After long deliberation about whether he would run, the Catholic Vice President Joe Biden announced Oct. 21 at the White House Rose Garden that he will not seek the Democratic Party's nomination for president.
"I've concluded, [the window for running for president] has closed," Biden said, with President Obama and his wife, Jill Biden, beside him.
"I believe we're out of time, the time necessary to mount a winning campaign."
Despite his decision not to run for president, Biden declared his intent to influence the upcoming election.
"While I will not be a candidate, I will not be silent," Biden said.
"I intend to speak out clearly and forcefully to influence as much as I can."
Biden immediately followed that promise with an appeal for more just national policies.
"I also believe we need to keep moving forward in the arc of this nation toward justice: the rights of the LGBT community, immigration reform, equal pay for women and protecting their safety from violence, rooting out institutional racism," he said.
"Every single one of these issues is about dignity."
A central section of Biden's speech also focused on a call for consensus and compromise in American politics.
"I believe we have to end the divisive partisan politics that is ripping this country apart. And I think we can. It's mean spirited and it's petty. And it's gone on for much too long."
"I don't think we should look at Republicans as our enemies. They are our opposition not our enemies."
"How does this country function without consensus? How can we move forward without being able to arrive at consensus? Four more years of this kind of pitched battle may be more than this country can take. We have to change it."
At a time when candidates’ trustworthiness has become a topic of discussion in the Democratic race, Joe Biden had the highest favorability rating among the American public in almost four years. Only time will tell how his decision affects a race dominated so far by Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.
Got something to say about what you're reading? We value your feedback!