Biden really might run in 2016. Why, Joe, why?
| Washington
Joe Biden really truly might run for president. That鈥檚 what the US vice president told ABC鈥檚 George Stephanopoulos on Wednesday, anyway. During a 鈥淕ood Morning America鈥� , Mr. Stephanopoulos pointed out that Hillary Rodham Clinton is already hiring staff and raising money for a presidential bid. Then he asked Biden if he, too, was thinking of trying to succeed Barack Obama in the Oval Office.
鈥淵es, there鈥檚 a chance. But I haven鈥檛 made my mind up about that. We鈥檝e got a lot of work to do between now and then, there鈥檚 plenty of time,鈥� Vice President Biden replied.
This is pretty much the way Biden has answered the president question for quite some time. But he said it forcefully, with a little laugh. Plus he opined that he thought he鈥檇 be pretty good at giving a State of the Union speech himself. All this, plus the post-SOTU timing, combined to give pundits that little thrill they need to declare Biden鈥檚 words newsworthy.
鈥淢ost explicit I鈥檝e seen Biden in months saying he might challenge Hillary,鈥� tweeted ABC political director Rick Klein.
Is Biden serious about this? There鈥檚 no reason he wouldn鈥檛 be 鈥� after all, he鈥檚 run for president twice in the past (2008 and 1988). When you鈥檙e vice president you get to hang around the White House a lot, use Air Force Two and so on. You get your own house, on the upper northwest grounds of the Naval Observatory. It would be hard to just give all that up without a final try at the brass ring of US politics.
Hillary might decide to drop out. Who鈥檇 be front-runner then? Probably Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, but hey, Biden would then have a real shot. Maybe.
Because here鈥檚 the obvious kicker: Biden does not have much of a chance of winning. The American electorate in all its wisdom rejected Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. in his previous national races. And if Clinton runs, she is the overwhelming favorite to win. Biden would be a likely also-ran, despite his protestations.
鈥淚 think this is wide open on both sides,鈥� Biden told ABC.
Nope. It isn鈥檛. Unless a 50-point Clinton lead is 鈥渨ide open.鈥� The latest of major surveys puts the former secretary of State 50 points up on Senator Warren and 52 points up on Biden. Yes, it鈥檚 early, but that鈥檚 a huge margin. And it isn鈥檛 as if Biden is a nationally obscure governor or senator who needs to build name recognition.
Maybe Biden will run just to give Clinton some company. After all it will be hard for Clinton to debate herself. Biden becomes a friendly competitor, in this scenario, who trades compliments with Clinton on the stump.
Then 鈥� and maybe this is Biden鈥檚 real plan 鈥� he bows out gracefully, and Clinton picks him as her running mate! Hey, it worked for Joe in 2008, right? There鈥檚 no constitutional term limit on vice presidents. He鈥檚 experienced and ready. Who else can make than Joe Biden behind a president delivering a State of the Union?
Nobody. That鈥檚 who.
