Joe Biden Opens Up About His Late Son Beau, Cancer, and Purpose: “He Should’ve Been President, Not Me”

Joe Biden took a deeply personal turn during his speech at the Ben Nelson Gala in Omaha on November 7, opening up about his late son, Beau Biden.

While addressing the Nebraska Democratic Party, Biden paused and said with emotion, “My oldest son, the attorney general of the state of Delaware, who should have been the president, not me.”

The former president, now 82, recently finished radiation treatment for prostate cancer and used part of his speech to connect his own family’s experience with cancer to millions of others.

“I know what cancer research means,” he said. “It hit my family hard, just like it’s hit so many of yours.”

Biden then recalled one of his last conversations with Beau, who passed away in 2015 from brain cancer after returning from a deployment in Iraq.

“He asked me to come to his hospital room,” Biden said. “He told me, ‘Dad, give me your word as a Biden that you’ll stay involved. Don’t give up. Promise me you’ll keep going.’”

That moment, Biden said, still lives with him. “When he died, I lost part of my soul,” he admitted quietly to the crowd.

Beau Biden was known for his integrity and public service. A Delaware Army National Guard major, he served overseas during the Iraq War before returning home to continue his role as Delaware’s attorney general. He was widely respected and, according to many who knew him, had the leadership qualities of a future president.

During his speech, Biden shifted from personal reflection to sharp criticism of Donald Trump, calling out his handling of the ongoing government shutdown and cuts to healthcare programs.

“Get the damn government open,” Biden said, emphasizing how the shutdown has hurt millions of Americans who depend on food and healthcare assistance.

“This is the longest shutdown in U.S. history,” he added, pointing out that more than 600,000 federal employees have been furloughed while others are working without pay. He also reminded the crowd, “You know how many government shutdowns we had when I was president? None,” which sparked applause and cheers from the audience.

By the end of his remarks, Biden brought it all full circle. His words served as both a tribute to Beau and a promise to honor his legacy by continuing the fight his son believed in.