CNN reports that former Vice President Joe Biden is launching a political action committee, “American Possibilities PAC,” setting off speculation about a possible 2020 run for president:

While establishing the group could indicate Biden’s potential interest in another presidential bid, his comments on the subject in recent months have been varied.

Biden, who is 74 years old, gave a speech in New Hampshire last month, telling the first-in-the-nation primary state at the time that he was not running.

In the lead-up to the 2016 Democratic primary, Biden publicly mulled a run before standing down, citing his still-fresh grief from the death of his son Beau as a reason he did not mount a bid. Later, Biden expressed regret about this decision publicly, criticizing Hillary Clinton’s campaign and saying he thought he was a great candidate.

Earlier this month, he said he likely wouldn’t run in 2020, but did not write off the possibility.

The Personality Profile of Vice President Joe Biden

Jaclynn Beier, Brianna Ricci, Lindsey Holm, and Katie Carlson conducted a pilot study of the political personality of Joe Biden at the Unit for the Study of Personality in Politics in 2009.

Lindsey Holm and Jaclynn Beier present their research poster, “The Personality Profile of Vice President Joe Biden,” at the 44th annual Minnesota Undergraduate Psychology Conference on April 18, 2009, at the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, Minn.

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A preliminary psychological analysis of U.S. vice president Joe Biden by Jaclynn Beier, Brianna Ricci, Lindsey Holm, Katie Carlson, and Aubrey Immelman, Ph.D., at the Unit for the Study of Personality in Politics revealed that Vice President Biden’s primary personality pattern is Dominant/asserting, complemented by secondary Outgoing/congenial and Ambitious/confident features. In summary, Biden’s personality composite can be characterized as a dominant extravert.

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Update: April 25, 2019

The Personality Profile of Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden

Sarah Lommel, Madison Sharp, Christian Gimenez, Paige Steinberg, and Skya Jandt conducted a 10-year follow-up study of the political personality of Joe Biden at the Unit for the Study of Personality in Politics in spring 2019.

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Abstract: Joe Biden’s primary personality patterns were found to be Outgoing/congenial and Accommodating/cooperative, complemented by secondary Ambitious/confident and Dominant/asserting features. In summary, Biden may be characterized as a conciliatory extravert.

Presidential Electability Index range: 16-29

Updates » The Personality Profile of Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden

Joe Biden

Presidential Electability Index

Range: 16-29 (22.5 ±6.5)

Paige Steinberg, Madison Sharp, Skya Jandt, Christian Giminez, and Sarah Lommel present their poster, “The Personality Profile of U.S. Vice President Joe Biden,” at Scholarship Day, College of St. Benedict, St. Joseph, MN, April 25, 2019. (Click on photo for full-size image)

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December 31, 2019 Update

The Political Personality of Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden. Working paper, Unit for the Study of Personality in Politics, St. John’s University/College of St. Benedict, December 2019. Abstract and link for full-text (21 pages; PDF) download at Digital Commons: http://digitalcommons.csbsju.edu/psychology_pubs/122/

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August 16, 2020 Update

The Political Personality of 2020 Democratic Presidential Nominee Joe Biden. Working paper, Unit for the Study of Personality in Politics, St. John’s University/College of St. Benedict, August 2020. Abstract and link for full-text (22 pages; PDF) download at Digital Commons: https://digitalcommons.csbsju.edu/psychology_pubs/130/

Related reports

Joe Biden Concludes There’s No Time for a 2016 Run

A life-size cutout of the vice president was seen in June 2015 in the window of a Draft Joe Biden 2016 office in Chicago. (Photo credit: Andrew Nelles / The New York Times)

By Peter Baker and Maggie Haberman

October 21, 2015

WASHINGTON — Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. announced on Wednesday [Oct. 21, 2015] that he would not run for president, ending a period of remarkably public agonizing and clearing away one of the biggest potential obstacles to Hillary Rodham Clinton’s path to the Democratic nomination in 2016. …

Full story

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Update: April 2, 2018

CNN’s “The Point with Chris Cillizza” reports:

A CNN poll, conducted by SSRS, shows that a top tier of potential Democratic contenders — all of them facing questions about whether they’ll run due to age and other factors — seems to be emerging: Former Vice President Joe Biden is the most broadly popular pick, with 84% of Democrats saying they are either very or somewhat likely to support his potential nomination. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders comes next at 75%, followed by Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren at 68%.

Then there are three younger Democratic senators who are still building national name ID: California Sen. Kamala Harris: 53%; New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker: 50%; New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand: 48%.

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Update: October 18, 2018

CNN / SSRS poll (October 4-7, 2018)

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Update: April 25, 2019

Joe Biden Announces 2020 Run for President, After Months of Hesitation

By Alexander Burns and Jonathan Martin

April 25, 2019

Excerpt: Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. announced Thursday [annotated transcript and video link] that he would seek the Democratic nomination to challenge President Trump in 2020, casting the election as a national emergency and asking Democrats to put the task of defeating Mr. Trump above all their other ambitions. … In doing so, Mr. Biden, 76, is making a bet of sorts that the Democratic Party’s leftward shift in recent years has been greatly overstated, and that the moral clarity of his rhetoric and his seeming strength as a general election candidate will overpower other considerations for Democratic voters who tend to prize youth, diversity and unapologetic liberalism. …

“It’s time for respected leadership on the world stage—and dignified leadership at home. It’s time for equal opportunity, equal rights, and equal justice. It’s time for an economy that rewards those who actually do the work. It’s time for a president who will stand up for all of us.” (3:29)