Biden Inches Toward Run

kui · 2015-08-15T03:38:52+00:00

CHICAGO With his blessing, confidants to Vice President Joe Biden have begun strategizing about travel to early primary states and identified potential donors who could bankroll a campaign even as he remains undecided about whether to pull the trigger on a late-entry 2016 run for president. The moves are a sign that after months of speculation, Biden is taking a few significant if small steps toward a presidential campaign, according to sources familiar with the discussions. Bidens strategy, the sources say, would be to focus on South Carolina while almost writing off New Hampshire, where both Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have considerable footholds. News reports in recent days have focused on a handful of more casual conversations Biden had while on vacation earlier this week on Kiawah Island in South Carolina. Meanwhile, there is significant operational planning going on around him. He still has not set a time frame for a final decision though it could come within weeks, or he may yet stretch the end of summer deadline he talked about earlier this year.. Bidens aware of the pressure to make a decision, the sources say. The final call as well as a discussion on particulars, like chatter about making a pledge to limit a presidency to one term is expected to be made at a meeting of the vice presidents closest circle of advisers at his home in Wilmington, Delaware; they are likely to include chief of staff Steve Ricchetti, Mike Donilon, former Sen. Ted Kaufman, Larry Rasky and Tom Donilon, along with Bidens son, Hunter, and his oldest and closest political adviser, his sister Valerie Biden Owens. Ricchetti and Mike Donilon have been involved with many of the discussions going on already. Notably, Ron Klain the former Biden chief of staff whos attended meetings like these in the past is already working with the Clinton campaign on debate preparations. So far, that meeting has not been scheduled. People dismissed it for reasons I dont really truly understand, but he has a core following of people, said one former Biden staffer who is in contact with the vice president and his team. He has support out in the community. He relates to people. After being in touch with Bidens inner circle through the week, Smith said, I think hes getting closer to saying yes, I really do.... The read on Biden has changed enough in almost a matter of hours that a level of anxiety has set in among the Obama orbit, who out of personal affection for Biden are hoping he wont run a race they feel certain hell lose, only to get pummeled along the way. Theres also some worry about the position that a Biden run would put Obama in, spending the next few months tangoing around questions of picking sides between his vice president and former secretary of state. Read more: Joe Biden strategy for White House run taking shape - Edward-Isaac Dovere and Gabriel Debenedetti and Kenneth P. Vogel - POLITICO

Thread starter kui
Start date Aug 15, 2015

kui

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Biden Inches Toward Run

kui

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