Vice President Joe Biden will wait quite some time until he formally endorses Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton, possibly even waiting until the last minute at the Democratic convention itself.
That was the prediction of veteran political journalist and Huffington Post Media Group editorial director Howard Fineman on the October 21 edition of MSNBC's Hardball. For her part, moderately conservative Washington Post columnist Kathleen Parker seems to agree.
Here's the relevant transcript:
MSNBC
Hardball
Oct. 21, 2015; 7:12 p.m. EasternCHRIS MATTHEWS: OK. Prediction time. Kathleen first, then Howard. How many months will have to pass before we get a full-throated endorsement from Joe Biden for Hillary Rodham Clinton for president? Kathleen first.
KATHLEEN PARKER, Washington Post columnist: I'm guessing it will be way down the line at the very last minute, with a big frog in his throat. [laughs]
HOWARD FINEMAN, Huffington Post Media Group editorial director: Uh, I should know the date of the Democratic convention in Philly. I think it's going to go down to that. And I think it's going to be a big dramatic moment and Joe Biden is going to draw it out as long as possible.
And if I were the Clintons I would deploy the best diplomats to, to bring Joe Biden in, uh, as quickly and as efficiently as they can. He's going to be a tough one to land. And I bet it goes all the way to the convention.
MATTHEWS: Well, if they want that, they'd better stop flacking it out there that they wished he had ran against her so they could they have beaten him up a little bit--
FINEMAN: Stupid, really stupid tactically.
MATTHEWS: That is not helpful.
FINEMAN: No.
