Obama praises Biden, but doesn't endorse for 2016

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is keeping to himself his favorite to succeed him in the White House.

But Obama does say that Joe Biden “will go down as one of the finest vice presidents in history.” He didn’t endorse Biden in his interview with CBS News.

Biden is saying once again that he hasn’t decided whether to run. He says the mounting speculation shouldn’t be a problem.

Biden says, “There is nothing I would do differently if I absolutely knew I wasn’t going to run or I absolutely knew I was.”

Obama said there will be tough competition for the Democratic Party nomination in 2016 and cited an “extraordinary secretary of state.”

He was referring to Hillary Rodham Clinton, without invoking her name. Clinton hasn’t said if she’ll run.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

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