Although a new poll has put him ahead of front-runner Hillary Clinton among Democratic favourites for the 2016 presidential race, Vice President Joe Biden is still mulling whether he should throw his hat in the ring as he is not sure he has the “emotional fuel” for yet another bid.
The 72-year-old Biden, who lost his eldest son in May after a two-year battle with brain cancer, has told members of the Democratic National Committee that his family is dealing with the question “whether or not there is the emotional fuel at this time to run”.
“If I were to announce to run, I have to be able to commit to all of you that I would be able to give it my whole heart and my whole soul, and right now, both are pretty well banged up,” Biden told the DNC during a conference call on Wednesday.
Biden, who has made two unsuccessful presidential bids in 1988 and 2008, is slated to make a decision by next month on a third attempt. State Democratic Chairs have told him that he better make up his mind fast, telling him time is running out.
Despite voicing doubts about his ability to mount an energetic bid, Biden has been holding serious consultations on the subject. CNN reported last week that he has secured President Barack Obama’s “blessings” for a run, should he decide to take the plunge.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said on Monday that Obama regards picking Biden as his running mate in 2008 was the smartest decision he has made in politics.
“I think that should give you some sense of the President’s view of Vice President Biden’s aptitude for the top job,” the spokesman added.