After the press juggled with the idea of Joe Biden running for President in 2016, the current VP of the U.S. announced that he’ll be sitting out this campaign run during a press conference on Wednesday (Oct. 21).
Biden announced to the press his official decision with his wife Dr. Jill Biden and President Barack Obama by his side, People reports.
“As my family and I have worked through the grieving process, I’ve said all along … it may very well be that that [grieving] process, by the time we get through it, closes the window on mounting a realistic campaign for president – that it might close. I’ve concluded it has closed,” he told reporters in the White House Rose Garden. The Biden family has had a traumatic year; their eldest son Beau, lost his battle to cancer at the age of 46 in May. He said that this tragedy has made it difficult to start and sustain a winning campaign for the nomination. “Unfortunately, I believe we’re out of time,” he said.
He assured the press although he is not running for office, he “will not be silent,” adding “I intend to speak out clearly and forcefully to influence as much as I can where we stand as a party and where we need to go as a nation.”
His one goal that he would have loved to have pinned to his name had he won the POTUS position? “I would have wanted to be the president who ended cancer, because it’s possible,” Biden revealed.
Biden has been gaining tons of positive affirmations for his press conference. Presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton tweeted her support, writing that she is “inspired” by him.
.@VP is a good friend and a great man. Today and always, inspired by his optimism and commitment to change the world for the better. -H
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 21, 2015