As Vice President Joe Biden’s ongoing consideration for a 2016 bid enters yet another week, newsrooms have been left with no choice but to speculate endlessly about the future of his political career, rehashing the same details over and over again.
“Hillary Clinton Campaign Flexes Muscle Ahead of Possible Biden Run,” ABC News reported Tuesday.
GQ magazine added the same day, “Why Joe Biden’s Rumored Run is Delusional.”
The Huffington Post reported, “Joe Biden Is Either Running For President Or Having A Hell Of A Time Playing Us.”
These and other recent headlines are nearly identical to reports published two, three and even four weeks ago, when rumors first surfaced that Biden was giving serious consideration to a White House bid. After word initially broke of a potential Biden run, speculation surrounding his supposed candidacy soon became a hot topic in newsrooms all over the United States.
NPR said in September, “Biden’s Latest Signal He Won’t Run For President.”
“Will Biden Run? Tough Issues Cloud Decision,” RealClearPolitics reported that same month.
Slate’s Jamelle Bouie asked at the time, “What Is Taking Joe Biden So Long? Is he this unsure, or does he actually have a plan?”
Unfortunately for reporters, the vice president has been playing his cards close to his chest. So close, in fact, that the needle hasn’t moved in either direction as to whether or not he will run. As a result, reporters and editors have been left to rehash the same rumors and crumbs of information in an attempt to keep the potentially explosive story alive until he makes up his mind.
The repeating of the same meager details has produced a predictable result: A string of remarkably similar stories offering little in way of substance or new details.
MSNBC reported this week, “Sources: Biden could announce decision within 48 hours.”
The Christian Science Monitor said in a September report, “To run or not to run: Did Joe Biden just hint at a decision for 2016?”
The New York Times declared as early as Aug. 7, “How Joe Biden Is Already Running for President.”
There is little — if any daylight — between these many reports. The few details that have emerged since news of Biden’s possible run first surfaced involve ho-hum details about the formation of interested PACs. There have also been a few reports claiming Biden’s family is influencing his decision and that he has taken interest in building a ground team for his campaign. But these only point to possible signs he may run, and aren’t hard indicators.
For some in the press, the vice president’s indecisiveness is starting to wear thin, and they’re making their irritation known.
“I love Joe Biden but if it takes 3 months just to make a decision about to run, how the hell can we expect him to be effective in office?” Al.com commentary writer John Hammontree quipped on social media.
The Hill’s Bob Cusack joked, “Scoop: A reliable source just told me Biden will make his decision on a day that ends with a y.”
The Washington Post’s Dave Weigel sounded in a more cynical note, “I remember when Biden was going to make a 2016 call by “the end of summer, ‘i.e. three weeks ago.'”
The apparent irritation isn’t unique to the press. Democratic party heads are now reportedly urging the vice president to pull the trigger.
“Time is running out for Vice President Joe Biden to make a decision about his political future, and so is the patience of his party,” the Wall Street Journal reported.
