Beau Biden Treated for "Mild Stroke"

Updated 5:06 p.m. Eastern Time

Beau Biden, the Delaware attorney general and Iraq veteran who is the oldest son of Vice President Joe Biden, was treated today following a "mild stroke," according to the vice president's office.

He is expected to make a full recovery.

"Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden was admitted this morning to Christiana Hospital in Newark, Delaware after having what we believe to be a mild stroke," according to a statement from Dr. Timothy Gardner sent out by Joe Biden's office. "He is in good spirits and talking with his family at the hospital. He is fully alert, in stable condition and has full motor and speech skills. We expect him to make a complete recovery."

The vice president's office announced late in the afternoon that Biden is being transferred to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia for further observation and examination.

"The entire Biden family offers its sincerest thanks to the doctors, nurses and staff of the Christiana Care Health System who have provided tremendous care to Beau today," according to a statement.

Beau Biden is 41. In January, amid widespread speculation, he surprised political watchers by announcing that he would not run to fill his father's U.S. Senate seat. Biden said he wanted to focus on his job as attorney general.

Last year, Biden returned from his yearlong deployment to Iraq with his Army National Guard unit, with whom he served as a military lawyer and captain.

Dr. Jill Biden postponed a visit to a women's health facility in Washington, scheduled for this afternoon, to spend time with her son. Beau Biden's biological mother was killed along with her infant daughter in 1972 in a car accident. Beau Biden, who was three years old at the time, and his brother Hunter were badly injured in the accident but survived.

Vice President Biden was in Wilmington for a previously scheduled trip when Beau Biden was admitted to the hospital. He appeared on CBS' "The Early Show" this morning and made no mention of health problems for his son.

The vice president's office announced that Beau Biden was being treated for a medical issue this morning, but did not disclose what had brought him to the hospital. It deemed reports that he had suffered a stroke  "irresponsible reporting" before explaining the situation.