref name="nyt1013102" /> but with Obama's popularity on the decline, [[White House Chief of Staff|White House chief of staff]] [[William M. Daley]] conducted some secret polling and focus group research in late 2011 on the idea of replacing Biden on the ticket with Hillary Clinton.<ref name="nyt-dd-replace" /> The notion was dropped when the results showed no appreciable improvement for Obama,<ref name="nyt-dd-replace">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/01/us/politics/book-details-consideration-of-replacing-biden-on-2012-ticket.html |title=Book Details Obama Aides' Talks About Replacing Biden on 2012 Ticket |last=Martin |first=Jonathan |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=October 31, 2013 |access-date=January 24, 2021 |archive-date=January 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210103082553/https://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/01/us/politics/book-details-consideration-of-replacing-biden-on-2012-ticket.html |url-status=live }}</ref> and White House officials later said Obama himself had never entertained the idea.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/blogs/politico44/2013/11/wh-obama-never-considered-dropping-joe-biden-176520 |title=W.H.: Obama never considered dropping Joe Biden |last=Allen |first=Jonathan |newspaper=[[Politico]] |date=November 1, 2013 |access-date=November 3, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104143531/http://www.politico.com/politico44/2013/11/wh-obama-never-considered-dropping-biden-176520.html |archive-date=November 4, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Biden's May 2012 statement that he was "absolutely comfortable" with [[same-sex marriage]] gained considerable public attention in comparison to Obama's position, which had been described as "evolving".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/world/la-xpm-2012-may-06-la-na-biden-gay-marriage-20120507-story.html |title=Biden 'comfortable' with equal rights for gays who wed |date=May 6, 2012 |first=Christi |last=Parsons |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date=May 8, 2012 |archive-date=May 26, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526082737/https://www.latimes.com/world/la-xpm-2012-may-06-la-na-biden-gay-marriage-20120507-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Biden made his statement without administration consent, and Obama and his aides were quite irked, since Obama had planned to shift position several months later, in the build-up to the party convention.<ref name="nyt0508122" /><ref name="ap051012" /><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2012/08/6-hidden-obama-campaign-fault-lines-080028 |title=6 hidden fault lines in President Obama's campaign |last=Thursh |first=Glenn |newspaper=[[Politico]] |date=August 23, 2012 |access-date=January 24, 2021 |archive-date=December 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201208190849/https://www.politico.com/story/2012/08/6-hidden-obama-campaign-fault-lines-080028 |url-status=live }}</ref> Gay rights advocates seized upon Biden's statement,<ref name="ap051012" /> and within days, Obama announced that he too supported same-sex marriage, an action in part forced by Biden's remarks.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/10/us/politics/obama-says-same-sex-marriage-should-be-legal.html | title=Obama Says Same-Sex Marriage Should Be Legal | first1=Jackie | last1=Calmes | first2=Peter | last2=Baker | newspaper=[[The New York Times]] | date=May 9, 2012 | access-date=May 10, 2012 | archive-date=May 10, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120510014102/http://www.nytimes.com//2012/05/10/us/politics/obama-says-same-sex-marriage-should-be-legal.html | url-status=live }}</ref> Biden apologized to Obama in private for having spoken out,<ref name="pol-ebook">{{cite news |last=Thrush |first=Glenn |date=August 20, 2012 |title=Politico e-book: Obama campaign roiled by conflict |newspaper=[[Politico]] |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2012/08/politico-e-book-obama-campaign-roiled-by-conflict-079867 |url-status=live |access-date=January 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210103084846/https://www.politico.com/story/2012/08/politico-e-book-obama-campaign-roiled-by-conflict-079867 |archive-date=January 3, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Julie|last=Pace|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/10/joe-biden-gay-marriage-apology_n_1507939.html |title=Joe Biden Reportedly Apologized To Obama Over Gay Marriage Comments |agency=[[Associated Press]] |work=[[HuffPost]] |date=May 10, 2012 |access-date=May 11, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130528233546/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/10/joe-biden-gay-marriage-apology_n_1507939.html |archive-date=May 28, 2013 }}</ref> while Obama acknowledged publicly it had been done from the heart.<ref name="ap051012">{{cite news | url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/ap-source-biden-apologizes-to-obama-over-comments | title=AP source: Biden apologizes to Obama over comments | agency=[[Associated Press]] | publisher=[[Fox News]] | date=May 10, 2012 | access-date=May 16, 2012 | archive-date=October 6, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181006123920/https://www.foxnews.com/us/ap-source-biden-apologizes-to-obama-over-comments | url-status=live }}</ref>

The Obama campaign valued Biden as a retail-level politician, and he had a heavy schedule of appearances in swing states as the [[Barack Obama presidential campaign, 2012|reelection campaign]] began in earnest in spring 2012.<ref name="time-be-joe">{{cite news |last=Von Drehle |first=David |author-link=David Von Drehle |date=September 10, 2012 |title=Let There Be Joe |pages=41–43 |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |url=https://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2123322,00.html |url-status=live |access-date=January 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109162947/http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2123322,00.html |archive-date=November 9, 2020}}</ref><ref name="time-mo">{{cite news |title=Mo Joe |last=Scherer |first=Michael |url=https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,2116132-1,00.html |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=June 11, 2012 |pages=26–30 |access-date=September 6, 2022 |archive-date=September 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220927141830/http://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,2116132-1,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref> An August 2012 remark before a mixed-race audience that Republican proposals to relax Wall Street regulations would "put y'all back in chains" once again drew attention to Biden's propensity for colorful remarks.<ref name="time-be-joe" /><ref name="lat-offt">{{cite news |last=Memoli |first=Michael A. |date=August 17, 2012 |title=Biden's unscripted moments keep campaign on its toes |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2012-aug-17-la-na-biden-20120817-story.html |url-status=live |access-date=January 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210103082611/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2012-aug-17-la-na-biden-20120817-story.html |archive-date=January 3, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2012/08/mission-impossible-managing-biden-079776 |title=Mission Impossible: Managing Joe Biden |last=Martin |first=Jonathan |newspaper=[[Politico]] |date=August 16, 2012 |access-date=January 24, 2021 |archive-date=January 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210103084811/https://www.politico.com/story/2012/08/mission-impossible-managing-biden-079776 |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:P101112ps-488 Air Force One Obama watches VP debate.jpg|thumb|Obama watching Biden debate Paul Ryan in the vice presidential debate on Air Force One]]
In the first presidential debate of the general election, President Obama's performance was considered surprisingly lackluster.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 8, 2012 |title=Romney Narrows Vote Gap After Historic Debate Win |url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/157907/romney-narrows-vote-gap-historic-debate-win.aspx |access-date=January 29, 2024 |website=[[Gallup, Inc.]] |language=en |archive-date=January 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240129055644/https://news.gallup.com/poll/157907/romney-narrows-vote-gap-historic-debate-win.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Time'' magazine's Joe Klein called it "one of the most inept performances I've ever seen by a sitting president."<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Klein |first=Joe |date=October 3, 2012 |title=Obama's Debate Strategy: Unilateral Disarmament? |url=https://swampland.time.com/2012/10/03/the-debate/ |access-date=January 29, 2024 |magazine=Time |language=en-US |issn=0040-781X |archive-date=January 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240129055645/https://swampland.time.com/2012/10/03/the-debate/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Over the next few days, Obama's lead over Romney collapsed,<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 8, 2012 |title=Romney's Strong Debate Performance Erases Obama's Lead |url=https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2012/10/08/romneys-strong-debate-performance-erases-obamas-lead/ |access-date=January 29, 2024 |website=[[Pew Research Center]] |language=en-US |archive-date=January 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240129055644/https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2012/10/08/romneys-strong-debate-performance-erases-obamas-lead/ |url-status=live }}</ref> putting pressure on Biden to stop the bleeding with a strong showing against the Republican vice-presidential nominee, [[Paul Ryan]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reston |first=Maeve |date=September 25, 2016 |title=When Romney trounced Obama  |url=https://www.cnn.com/2016/09/25/politics/obama-debate-election-2012/index.html |access-date=January 29, 2024 |website=CNN Politics |language=en |archive-date=January 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240129055644/https://www.cnn.com/2016/09/25/politics/obama-debate-election-2012/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=MacAskill |first=Ewen |date=October 4, 2012 |title=Mitt Romney comes out on top as Obama stumbles in first debate |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/oct/04/romney-obama-first-presidential-debate |access-date=January 29, 2024 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=January 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240129055644/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/oct/04/romney-obama-first-presidential-debate |url-status=live }}</ref> Some political analysts considered Biden's performance against Ryan in the October 11 vice-presidential debate one of the best of his career<ref>{{Cite news |last=Strauss |first=Daniel |date=September 27, 2020 |title=Biden's team hopes for repeat of his 2012 performance as Trump debate nears |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/sep/27/trump-biden-us-presidential-debate-2012 |access-date=January 29, 2024 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=January 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240129055644/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/sep/27/trump-biden-us-presidential-debate-2012 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=O'Brien |first=Michael |date=October 11, 2012 |title=Biden plays aggressor in debate as Ryan makes GOP case |url=https://nbcpolitics.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/11/14376267-biden-plays-aggressor-in-debate-as-ryan-argues-gop-case |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928140933/http://nbcpolitics.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/11/14376267-biden-plays-aggressor-in-debate-as-ryan-argues-gop-case |archive-date=September 28, 2020 |access-date=January 24, 2021 |publisher=[[NBC News]]}}</ref> and a key factor in Obama's rebound in the polls and eventual victory over Romney.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Silver |first=Nate |date=October 12, 2012 |title=In Polls, Biden Gets a Hold |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/12/in-polls-biden-gets-a-hold/ |access-date=January 29, 2024 |website=FiveThirtyEight |language=en |archive-date=January 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240129055644/https://archive.nytimes.com/fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/12/in-polls-biden-gets-a-hold/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=October 12, 2012 |title=Sparks fly as Biden, Ryan face off in feisty vice presidential debate |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/sparks-fly-as-biden-ryan-face-off-in-feisty-vice-presidential-debate |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210103082631/https://www.foxnews.com/politics/sparks-fly-as-biden-ryan-face-off-in-feisty-vice-presidential-debate |archive-date=January 3, 2021 |access-date=January 24, 2021 |publisher=[[Fox News]]}}</ref> The debate also became memorable for the popularization of Biden's use of the phrase "a bunch of malarkey" in response to an attack by Ryan on the administration's response to the September 11, 2012, attacks on the U.S. embassy in [[Benghazi]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Memmott |first=Mark |date=October 12, 2012 |title=What's All This Malarkey About Malarkey? |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2012/10/12/162791655/whats-all-this-malarkey-about-malarkey |access-date=January 28, 2024 |website=NPR |archive-date=June 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190606155406/https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2012/10/12/162791655/whats-all-this-malarkey-about-malarkey |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Guarino |first=Ben |date=July 28, 2016 |title=Joe Biden loves the word 'malarkey.' But nobody knows where it came from. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/07/28/joe-biden-loves-the-word-malarkey-but-nobody-knows-where-it-came-from/ |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160828231353/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/07/28/joe-biden-loves-the-word-malarkey-but-nobody-knows-where-it-came-from/ |archive-date=August 28, 2016 |access-date=January 28, 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Biden reused the phrase during his 2020 presidential campaign.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bump |first=Philip |date=December 2, 2019 |title=The unexpected nostalgia of Biden's 'malarkey' |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/12/02/unexpected-nostalgia-bidens-malarkey/ |access-date=January 28, 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post |archive-date=October 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211007174617/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/12/02/unexpected-nostalgia-bidens-malarkey/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

On November 6, Obama and Biden won reelection<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/obama-defeats-romney-to-win-second-term-vows-he-has-more-work-to-do | title=Obama defeats Romney to win second term, vows he has 'more work to do' | publisher=[[Fox News]] | date=November 7, 2012 | access-date=August 27, 2021 | archive-date=February 15, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210215014622/https://www.foxnews.com/politics/obama-defeats-romney-to-win-second-term-vows-he-has-more-work-to-do | url-status=live }}</ref> over Romney and Ryan with 332 of 538 [[Electoral College (United States)|Electoral College votes]] and 51% of the popular vote.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/world/la-xpm-2013-jan-04-la-pn-obama-biden-officially-win-second-term-20130104-story.html |title=It's official: Obama, Biden win second term |last=Memoli |first=Michael A. |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=January 4, 2013 |access-date=January 24, 2021 |archive-date=January 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210103082641/https://www.latimes.com/world/la-xpm-2013-jan-04-la-pn-obama-biden-officially-win-second-term-20130104-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref>