After Request From Dying Son, Joe Biden Might Seek Nomination

In her Saturday op-ed column, New York Times writer Maureen Dowd reported that Joe Biden is thinking about running for the Democratic nomination. According to Dowd, Biden’s decision was prompted by the dying wish of his son, Beau Biden.

Dowd writes:

“Beau was losing his nouns and the right side of his face was partially paralyzed. But he had a mission: He tried to make his father promise to run, arguing that the White House should not revert to the Clintons and that the country would be better off with Biden values.

[…]

When Beau was dying, the family got rubber bracelets in blue — his favorite color — that said ‘WWBD,’ What Would Beau Do, honoring the fact that Beau was a stickler for doing the right thing.

Joe Biden knows what Beau wants. Now he just has to decide if it’s who he is.”

Once the entire media finished wiping the tears from their hardened eyes, they rushed to confirm whether or not Biden is actively considering a run. The general consensus: Biden has resumed talks that were put on the backburner while Beau Biden was sick. The Associated Press reports that Biden is likely to make a final decision in September.

Also part of the consensus: Biden is likely to cause concern for Hillary Clinton.

Via the AP:

“The renewed focus on Biden comes amid some signs of weakness for Clinton, including declines in her favorability ratings among voters in recent polling. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who is challenging Clinton for the Democratic nomination, has been attracting large crowds with his liberal economic message, evidence of a hunger within the party for an alternative to Clinton’s candidacy.”

That insider’s sentiment was echoed in a separate report from the New York Times:

“The support Mr. Biden has garnered speaks to growing concerns among Democrats that Mrs. Clinton could lose in Iowa and New Hampshire, as the populist message of one of her opponents, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, draws swelling crowds.”