Major flip-flop: Cash-strapped Joe Biden's super PAC is now up and running

Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden has been experiencing some fundraising problems lately, and now there's a super PAC to try to back him up.

Former Biden aide Larry Rasky filed the paperwork with the Federal Elections Commission to form a super PAC called "United the Country." The paperwork was dated Monday, and the document went live on the FEC's website Tuesday.

The former vice president has had to deal with weak fundraising numbers lately, leading to concerns that he might not be able to keep the lights on at his campaign through the early primaries. Those monetary concerns have led to a public reversal of the candidate's position on using PAC money.

Politico notes that Rasky has previously helped raise money for Biden and has pointed out Biden's previous opposition to PAC money in those efforts.

“Because Joe will not work with a Super PAC or take PAC money for his campaign, everyone is limited to $2,800 as a maximum gift,” Rasky wrote in an April fundraising email obtained by Politico. “That will require a lot of work and a lot of checks to finance a presidential campaign effort.”

Last week, the Biden campaign changed course on taking PAC money. “In this time of political crisis, it is not surprising that those who are dedicated to defeating Donald Trump are organizing in every way permitted by current law to bring an end to his disastrous presidency,” deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield said in a statement.

Biden was even criticized by CNN's John King recently for saying that he hadn't changed his position.

"And so he said repeatedly at the beginning of the campaign he didn't want a super PAC, he wouldn't have a super PAC. That's not where the party is anymore," King said. "The guy who's building one up for him right now has been with Joe Biden going back to the 1980s, if Joe Biden said, Larry don't do it, Larry would not do it."

According to a Fox News report from over the weekend, an unnamed former Biden aide said that the formation of the super PAC is a "sign of reality." The former vice president's cash hauls have lagged well behind his top-tier primary opponents. For example, Biden brought in almost $10 million less than both Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., during the third quarter of 2019.

For the fourth quarter, the campaign has reportedly been in discussions with top donors about different ways to boost cash flow, including increased efforts via text message and social media.

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