Vice-President Joe Biden has not announced that he either will or won’t run in the 2016 Democratic primary, but the pollsters and the pundits are certainly treating him as a possible candidate. The first Democratic debate is Tuesday, October 13, and CNN has given him up to the very last minute to announce if he wants to be part of it. He has both strengths and weaknesses as a possible candidate, but he’s definitely viable.
Politico story: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/10/barack-obama-treads-lightly-president-hillary-clinton-joe-biden-214395
Addendum, posted Saturday, October 10: This brand-new article in Politico very strongly implies, or so it seems to me in reading it, that Biden is quietly preparing to enter the race.
I think he will contest only if he sees himself as a last resort to save his party.
Earlier, when the “e-mail” saga perpetuated by the GOP was gaining traction, and their skill at propaganda and unity in messaging (a skill sadly lacking by the Dems – united and vociferous even in the face of great opposition) against Hillary Clinton was reducing her lead in the polls and was even being surpassed by Bernie Sanders, that hope for Biden as a viable candidate was plausible.
He has flirted too long in my opinion, and after the debate and Clinton’s resurgence as a strong front runner, has negated his chances or aided the argument that he should not enter the race. He has even started fudging issues that he is known to be guilty of and has never been a formidable candidate with any great movement behind him in previous elections. That being said, tomorrow’s appearance by Clinton with the now infamous Bengazi committee will either strengthen her leading position or weaken it depending on how she performs. Biden though a likable man, is gaffed prone and diminishes him as a strong and viable candidate.
I think he will, especially if Hilary in not getting enough votes.
Thanks for all of those comments.
The late-breaking news, of course, is that Biden announced today he’s not running. Inside sources have told the press that it was a genuine dilemma he went through before reaching this decision.