Biden ‘leaning’ toward 2016 run while Jerry Brown starts considering

At this point, it seems like the chances are above fifty percent that Vice President Joe Biden gets into the 2016 campaign before the first Democratic debate on October 13, 2015. Sources close to Biden continue to indicate he is seriously considering the option and seems more than likely, at this point, to enter the race. Furthermore, there are rumblings that California Governor Jerry Brown is also open to thinking about the prospects of a 2016 presidential campaign.

First, the report on Biden from the Wall Street Journal:

Vice President Joe Biden, who has long been considering a presidential bid, is increasingly leaning toward entering the race if it is still possible he can knit together a competitive campaign at this late date, people familiar with the matter said.

Mr. Biden still could opt to sit out the 2016 race, and he is weighing multiple political, financial and family considerations before making a final decision. But conversations about the possibility were a prominent feature of an August stay in South Carolina and his home in Delaware last week, these people said. A surprise weekend trip to Washington to meet with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.), a darling of the party’s liberal wing, represented a pivot from potential to likely candidate, one Biden supporter said.

…

Still, the vice president’s deliberations illustrate how, with just six months before the first presidential nominating contests, both major parties’ campaigns are in a state of flux. Democrats are increasingly insecure about Mrs. Clinton’s candidacy, given her dipping approval ratings and continuing questions about her use of a private email server while secretary of state. Republicans, meanwhile, are struggling to find the proper tone in reacting to Donald Trump, whose no-holds-barred campaign style is dominating coverage of the GOP contest and nudging top contenders into uncomfortable sound bites.

At this point, I’ll be surprised if Biden doesn’t join the race. He’s got nothing to lose and if he doesn’t give it one last attempt, he’ll basically be out of politics once President Obama’s term is complete.

Next, California Governor Jerry Brown offered his thoughts on the presidential race indicating he’s not sure if Hillary Clinton will be the Democratic nominee given her recent stumbles. Report from The Hill:

Gov. Jerry Brown (D-Calif.) said that he isn’t sure whether Hillary Clinton will be the Democratic nominee for president next year, in an interview that appeared Sunday.

“I’ve been around politics long enough to know that things are uncertain,” Brown said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

“I don’t know,” Brown added, after saying that Clinton needed to do more to put to rest the email issues swirling around her campaign. “I think she’s a good person. She’s got a lot of experience.”

The Brown speculation is probably coming more from supporters of his than the Governor himself. However, clearly he believes there is room in the process for others to give Hillary a challenge.