Speculation abounds as to whether or not Joe Biden will run for President. Amy wrote earlier about a possible endorsement from the President, and now there is word that Barack Obama has given Biden his official ‘blessing’ to run:
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.
While Biden is trying to downplay things, he’s scheduled to meet with some important people this week:
The Vice President was expected to huddle at his home Monday night with Anita Dunn and Bob Bauer, the husband-and-wife team who have been at Obama’s side for much of the last decade, two people familiar with the meeting told CNN. Steve Ricchetti, the Vice President’s chief of staff, was also expected to attend.As a general rule, we are not going to confirm the Vice President’s private meetings or provide a readout of them,” an aide to the Vice President told CNN on Monday.Dunn, a former White House communications director, and Bauer, a longtime lawyer to Obama, were among those invited to a meeting at the Naval Observatory in Washington. Ted Kaufman, a loyal Biden confidant who briefly occupied his Senate seat from Delaware, was also among those gathering to discuss how Biden could run, if he decides to do so.
With that in mind, there are several reasons why Joe Biden getting into the race is good news for the GOP:
1. Biden fills a gap. While the far left is happy to embrace Bernie Sanders, there is a part of the Democratic base that feels like it didn’t have much of a place with Hillary. Union members and working class whites are among those who welcome a Biden candidacy for the purposes of drawing the two factions of the party together. That will force both Hillary and Sanders to go on the attack, forcing Biden to use his resources for something other than going after Republicans.
2. The Biden Show will take center stage. Biden has been lucky; for the last 6.5 years, Obama has been center stage, which means that Biden’s record of gaffes and bizarre statements has hardly gotten any attention. Now, there will be renewed interest because Biden will be center stage. The cameras will always be on and he won’t be able to get away with it as he has in the past.
3. Biden will be tied directly to the Obama administration. Obama’s numbers keep sinking. The Iran deal is not popular at all, and President Obama isn’t helping his case by referring to those opposed to it as “crazies.” Biden will have to defend Iran and Obamacare, in addition to a poor economic record. He will literally be asking for Obama’s third term.
Final point: Joe Biden is also not known for his exemplary fundraising skills, and at his age, people are justified in asking if he can withstand the rigors of a full-blown campaign.
We will find out soon enough.
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