Oct 25, 2017

Biden on 2020: "I'm not going to decide not to run"

Photo: Mark Duncan / AP

Joe Biden, who's been coy about a potential presidential bid since leaving the Obama administration, admitted to Vanity Fair's David Kamp that he's not ruling out a 2020 bid.

I haven't decided to run. But I've decided I'm not going to decide not to run. We'll see what happens. — Joe Biden

Is running a real possibility?

Biden, who is turning 75 in November and will be 78 shortly after the next presidential election, would be the oldest first-term president in U.S. history if he decides to run. He also recognizes that doing so would take a toll on his family, especially after losing their son Beau to cancer in 2015. "It's hard. You don't run by yourself. Your family is totally implicated. They become news; they become fodder," he told Kamp.
However, Biden's wife Jill explained that the family has focused on moving forward, and said she frequently asks herself: "What would Beau want Joe to do? You can probably answer that question." Asked if she ever feels inclined to tell Joe Biden to slow down and "enjoy life" she said, "Do you understand what 'Enjoy life' means for Joe?" hinting that the potential for a 2020 run is a very real possibility.
As Kamp points out, Biden is also "behaving very much like a probable candidate." He formed a political-action committee in June and has written several opinion pieces regarding President Trump and his misrepresentation of American values.

Go deeper

Dave Lawler

Boris Johnson moved to intensive care as coronavirus symptoms worsen

Photo: Peter Summers/Getty Images

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been taken to the intensive care unit of St. Thomas Hospital in London due to increasingly severe coronavirus symptoms.

The backdrop: Johnson was admitted to the hospital on Sunday for what Downing Street called "routine tests" because his condition had not improved ten days after he tested positive for the virus. His condition has since "worsened," according to a statement, and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will step into his place "where necessary."

Statement10 mins ago - World

Axios

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Global: Total confirmed cases as of 3 p.m. ET: 1,309,439 — Total deaths: 73,703 — Total recoveries: 273,546 — Map.
U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 3 p.m. ET: 352,546 — Total deaths: 10,389 — Total recoveries: 18,953 — Map.
2020 update: Wisconsin governor issues executive order to delay in-person primary voting until June.
Public health latest: Asymptomatic children could play important role in coronavirus spread, new data from the CDC shows.
States' latest: West coast states send ventilators to New York and other states experiencing a more immediate need — Data suggests coronavirus curve may be flattening in New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.
Jobs latest: Unemployment could already be at 13% "and moving higher," per former Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen.
What should I do? Pets, moving and personal health. Answers about the virus from Axios experts — What to know about social distancing — Q&A: Minimizing your coronavirus risk.
Other resources: CDC on how to avoid the virus, what to do if you get it.

Subscribe to Mike Allen's Axios AM to follow our coronavirus coverage each morning from your inbox.

Keep ReadingUpdated 19 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Axios

Wisconsin governor issues order to delay in-person primary voting until June

Tony Evers. Photo: Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) issued an executive order Monday delaying in-person voting for the state's primary election — currently scheduled for Tuesday — until June 9.

Why it matters: Wisconsin was slated to be the only state to vote on Tuesday amid the coronavirus pandemic, despite having a stay-at-home order in place.

Go deeper1 hour ago - Health