Joe Biden said he can't rush a 2016 campaign decision
Some prominent Democratic donors are getting increasingly antsy waiting to see if Vice President Joe Biden will jump into the presidential race. In his first news interview since his son Beau died in May, Biden told America Media the decision to launch a campaign isn't his alone to make.
"You have no right, as an individual, to decide to run," he said. "Your whole family is implicated, your whole family is engaged and so, for us, it's a family decision. And I just have to be comfortable that this will be good for the family."
Biden's comments were similar to those he made in a recent interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, which focused heavily on his family's grief and what it means to fully commit to a presidential run.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
"It's not like I can rush it," Biden told America Media.
Biden also discussed being pro-choice as a practicing Catholic and his excitement over Pope Francis' upcoming U.S. visit. Watch the full interview below. Julie Kliegman
Making sense of the week's political news, delivered every Wednesday
Julie Kliegman is a freelance writer based in New York. Her work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Vox, Mental Floss, Paste, the Tampa Bay Times and PolitiFact. Her cats can do somersaults.