US Vice President Joe Biden said he would not be a candidate in next year’s US presidential elections, solidifying former US secretary of state Hillary Rodham Clinton’s status as the Democratic front-runner and the party’s likely heir to US President Barack Obama’s legacy.
Standing under bright sun in the White House Rose Garden, Biden on Wednesday — after months of tortured indecision — spoke movingly about mourning the recent death of his son, Beau, a process he said does not match the political calendar.
While he said his family was emotionally prepared to undertake a grueling presidential campaign, they arrived at that decision too late for him to mount a credible bid for a job that has long been the north star of his political ambitions.
“Unfortunately, I believe we’re out of time,” said Biden, flanked by his wife, Jill, and the president.
Biden’s decision puts to rest the uncertainty hanging over the Democratic primary. The race now is likely to settle into a two-person contest between Clinton and US Senator Bernie Sanders, who has energized the party’s liberal base, but lacks Clinton’s campaign infrastructure and support from party leaders.
Biden was seen by some Democrats as an ideal blend of Clinton’s establishment credentials and Sanders’ populist appeal. Interest in his potential candidacy was fueled both by an outpouring of affection after his son succumbed to cancer in May and the persistent questions about Clinton’s viability, particularly amid revelations about her controversial e-mail use at the US Department of State.
However, Clinton appeared to calm nervous supporters with a commanding performance in last week’s first Democratic debate. What was already a narrow path to the presidency for Biden appeared to get even smaller.
In a written statement on Wednesday, Clinton praised Biden’s “unyielding faith in America’s promise” and said she expected he would “always be on the front lines, always fighting for all of us.”
The two spoke by telephone shortly after the vice president concluded his remarks.
Biden notably did not endorse a candidate in the Democratic race. Instead, he delivered a 13-minute speech that very well could have been a platform for the campaign he would never run.
He decried the role of big money in politics and touted the importance of reducing income inequality and making college education more accessible, issues with significant support among liberals.
He also repeated a veiled criticism of Clinton that had crept into his speeches in recent days, saying Democrats should not view Republicans as their enemies.
Clinton said in the debate that she was proud to count the Republicans among the enemies she has made during her political career.
Biden’s decision gives Clinton a boost heading into her testimony yesterday before a Republican-led House committee investigating the deadly attack on Americans in Benghazi, Libya, three years ago.
Even as he signaled the end of a political career that began in 1972 at age 29, Biden made clear he had no plans to quietly fade into the background.
“While I will not be a candidate, I will not be silent,” he vowed.
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