Joe Biden 2008 presidential campaign with some speculating that Biden was on Obama's shortlist of vice presidential candidates. On August 23, 2008, the Obama campaign that Biden would become Barack Obama's running mate. Following U.S. Democratic presumptive presidential nominee Barack Obama's selection of Biden, the Senator's vice-presidential general election campaign began. During the campaign, he used his political experience to complement Obama, and debated Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin. Biden was elected Vice President on November 4, 2008, and sworn in on January 20, 2009. On July 16, 2010, the Federal Election Commission fined the Biden presidential campaign $219,000 for campaign finance violations. The
Oath of office of the Vice President of the United States office of President of the Senate. Up until the middle of the 20th Century, the Vice President-Elect nearly always would be sworn in by the highest-ranking officer of the US Senate which was the outgoing vice president or the President Pro Tempore of the United States Senate. Sometimes, although not always, a short address would be given by the new vice president to the Senate. The oath of office has been administered most by the President Pro Tempore of the United States Senate (last in 1925) for a total of 20 times. Others to give the oath of office include