Tag: Vice President Joe Biden

Vice President Joe Biden made his breathlessly awaited announcement today regarding whether he would or would not seek the Democratic nomination for president.

And the answer? No.

Via Politico:

“I’ve said all along what I’ve said time and again to others: that it may very well be that that process, by the time we get through it, closes the window on mounting a realistic campaign for president: that it might close,” Biden said. “I’ve concluded that it has closed.”

“Beau is our inspiration,” he added. “Unfortunately, I believe we’re out of time. The time necessary to mount a winning campaign for the nomination. But while I will not be a candidate, I will not be silent. I intend to speak out clearly and forcefully.”

While Biden declined another run, he showed no interest in going quietly: his address at times sounded like a draft stump speech, hitting on a number of themes he would likely have used in a campaign. The vice president pledged that he would play a role in the 2016 race, suggesting that he would use his remaining time in office to sway the national discussion as front-runner Hillary Clinton battles Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders for his party’s nomination.

Democrats should embrace Obama’s legacy, he insisted.

Still, trailing Clinton and Sanders, Biden opted not to fight what would have been an uphill battle, making Clinton’s path to the nomination clearer. His presence in the race likely would have drained some of Clinton’s support given his own close ties to the Democratic establishment.

Speculation about Biden’s intentions had ratcheted up in recent days, as he repeatedly expressed some implied displeasure with Clinton over her statement at last week’s Democratic debate that Republicans were her enemies.

“I believe we have to end the divisive partisan politics that is ripping this country apart … It’s mean-spirited, it’s petty and it’s gone on for far too long,” he said on Wednesday, feet away from the president. “I don’t think we should look at Republicans as our opposition. They’re not our enemies.”

During his speech he mentioned his passion for fighting for the middle class, and name-checked his support for the LGBT community. He also mentioned that he will devote time left in office to finding a cure for cancer.

Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton issued a statement saying, “As he said today, there is more work to do. And if I know Joe, he will always be on the front-lines, always fighting for all of us.”

.@VP is a good friend and a great man. Today and always, inspired by his optimism and commitment to change the world for the better. -H— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 21, 2015

Also running for the Democratic nod, this from Sen. Bernie Sanders: “Joe Biden, a good friend, has made the decision that he feels is best for himself, his family and the country.”

I thank @VP for his continued service to the nation and his support of the middle class.— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) October 21, 2015

I’ll add that I believe this was the right call, both personally for Biden and for the country.

After a long, distinguished career in Washington, D.C., most polls showed him trailing Clinton for the nomination. I would hate for him to leave public service on a loss.

Plus, his hesitation – very understandable – was looking less than robust as a candidate.

That being said, I think he would have made an excellent candidate and president.

New television ad from the group Draft Biden set to air on morning network television leading up to the first Democratic debate.

From the New York Times:

The haunting, mostly black-and-white commercial from the group, Draft Biden, features audio from a speech he gave at Yale University’s commencement in May, just days before his elder son, Beau, died of brain cancer. At a minute and a half, it is longer than most political ads.

“My dad’s definition of success is when you look at your son or daughter and realize they turned out better than you – and they did,” Mr. Biden says in the commercial, titled “Joe Biden: ‘My Redemption.’ ”

The ad is to have its debut on NBC’s “Today” show on Wednesday morning, and it will be shown on CNN on Tuesday in the hours leading up to the cable channel’s coverage of the first Democratic presidential debate. The initial buy is for $250,000, according to Draft Biden officials, who said they hoped to add to that.

The creator of the ad says he hasn’t spoken to Biden about the ad, nor does he know if Biden will join the hunt for the presidency.

The group, Draft Biden, adds this direct message to Joe Biden on the YouTube page:

The ad highlights how Joe has overcome personal tragedies and his vision for the future in his own words: “We are on the cusp of some of the most astonishing breakthroughs in the history of mankind – scientific, technological, socially. It will be up to you in this changing world to translate those unprecedented capabilities into a greater measure of happiness and meaning, not just for yourself but for the world around you.”

Joe, run. Our country needs you.

Vice-President Joe Biden has decided to keep the political world waiting just a bit longer before he announces whether or not he will seek the 2016 Democratic nomination for president.

From CNN:

He is not preparing for the first Democratic debate on October 13 in Las Vegas and is not expected to participate, people close to him say, because he feels no pressure to reach a decision by then. He is likely to reveal his plans in the second half of October.

For more than two months, Biden has been studying the mechanics of what it would take to launch a candidacy. He and his team have been inundated by mounds of research and battle plans, but his original end-of-summer deadline passed without him reaching a conclusion.

The speculation about Biden’s future has reached a fever pitch, fueled by Democrats searching for an alternative to Hillary Clinton or a backup plan in case her candidacy falters. But with every passing week, many Democrats close to Biden are hardening in their beliefs that he will ultimately decide against challenging Clinton and the rest of the party’s field.

I personally am of a mind that Biden will not jump into the race. As he mentioned in an interview a few weeks ago, he’s “wasn’t there yet.”

And I think it says something to the primary voters if he’s this undecided at this late a date.

I like Joe, but I don’t think it’s the right decision for him. And I think he knows that.

Vice-President Joe Biden made a visit to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert last night for a wide ranging interview that included his biggest hints about whether or not he will run for the Democratic nomination for president.

Via New York Times:

Repeatedly touching on his parents, his faith and his emotional fragility from the recent death of his son Beau, Mr. Biden told Mr. Colbert that no “man or woman should run for president” without being able to promise voters that “you have my whole heart, my whole soul, my energy, and my passion.”

“Nobody has a right, in my view, to seek that office unless they are willing to give it 110 percent of who they are,” Mr. Biden told Mr. Colbert.

Perhaps the clearest hint came when Biden said, “I’d be lying if I said that I knew I was there.”

People can say what they want about Joe, but there’s no doubting the sincerity and authenticity of this guy. Watch the full appearance below – well worth your time.

From CNN:

Vice President Joe Biden received President Barack Obama’s “blessing” to make a 2016 bid for the White House, according to a senior Democrat.

But that’s if Biden chooses to run — the decision is his. While he doesn’t need the President’s permission, of course, a potential presidential candidacy was among the topics of their lunch Monday at the White House. The President made clear he would not stand in his way or counsel him against a run, the senior Democrat said.