Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign has been circling the drain for a while — and political insiders are particularly troubled by polls finding the public doesn’t think she’s trustworthy.
Now Democratic leaders may be nudging Vice President Joe Biden to enter the race and finish off Clinton for good.
A recent CNN/ORC survey has revealed that Clinton’s presidential hopes will fade much faster with Biden’s entrance. And a flurry of activity among Biden staffers indicate that he may be preparing to make a bid for the Democratic nomination soon.
According to the Associated Press, Biden’s circle of staff and longtime advisers have already kicked into a higher gear of preparation for a presidential campaign.
It’s an effort that includes feeling out potential campaign staffers and considering whether to set up an “exploratory committee” that could start raising money.
The idea of forming an exploratory committee is among a number of options that Biden’s advisers have put forward in recent weeks, according to half a dozen current and former Biden aides who are familiar with his deliberations. They spoke on condition of anonymity, because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly about the discussions.
In conversations with potential donors, his staff are keeping internal lists of major Democratic donors and political operatives they’ve spoken to, individuals familiar with the discussion said.
The subtler approach from Biden’s official staff and close advisers contrasts with that of Draft Biden, the super PAC urging him to run, which is seeking pledges from Democrats as a way to demonstrate to Biden and others that the needed ingredients for a successful campaign exist.
Biden’s aides have started discussing names of potential staffers who could add recent experience in successful presidential races, several individuals said.
Among the names they’ve discussed are Obama campaign ad guru Larry Grisolano and former White House communications director Anita Dunn, who recently met with Biden at his home. Grisolano worked on Biden’s 1988 campaign and remains close to business partner and Biden adviser Mike Donilon. Dunn also consults for the Democratic National Committee, which would be an obstacle to taking sides in the primary.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
“It’s an effort that includes feeling out potential campaign staffers …” I think Joe will handle that task himself, at least on the women.
It must be depressing to be a Democrat when your choices for your party’s presidential nominee are 1.) a socialist, 2.) a woman with no integrity or 3.) a man who makes crazy remarks and fondles women in the crowd. I can’t believe there isn’t a rational Democrat somewhere in the nation that the party couldn’t encourage to be their standard bearer in 2016. Any of the Republican candidates are exponentially more qualified than the three old clowns the Democrats are stuck with.
Biden will get beaten like a drum! His name recognition is terrible!
IMO the dimocrat party will never get elected again if they don’t change their ways and abandon Obamaism as their form of govt. They are so desperate they are going to use Joe as their savior? Or is he just a sacrificial lamb, scape goat while the cowards that backed O stay in hiding hoping this campaign will soon blow over? The money says in God we trust, not in forked tongued men and women. I used to think O was a muslim or a Christian or an atheist but now I think he only believes in himself. He is the modern messiah so single handed is going to change the human condition and will throw anyone under the bus. Muslims, Christians, democratic party, women, blacks. Whatever it takes? He has taken so many junkets that he must have travelled far enough to go to hell and come back?
Will the dims be willing to apologize for supporting O for these 7 very long years? Humpty dumpty and the liberal empire have had a great fall. All the kings men and women, the press and media, can not put them together again! What’s ya gonna do dimocrats when the voters come for you>
Obama said he would endorse Biden, if he will fill the office for one year only. Then he (Biden) has to endorse one of Obama’s friends to run for vice President so he can be President after Biden leaves.This will be Obama president by proxy.