If there’s one thing the Democratic Party could use right now, it’s another aging white politician to run for the 2016 presidential nomination. Vice President Joe Biden seems ready to answer the call.
Linda Feldmann of the Christian Science Monitor:
Will Joe Biden run for president? Drumbeat picks up.WASHINGTON — Vice President Joe Biden has long harbored dreams of being president. He’s run twice before, clearly relishes political life, and has yet to rule out a third try – even as Hillary Clinton dominates in fundraising and in polls of Democrats.After the death on May 30 of Mr. Biden’s beloved elder son, Beau, such talk was put on hold. But in recent days, speculation has begun to soar. New York businessman Jon Cooper, a former Obama fundraising bundler now working on a draft effort to get Biden into the race, told the Monitor Thursday that he puts the probability of Biden running at 80 percent.“I’m as convinced as I can be that Joe Biden will be entering the presidential race,” said Mr. Cooper, who bases his assessment on signals from Biden’s inner circle, though he can’t name names…Biden could also find encouragement in a new CNN/ORC national poll released Wednesday. Without lifting a finger, he is running second in the Democratic field, at 16 percent. Though Biden is well behind former Secretary Clinton (57 percent), he’s in a statistical tie with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I) of Vermont (14 percent), who has been campaigning hard and drawing crowds numbering in the thousands.
Here’s a question. If Biden runs, who is Obama going to endorse?
S.A. Miller of the Washington Times has more:
Joe Biden likely to join 2016 White House race next month, top fundraiser saysVice President Joseph R. Biden’s team is putting out the word that he is leaning in favor of joining the presidential race next month, according to a prominent Democratic fundraiser.The veep’s entrance would dramatically shake up the Democratic contest, confronting front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton with a formidable opponent who is equally well-known across the country and poised to tap a network of major donors…Mr. Biden, 72, had been encouraged to make a third run for the presidency by both of his sons, Beau and Hunter Biden, according to a Wall Street Journal report last week.He also is getting encouragement from Democratic moneymen.Mr. Cooper said he found a receptive audience when surveying the network of Democratic bundlers in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, with about 30 percent pledging support for Mr. Biden if he enters the race.He said many of Mr. Obama’s bundlers, including himself, couldn’t get excited about Mrs. Clinton’s campaign, with some resigned to sitting out the presidential race next year and others eagerly searching for an alternative candidate who inspires them.
That last part is rather telling, isn’t it?
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