Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

Biden says cannot say yet whether he will mount White House run

Published 09/03/2015, 11:15 PM
Updated 09/03/2015, 11:15 PM
© Reuters.  Joe Biden speaks at meeting with Jewish community leaders at David Posnack Jewish Community Center in Davie

© Reuters. Joe Biden speaks at meeting with Jewish community leaders at David Posnack Jewish Community Center in Davie

By John Whitesides

ATLANTA (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said on Thursday he is still trying to determine whether he has the emotional energy to mount a White House bid in 2016 but cannot say yet whether he will.

In his first extensive public comments about a possible run for the Democratic presidential nomination, Biden said, "I can't look you straight in the eye now and say I know I can do it."

Biden, 72, has been huddling with advisers for weeks to determine whether he will challenge Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton, who has seen her favorability ratings plummet over her use of a private email server while working as the nation's top diplomat.

"The most relevant factor in my decision is whether my family and I have the emotional energy to run," Biden, who lost his son, Beau, to cancer earlier this year, said in response to a question.

"The factor is, can I do it?" he said. "The honest to God answer is I just don't know."

Biden was in Atlanta on Thursday night to deliver a foreign policy lecture after concluding a two-day visit to the political battleground state of Florida, where he avoided any discussion of a possible White House run.

Biden said he would not be swayed by questions about whether he could raise enough money or mount an effective organization after getting a late start. The only factor, he said, was his and his family's commitment.

"Can my family undertake what is an arduous commitment?" he said.

"Unless I can go to my party and the American people and say I am able to devote my whole heart and soul to this endeavor, it would not be appropriate."

Biden has stepped up his public schedule, and will travel to Pittsburgh on Monday for Labor Day celebrations and New York later in the week to appear on Stephen Colbert's talk show.

But he said he did not know when he would make a decision.

© Reuters.  Joe Biden speaks at meeting with Jewish community leaders at David Posnack Jewish Community Center in Davie

"There is no way to put a timetable on it," he said.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.