On Oct. 3, Biden’s son, Joseph Robinette “Beau” Biden III, will be deployed to Iraq.

“I don’t want him going,” Biden told an Iowa state fair crowd a year ago, when, as a presidential candidate, he learned that his son’s unit would be deployed at some point in 2008.

“But I don’t want my grandsons or granddaughters going back in 15 years. So how we leave makes a big difference.”