Veteran journalist Carl Bernstein said Friday that he believes Vice President Joe Biden is currently considering a run for the White House in 2016, and said there is talk about Biden only pledging to serve one term because of his age.
“One thing that I keep hearing about Biden is that if he were to declare and say, because age is such a problem for him if he does, I want to be a one-term president. I want to serve for four years, unite Washington,” Bernstein said on CNN. Bernstein said it that happened, the move “could light fire to the current political environment.”
“I think there’s a conversation going on to that effect among his aides and friends,” he said.
Bernstein said the 72-year-old Biden is likely being helped by the ethical scandal involving Hillary Clinton’s personal email server, an event that seems to have many Democrats pondering another candidate. He also said the bubble surrounding Republican candidate Donald Trump would likely burst, something that would also help Biden’s chances.
Other candidates have considered such a maneuver before, but no major party candidate has ever actually pledged to serve only one term should he win. After eight years of the George W. Bush presidency, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., pondered a similar pledge when he was trying to win the White House, but eventually abandoned the idea.
