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Politics

Signs Point to a 2016 Presidential Run for Joe Biden — No, Seriously

Jan. 22, 2013 9:30pm Jason Howerton

US Vice President Joe Biden walks along Pennsylvania Avenue during the parade following Obama’s second inauguration as the 44th US president on January 21, 2013 in Washington, DC.AFP PHOTO/JOE KLAMAR. Credit: AFP/Getty Images

WASHINGTON (TheBlaze/AP) — Joe Biden in 2016? The inauguration is barely over but the vice president already is dropping plenty of hints that he might have another political act.

The Washington Post notes, “Biden is doing everything that someone who is planning to run would do. Everything.”

Biden packed his schedule with events and receptions attended by party stalwarts throughout the long weekend of inauguration festivities, stoking speculation he may be laying the groundwork to carry the torch from President Barack Obama. It comes after Biden played a prominent role in brokering a compromise on the fiscal cliff standoff with Congress and his work developing gun violence legislation following December’s deadly school shooting in Connecticut.

The next presidential campaign is a long way off and the Democratic primary chase will be dotted with plenty of “ifs,” most notably whether outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton decides to seek the nomination. Clinton, the former New York senator and first lady, remains the heavy favorite among party activists but several notable Democrats, including Biden, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, are said to be keeping their options open in case Clinton decides not to run again.

As vice president, Biden can stay in the spotlight and is no stranger to the demands of a presidential campaign after failed bids in 1988 and 2008. The former Delaware senator has racked up a long list of domestic and foreign policy achievements even as his occasional off-script moments have become fodder for Republicans.

“There’s a whole lot of reasons why I wouldn’t run,” Biden, who will be nearly 74 on Election Day in 2016, told CNN in an interview before the inauguration. “I don’t have to make that decision for a while. In the meantime, there’s one thing I know I have to do, no matter what I do. I have to help this president move this country to the next stage.”

Yet with his high-profile perch, Biden is doing nothing to tamp down the speculation.

Biden’s private swearing-in ceremony on Sunday was attended by recently-elected New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan, someone who would be a potent ally in the state’s very important first-in-the-nation primary. Attendees at a Sunday afternoon reception at the vice president’s residence at the Naval Observatory said they noticed a lot of party activists from early voting states like New Hampshire, Iowa and South Carolina.

“We can always start the political calculations in terms of the number of delegates needed to secure a nomination. But let’s just say I see a number of superdelegates here as well,” Democratic strategist Donna Brazile told reporters following the ceremony.

Biden later dropped by the Iowa State Society Inaugural Ball, slipping up and telling partygoers he was “proud to be president of the United States,” prompting cheers. He quickly corrected himself, saying he was “proud to be vice president of the United States, but I am prouder to be … President Barack Obama’s vice president.” Laughing it off, he said, “There’s goes that.”

Vice President Joe Biden and Jill Biden react to the crowd at The Inaugural Ball in the Washington convention center during the 57th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, Monday, Jan. 21, 2013. Credit: AP

During the weekend, Biden attended a ball at the Kennedy Center celebrating the party’s Latino voters, who turned into a powerful voting bloc in November’s election. Biden called the Latino community “a decisive factor” in the election. “This is your moment,” Biden said. “America owes you.” Some party stalwarts said it was noteworthy that Biden asked Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina justice, to administer the oath of office.

Biden also attended a ball honoring environmentalists, sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation and other environmental groups, where he said the Obama administration was committed to confronting climate change. “I don’t intend to let these four years go by without getting a hell of a lot done,” on the environment, Biden said.

On Inauguration Day, Biden and his wife, Jill, walked part of the parade route, waving to the cheering crowds in a made-for-TV moment. At one point, the vice president even jogged across Pennsylvania Avenue to shake hands with “Today” show weatherman Al Roker.

Watch Biden work the crowd in the video below via PBS:

“It seems obvious that he’s going to keep that option open for himself and do the right things,” said Mike Gronstal, the Democratic leader of the Iowa state senate who attended the reception. Gronstal said Biden actively worked the room, thanking supporters for their help during the 2012 campaign. “It was very personal time,” he said.

On Tuesday afternoon, Biden met with members of the Democratic National Committee at a private reception after a DNC meeting, where delegates unanimously re-elected Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz to another term as chairman. A frequently played campaign theme song, REO Speedwagon’s “Roll with the Changes,” could be heard from outside the room and attendees said Biden thanked them for their work during the campaign and offered an upbeat assessment of the second term.

If Clinton decides not to run, Biden could draw upon good will from party activists, an ability to connect with regular folks and extensive campaigning in key states like Iowa, New Hampshire, Florida and Ohio. But he would also need to deal with personal poll numbers that rank below Obama’s and a propensity to commit foot-in-mouth moments in an era where political gaffes can quickly sink a campaign.

New Hampshire state Sen. Martha Fuller Clark, who was among the attendees at Biden’s Sunday reception, said it was “early to read into” Biden’s interest in 2016. But said there was “huge support” in the key primary state.

“He’s deeply admired and loved in New Hampshire,” Clark said. “Clearly Joe Biden occupies a key place in our hearts.”

Featured image via Getty

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Comments (73)

Tankertony
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 11:14pm
……and he would probably win….no, seriously…………………………………………………………………

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- The-Real-Enrico
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 11:25pm
  Nope, Hilary maybe but not Biden.
  
  Report this comment
- Jim S
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 11:29pm
  ..seriously, we ran Mitts, McCain,Dole….they ran Kerry,Gore and Dukakis….when bad candidates are put up..they lose..pray for Uncle Joe to run…if we have a decent candidate…yea right…seriously, if we have a good candidate…seriously…
  
  Report this comment
- pdw
  Posted on January 23, 2013 at 6:27am
  It all depends on the morals of our country. He has one thing going against him is is not black and they have already said that if Obama was not black they would have been storming the White House.
  
  Report this comment
- DIR
  Posted on January 23, 2013 at 6:38am
  Joe is so full of himself that when in the bathroom he tries to flush himself down the toilet. I hope he runs. It should be a real laugh fest when he and hillary go mano a mano.
  
  Report this comment
- HKS
  Posted on January 23, 2013 at 8:16am
  Liberals are dumb enough to follow anything, that’s been proven already.
  
  Report this comment
- zorro
  Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:08am
  Yes he will. And why not? Unlike the “right” the left unites behind their candidate even if it’s not their perfect candidate. They’re intelligent enough to know their worse candidate is better than ours. We, on the other hand, b**** and moan over who the “establishment” chose and swoon over every Ron Paul imbecilic comment and in the end, give them the win rather than have them earn it. We go around saying Republicand and Democrats are “the same.” So if they are, who cares if Biden is President? It’s just be “the same.”
  
  We are a bunch of idiots being played by Democrats.
  
  Report this comment
LeadNotFollow
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 11:06pm
Oh HAY-YELL NO!!!

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AnAmerican111
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 11:05pm
Biden for President!
Ha! Ha! Ha! H!…………………HA! HA!
That’s hilarious!……
You can not write any better Liberal comedy than that!

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- bonesiii
  Posted on January 23, 2013 at 12:37am
  Can you imagine if he actually got elected and couldn’t hide behind the Big O anymore at press conferences?
  
  At least there’d be humor value… as he let terrorists live and the world crumble around us… Ugh…
  
  Report this comment
- GO-FOR-LIBERTY
  Posted on January 23, 2013 at 8:02am
  And Joey’s finger would only be seconds away from the button~~~~”IF” he can find it. Scarey indeed!!
  
  Report this comment
cosmic dogma
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 10:48pm
I am sooo happy! Can’t wait to hear all of the unbelievable idiotic mutterings he is capable of… . Should be a rollicking 8 years! Will make sorting through rotting garbage dumps for food a more joyous experience.

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700P
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 10:48pm
Please God let Joe Biden run. He can forget about the “Vote for him because I’m a black racist” vote for one thing.

Even if he gets melatonin injections to go with his **** plugs, it will just peeve them off more.

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- bonesiii
  Posted on January 23, 2013 at 12:38am
  “He can forget about the “Vote for him because I’m a black racist” vote”
  Not necessarily. He could get the “third black President” appeal, like Clinton got the first. Since he accepted Veepship under a black President. Still, it would be a lot less.
  
  Report this comment
lel2007
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 10:47pm
The truly pathetic thing is, the republicans have no body to beat Biden. And even if they did, the democrats have their Cheat Machine honed to a science.

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- MDECKER
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 11:21pm
  The Left always argues that the rhetoric is divisive from both sides. The Right must declare at every opportunity, Hillary, Joe, and anybody else that the Left puts out there, are nothing but clowns. They are not, “distinquished colleagues” or “kind fellows”, they are clowns and the country is in need of leaders, not clowns. It must be done NOW too! Not tomorrow or thirty days prior to the 2014 elections, NOW! The media is going to smack the Right regardless of what they say or do, so they may as well get on it. This is not meant to demean Joe Biden, because a clown is a clown.
  
  Report this comment
AGENDA322
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 10:41pm
The CLAY (Dem) started infiltrating the IRON (Rep) and at
First they worked together. But as the USA moved closer
To the feet, Daniel 2:33
The passages started to make more and more sense.
Odumbo will be know as the LAST POTUS.
Along with the Last Pope.
The voluntary start of the MARK on 3/22/13
But eventually it will be mandatory.

Finally, the Meek won’t care. Who is the greatest. The Meek
will just try to survive. I think BO is trying to position his
Followers to be ready for the re-start. But remember the movie,
The Stand, by Stephen King. Denver was prepped BUT was
cleared out anyway. Gods‘ chosen won out in Denver.

I think Emperor O is preparing for Gods next 1000 yrs of peace.
Question: Will it go in for Glenn’s amazing Science Visions, or will
God kept man from eating from the (2nd ) tree (of everlasting Life).

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IndyGuy
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 10:29pm
I wonder if Jeff Dunham has been informed that his dummy Walter is going to drag him into a Presidential race…

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- mewnani
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 11:55pm
  Aww don’t insult Walter like that! He actually has a brain! XD
  
  Report this comment
- Rillobymorning
  Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:05am
  lmao
  
  Report this comment
wordweaver
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 10:18pm
We can only hope. I don’t think the Dems are that stupid. Soros wouldn’t let it happen.

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- zorro
  Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:12am
  I think they may just to prove how stupid and easily fooled Conservatives are.
  
  Report this comment
The-Real-Enrico
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 10:18pm
I hope he does! That would be a blessing. If he ran I hope he would win the democrat/socialist party primaries. He would be the easiest candidate to beat on the national stage.

Rand Paul or Andrew Napolitano vs Joe Biden in 2016 would be dream.

Do it!

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- 13th Imam
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 10:28pm
  But you are speaking about DEMOCRATS. The politically insane will vote for any schlub with a D behind their name. Adolph Hitler D, Pol Pot, D, Saddam Hussein D, Anyone with a D behind their name, to these idiots, is better than any Republican.
  
  Report this comment
- The-Real-Enrico
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 11:20pm
  @13th Imam Nope. You are not accurate in your assumption. Dummy voters/ lemmings respond to(follow) to messaging, leaders and culture.
  
  Biden is a master of nothing.
  
  1 Biden does not have the cultural appeal(he is old & white).
  
  2 Biden can not communicate well and appears like(reveille himself to be) a dumb ass half of the time.
  
  3 He will already have the record of attacking gun rights “again” and the rest of what Obama has done without a celebrity cool factor.
  
  4 Biden does not have a historical factor in the likes of first black man, woman, veteran etc
  
  There is nothing hip or cool about Joe Biden. All he will have is the media which is losing their credibility and ratings by the day. Urban culture is also waking up to both of the parties from rappers, musicians, actor and athletes. If and when they look at them through the same lens they will be able to tell them apart. AKA less band wagon followers.
  
  Last thing, Rand Paul or a Andrew Napolitano would have real contrast & difference and would not have the same type of hypocrisy that is and was used against McRomney W. Bush.
  
  Report this comment
- 13th Imam
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 11:47pm
  You have more faith in D’s than I and underestimate the hatred of R’s by the DEMOCRAT Media Wing.
  
  Report this comment
DZ-015
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 10:16pm
It’s Joe, biden’ time.

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calebjim
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 10:06pm
If he can mobilize thw ignorant voters as Obama did he will win. First he has to promise some more free “stuff.” With Joe in the WH, we can snap out the lights and call it over.

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neverending
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 10:00pm
Probably going to have to beat out moochelle – that would not surprise me one bit!

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The-Monk
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 10:00pm
With BO as VP? Didn’t they do something similar in Russia already?

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- Stelex
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 10:07pm
  I have, unfortunately, no doubt he’ll win. They figured out how to game the system. If and its a big if we make it through these 4 years, either Joe or Hillary will be President. We the people are not represented nor to we elect. As in the end of Greece of old and Rome, the illusion of democracy keeps the populace at bay. The NWO, the UN and the elite American gov have taken control and have no intention of relinquishing it any time soon.
  
  Report this comment
- The-Monk
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 10:11pm
  I hear you Stelex…. : (
  
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Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 9:59pm
Biden as President – then things will go from nightmare incarnate under Obama to absolute annihilation.

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john vincent
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 9:47pm
Yep, do it Joe. His opening remarks of a campaign would sound like this:

‘It’s so great seeing all of you here in Battle Creek, home of the Pistons, and also known as Motor City. I need your support and together we can form new ideas to take us into the 19th century. So as we kick off a new era in American politics, I humbly ask for your vote, as I announce my bid for the President of the Boy Scouts of America…’

(Deepest apologies to boy scouts everywhere).

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- oldguy49
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 10:00pm
  this country was dumb enough to elect obama ..twice……………so biden isn’t that much of a stretch
  
  Report this comment
1TrueOne55
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 9:45pm
He won’t make it past the NH primary.

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AUsername
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 9:44pm
Rand Paul 2016 and that won’t happen.

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- Shasta
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 10:08pm
  I could never have voted for his dad, but Rand seems like a great choice
  
  Report this comment
banjarmon
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 9:41pm
biden or hillary?… biden or hillary?…H E L L N O Twice over!!!!

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- Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 11:55pm
  They both have suffered brain injuries, we could have the first Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum duo, who knows maybe crazy would balance the budget. Oh, wait, I think I just hit my head.
  
  Report this comment
John 1776
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 9:40pm
We can only hope! Even McCain could win that race!
Time we put a real candidate out there, one who is hungry for a win and willing to fight back against the liberal smear machine.

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Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 9:39pm
Ha……..haha……….HA HA HAAAAAA…………Bwahhhhahahahhahahhahaha………snort……..Haaaaaaaaaaaaaa….HAAAAAA.

Shoot, milk just came out my nose, and I ain’t drinking milk.

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- DEFCON4
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 9:56pm
  Hey!, thats the ‘pride’ of Delaware you’re spewing at…….
  
  Report this comment
TheGrtDcptn
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 9:38pm
oh yeah…let’s elect an old man with dementia…PFFTTT…!!

Time is NOT on his side…tick tock tick tock…

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gyro
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 9:36pm
The blaze has to stop posting prank storys
This is to disturbing to be true

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bonesiii
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 9:35pm
I’d rather Hillary be President than Mr. “I always say what I mean.”

No, seriously. At least she had some principles on foreign policy. Biden didn’t want to take out bin Laden.

Of course, here’s hoping he does run and loses miserably to a Republican. ^_^

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crazyrightwingmom
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 9:33pm
Would love to see that! I don’t think he’s fit now…but hey, he’s a dem.

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- Welcome Black Carter
  Posted on January 23, 2013 at 8:55am
  I don’t know how he could do any more damage than Obammy.
  Unless they run satan or muhammad on the ticket with him…
  
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