One step under discussion by Biden backers is to form a political action committee he would use to funnel money to other Democratic candidates, which could build goodwill for a possible White House bid, people familiar with the talks said. Meanwhile, Mr. Biden is preparing to attend a Democratic event in Iowa, which traditionally holds the first nominating contest, and to raise money this week for the Democratic governor of New Hampshire, the state that holds the first primary.
Many prominent Democrats believe that Mrs. Clinton would be so heavily favored in a presidential primary that Mr. Biden and other party hopefuls wouldn’t even contest the nomination were she to run. A recent poll in New Hampshire showed Mrs. Clinton leading Mr. Biden and other possible Democratic candidates by upward of 50 points. …WSJ
As a fan of Joe Biden, I’d have to admit this is a waste of time — given the strength of Hillary Clinton’s backing. But I’m willing to bet the 2016 race, when we actually get there, will look very different from the way it looks now. We’ll be fighting battles we can’t imagine back here in ’13.
And Clinton’s strength?
“This seeming inevitability makes her more sensitive to attacks and risks amplifying any stumble, no matter how minor. And voters may react poorly to a candidate who appears to be waltzing to the nomination with minimal effort.”
Said one Democrat: “I think people close to her are more acutely aware than anybody else in the country that there’s no such thing as inevitability.” ...NBC News,h/tPoliticalWire