According to a New York Times feature describing the relationship between the former presidential partners, President Barack Obama urged Joe Biden, his Vice President, not to run.
According to the times, Obama “gently pressed” Biden on his 2016 aspirations over the span of a few weeks before having a strategist deliver a sobering assessment to Biden, laying out his odds in a potential race against Hillary Clinton.
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According to the Times, Biden said the President “was not encouraging.”
Obama thought Clinton stood the best chance to win, according to the feature. He also didn’t think his longtime VP was in the right frame of mind to run a presidential campaign following the death of his son Beau.
Citing the “grieving process,” Biden decided against seeking the Democratic nod for president in 2016.
The news comes after Biden told media that he asked the 44th President not to endorse him. “Whoever wins this nomination,” Biden held, “should win it on their own merits.”
Obama, whose approval rating never dipped below 40%, left Americans with a somewhat good taste in their mouths, judging by his exit numbers. Having kept a relatively low profile, emerging mainly to celebrate his widely popular wife. Biden, for his efforts, has managed to bungle an opportunity to apologize to Anita Hill, after bungling an opportunity to apologize to the women who have accused him of unwanted touching.
Despite his troubles, Joe may ride his current wave of mistakes for a bit longer, as his first-day fundraising saw a massive $6.3 million tally, enough to eclipse the first quarter of Elizabeth Warren.
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