Hacked emails from Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman showed how some of her top advisers reacted to speculation that Vice President Joe Biden might join the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.
The Clinton campaign emailed out a schedule that included a “Biden Plan meeting” in late September 2015, around the time that speculation about Biden reached its peak.
And earlier that month, Clinton confidante Neera Tanden speculated in an email with the subject line “My prediction” that Biden would announce a presidential run during his appearance on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”
“I obviously don’t know anything. But it’s like a super ratings push for Colbert,” Tanden said in an email. “I don’t think he’d take him unless he was making news.”
Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta replied, “Good call.” He then said in an email to Clinton campaign communications director Jennifer Palmieri that he heard Biden “is now telling union presidents he is running.”
Palmieri replied, "Lord, have mercy."
Biden ended up declining to run, later saying he regretted the decision.
