"Draft Biden 2016" group takes a shot at Hillary Clinton
A group formed to draft Vice President Biden into the 2016 presidential race took a shot at Hillary Clinton on Tuesday.
"Voters are tired of dynasties in American politics, and certainly want an election instead of a coronation. The House of Bush and the House of Clinton have had their run," said Will Pierce, the organizing director of the group in a press release.
Earlier this month, Pierce and a host of former campaign staffers founded "Draft Biden 2016," a group formed to urge the vice president to jump into the Democratic primary and raise money in anticipation of his bid.
"Why Biden?" Asks a petition on the group's website, www.runbidenrun.com. "Quite simply, WHY NOT BIDEN? As one of the calming forces and charming presences in the White House, Vice President Joe Biden has been front and center in playing a significant role in many of the important successful political events of the past few years."
A petition on the group's website had garnered just shy of 4,000 signatures by Tuesday morning.
Though no Democrat has officially declared a 2016 candidacy, early primary polls have shown Clinton with an enormous lead in the race for the Democratic nomination. Biden and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren are the only other Democrats who break out of single digits.
Warren has insisted she's not running, but Biden has kept the door open, saying he won't be discouraged by Clinton or anyone else who launches a bid.
"There's talk about how weak the Democratic bench is supposed to be in 2016. We don't have a weak bench. We just need to get the best people into the race and one of the very best is Vice President Biden," said Pierce. "Looking towards the future, Vice President Joe Biden is uniquely suited to tackle the issues America will face over the next decade."
Biden would certainly bring some strengths to the table - he's a familiar name, popular among Democrats, with a deep resume and a unique sort of charisma built on a reputation for candor. But he also faces doubts about his age (he'll be 74 in 2016,) and his penchant for off-script moments has occasionally landed him in hot water.
Biden's supporters frame his free-wheeling style as a boon.
"People know exactly who Joe Biden is. They know where he stands, they know what he thinks," said Pierce. "And if you're not sure, just wait and he'll tell you exactly how he feels. That kind of honesty is missing from our politics, and we think that's something that American voters will appreciate."