Joe Biden announces he won't run for president in 2016

Staying Vice President Joe Biden
(Image credit: Pool/Getty Images)

After months of speculation, Vice President Joe Biden announced Wednesday that he will not be running for president in 2016. President Obama and Biden's wife, Jill Biden, stood by his side as he gave a statement in the Rose Garden. Biden attributed his decision to not join the race — despite supporters' pleas to run — to his family's ongoing grieving process following his son Beau's death last spring.

"I believe we're out of time, the time necessary to mount a winning campaign for the nomination," Biden said, while stressing that he will spend his next 15 months in office being vocal about the 2016 campaign. "While I will not be a candidate, I will not be silent," he said.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us