Backers of a Draft Biden Super PAC are hoping the heartfelt outpouring of support for Joe Biden following the cancer death of his eldest son might convince the vice president to make a presidential run in 2016.
William Pierce, who launched the Chicago-based Super PAC – which boasts a list-serve with 80,000 members and a full-time staff of 10 – says there's been an increase in traffic from Biden supporters wanting to donate or get involved in the draft movement,
Politico reports.
"The governor of Delaware yesterday said in a speech ‘Everyone in Delaware is a Biden,’ " Pierce told Politico after a cancer fundraiser held in Biden's honor in Washington, adding his own group aims to show "everyone in the United States is a Biden."
Beau Biden, 46,
died of brain cancer last week.
Pierce thinks there's a 50-50 chance of a Biden 2016 presidential bid.
"It’s really hard to get into the vice president’s head right now," Pierce told Politico.
But Pierce notes when Biden's wife and year-old daughter died in a car accident in 1972, "a lot of people back then thought he was going to just step back" and resign his seat.
"He actually turned around and used that as a source of strength," Pierce told Politico.
Jim McBride, who co-sponsored the cancer research fundraiser, told Politico the vice president is "under-appreciated."
"I’m a big advocate" of Biden running, McBride said, adding he "really wants to shine a light on the fact that people are trying to get him in" and expand the field.
Another backer, Jeff Pudlo, told Politico that Biden would be "a credible candidate," who would contribute to a "healthier debate," though he said he was "mixed on it" as to whether it would be worth the effort to launch an uphill battle against Hillary Clinton.
"Given Hillary Clinton’s huge lead, I don’t know if he’d be a real challenger," he told Politico.
Another fundraiser attendee said he was a Clinton supporter in 2008 but now believes Biden's a credible alternative.
"Nobody thinks he’s a genius," the unidentified supporter told Politico. "Nobody thinks he’s Mr. Wizard. But he’s been consistent."
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