How Obama’s Strategist Discouraged Biden From Running in 2016

David Plouffe, Barack Obama's former political strategist, discouraged Vice President Joe Biden from challenging Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic primary, according to newly released oral histories. Plouffe's advice came at a pivotal moment when Biden was considering a late entry into the race following the death of his son Beau in 2015. The account provides insight into the internal dynamics of the Obama orbit during a critical period of Democratic Party succession planning. Biden ultimately decided not to run in 2016 but went on to win the presidency four years later in 2020. Plouffe's recollection illuminates how senior Democratic figures shaped the party's path in the mid-2010s.