Biden’ s slip tells Democrats he’s ready to run in 2020
JOE BIDEN, one of the favourites to win the 2020 Democratic nomination, appeared to announce his presidential candidacy over the weekend – before retracting his remarks.
Addressing 1,000 Democrats in Delaware, his home state, the 76-yearold former vice president told his audience that his record was the most progressive “of anyone running for the United …”.
He corrected himself quickly, saying “anybody who would run”, but it was too late: his audience burst into applause in response to what they believed was an announcement of a presidential run. A rather embarrassed Mr Biden said, “I didn’t mean that,” before crossing himself.
It may have been a slip of the tongue, but in recent days Mr Biden has been stoking speculation that he is ready to take on Donald Trump, having sat out the 2016 campaign following his son’s death.
He dropped a less than subtle hint when addressing the International Association of Firefighters – many of whom were waving placards saying “Run Joe Run” last week.
“I appreciate the energy you have shown here. Save it a little longer – I may need it in a few weeks. Be careful what you wish for,” he said.
Even though he has yet to declare himself a candidate, Mr Biden is leading a number of polls ahead of Bernie Sanders, the left-wing Vermont senator who ran Hillary Clinton close in 2016, and Senator Kamala Harris of California.
There is a growing sense that it is now a matter of when, rather than if, Mr Biden will throw his hat into the ring.
“I have known Joe Biden for a long time, and I think he will run,” said Lou D’alessandro, a politician in New Hampshire, which holds the first Democratic primary next year.