As Vice President Joe Biden nears a decision about whether or not to run for president, his inner circle is brushing off attempts by the Clinton campaign “bullies” to speed up his decision-making.
Biden also appears to be distancing himself from Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta and the so-called “Democratic establishment.”
“He really does not care about John [Podesta] or anyone else,” a close Biden adviser told CBS News. “He does not like bullies and will not be bullied. He has never really been part of the Democratic establishment and could care less about it.”
Podesta criticized Biden’s ability to quickly mount a campaign apparatus while meeting recently with super PAC donors. Additionally, a pro-Clinton super PAC has been feeding opposition research on Biden to media outlets including Politico and The New York Times.
Biden’s closest advisers continue to reach out to top donors and potential supporters in advance of a possible run. The vice president’s entry into the race could swing the entire Democratic Party landscape.
By the end of August, only 52 of 770 Obama 2012 bundlers were already bundling money for Clinton. Biden could consolidate the Obama fundraising machine, steal some of Clinton’s tentative Big Labor support, and present himself as a more electable progressive than Bernie Sanders.
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