Biden in 1974: I Tried to ‘Prostitute Myself’ to Big Donors During First Senate Run

Biden: I Tried to ‘Prostitute Myself’ to Big Donors During First Senate Run (The Washington Free Beacon)

Former Vice President Joe Biden said during a 1974 discussion on campaign finance that he tried to "prostitute" himself to big donors during his first run for U.S. Senate but failed to get their money because he was too young.

His youth, however, was what enabled Biden to raise enough money to win, he explained.

"I'm like the token black or the token woman," Biden said. "I was the token young person."

Biden's comments came during an appearance on The Advocates, a weekly debate program that aired on PBS in the 1970s. Biden, then in his second year as a U.S. senator, was invited to argue in favor of public funding for political campaigns and contribution limits for individuals.