Joe Biden has been consulting with a prominent Democratic operative in South Carolina about a possible run for the White House, the New York Times reports:
But at the same time, Mr. Biden and those who support him are moving to put the pieces into place for a possible candidacy. The vice president directed Mr. Harpootlian to get in touch with one of his closest political advisers, Mike Donilon, and has been calling other supporters. And he has permitted his advisers to discreetly contact operatives in early nominating states to determine how fast they could organize a campaign.
Earlier Thursday the Wall Street Journal reported that Biden, who is vacationing on Kiawah Island on the South Carolina coast, was calling up allies in that state to gauge interest.
Biden would be entering a Democratic field that includes former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, Vermont senator Bernie Sanders, former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley, former Virginia senator Jim Webb, and former Rhode Island governor and senator Lincoln Chafee. Clinton has held a large lead nationally and in early state polls for much of the past year, although some recent polls have found Sanders closing the gap or even overtaking her.
Biden’s entry would be the third presidential run for the former Delaware senator, who ran unsuccessfully in 1988 and 2008.
