Biden mulling White House run

Without saying what he thinks the VP’s decision should or would be, Earnest heaped praise on the former senator who has been at Obama’s side since the 2009 inauguration – and who could pose the biggest threat of any Democrat to primary front-runner Hillary Clinton.

If they have a living bard, it is New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd, who broke the story of the latest private meetings at the mansion in D.C.in a column that excoriated the Clintons as only she can do.

While Biden has done little to lay the groundwork for a presidential campaign, he has maintained a loyal network of political advisers and has gone out of his way to stay in contact with longtime supporters in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Josh Alcorn worked as political and finance director for Beau Biden, helping lay the groundwork for a gubernatorial campaign before Biden lost a almost two-year battle with brain cancer in May.

The Wall Street Journal reported last month that John Cooper, a fundraiser for Barack Obama’s successful presidential runs, has joined the Draft Biden 2016 Super PAC to persuade Biden to run. The vice president’s younger son, Hunter, also encouraged him, Dowd wrote. In most cases, they have grown out of an outpouring of sympathy for Mr. Biden since the death of his son Beau, 46, in May.

Biden has always left the door open for a run, but hasn’t made any overt steps toward a bid, either, notes CBS News correspondent Nancy Cordes.

“There will always be room for the sitting vice president if he chose to run for president”, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, chair of the Democratic National Committee, said on “Meet the Press”.

If he decides to run in 2016, it will be his third attempt at the presidency, following his campaigns in 1988 and 2008.

Sanders is the longest serving independent member Congress, but he is seeking the Democratic nomination for president.

Also part of the consensus: Biden is likely to cause concern for Hillary Clinton. Her favorability ratings have taken a dive, along with her marks on honesty and empathy.

A Biden candidacy could also present an awkward situation for the vice president and Clinton, considering their close relationship.

When asked whether the candidates care “about the needs and problems of people like you”, 57 percent said yes for Biden, versus 45 percent for Clinton. Hilary Clinton has been consistently pulling high numbers in the polls. “This is his time to figure it out”.

“As the Biden family continues to go through this hard time, the Vice President is focused on his family and immersed in his work”, spokeswoman Kendra Barkoff said in an e-mailed statement Saturday.