Joe Biden says he 'couldn't win' presidential election


In an interview that aired Sunday on 60 Minutes, Vice President Joe Biden said he felt he made the "right decision" for his family by choosing not to run for president.
Biden told Norah O'Donnell he "couldn't win. I'll be very blunt, if I thought we could've put together the campaign that our supporters deserve and our contributors deserved, I would have gone ahead and done it." Biden made his announcement Wednesday, and said it took until Tuesday to make his decision. His son, Beau Biden, died in May at the age of 46 from brain cancer, and the vice president said everybody "grieves at a difference pace" and "any parent listening who's lost a child, knows that it doesn't follow schedules of primaries and caucuses and contributors and the like."
Dr. Jill Biden told O'Donnell she was "disappointed" that her husband decided not to run, and thought he "would be a great president." One thing that drove Biden "crazy" was hearing the press constantly report that he was about to announce his intentions, and he said it wasn't until Wednesday morning that he called President Obama to let him know his decision. When he delivered his speech in the White House Rose Garden, Biden said he was "making the case that I do want to influence the Democratic Party. I want to make no bones about that. I don't want the party walking away from what Barack and I did." He also said he didn't make any pointed references to Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton: "I like Hillary. Hillary and I get along together. The only reason to run is because I still think I could do a better job than anybody else could do."
Subscribe to 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
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.
When asked about Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, Biden said he was "disappointed" in him. "I know what a showman and all that he is, but I really don't think it's healthy and I hope he reconsiders this sort of attack on all immigrants," he added. "I think that is beneath the country. I don't think it's where the American people are. And I hope he really doesn't believe it." Catherine Garcia
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
How the woke right gained power in the US
Under the radar The term has grown in prominence since Donald Trump returned to the White House
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK
-
Codeword: April 24, 2025
The Week's daily codeword puzzle
By The Week Staff
-
Crossword: April 24, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff
-
Musk vows DOGE pullback as Tesla profits plunge
Speed Read The Tesla SEO says he will soon step back from government matters to devote more time to the company
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
IMF sees slump from tariffs, Trump tries to calm markets
Speed Read The International Monetary Fund predicts the U.S. and global economies will slow significantly due to the president's trade war
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
DHS chief Kristi Noem's purse stolen from eatery
Speed Read Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's purse was stolen while she dined with family at a restaurant in Washington, D.C.
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Trump stands by Hegseth amid ouster reports
Speed Read The president dismissed reports that he was on the verge of firing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over a second national security breach
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Hegseth reportedly shared war plans in 2nd group text
Speed Read The defense secretary sent information about an attack in Yemen to a Signal group chat that included his wife and brother
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Judge threatens Trump team with criminal contempt
Speed Read James Boasberg attempts to hold the White House accountable for disregarding court orders over El Salvador deportation flights
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Biden slams Trump's Social Security cuts
Speed Read In his first major public address since leaving office, Biden criticized the Trump administration's 'damage' and 'destruction'
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
El Salvador refuses to return US deportee
Speed Read President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador said he would not send back the unlawfully deported Kilmar Ábrego García
By Peter Weber, The Week US