It is becoming very evident that President Barack Obama is now entering a real minefield on the issue of who he will support for the Presidential nomination in 2016.
Obama defeated Hillary Clinton in a very divisive campaign in 2007-2008, but then made Hillary his Secretary of State.
At the same time, he competed against Joe Biden, and they remained respectful enough toward each other, so that Obama selected Biden as his Vice Presidential running mate.
Hillary did what is regarded as an excellent job in the State Department during Obama’s first term, and the two rivals became very close, after their earlier rift.
Joe Biden, meanwhile, played a very significant role in the problem solving and crises of the Obama Presidency, remaining totally loyal, and the two men also became very close.
Now both Hillary and Joe want to be President, with Hillary far ahead in public opinion polls and seen by many as the logical nominee, but Joe has made clear that he is not giving up his wish to run for President, and will decide that later, just as Hillary will.
This puts Barack Obama in a quandary as to who he should back for President in 2016. Sometimes, it seems that he will back Hillary, other times Joe!
What it comes down to is that the best advice to President Obama is to stay out of the race, make no commitment to either candidate, and remain neutral, but making clear his willingness to support whoever the winner is, and work to avoid alienation of either Hillary or Joe.
This is a very delicate balancing act, and no one can feel comfortable in this situation, as it is known that Hillary and Joe really admire each other, are good friends, and it is hard to imagine any sustained attack by either on the other.
The easiest solution would be for either Hillary or Joe to decide NOT to run, opening up the door for the other, but that does not seem likely to occur.
In reality, as this author has stated many times before, the best solution, actually, would be for both Hillary and Joe to decide that at the age of 69 and 74, that it is time to retire, After decades of contributions to America, rather than being committed to ten years of stress and pressure and tension, which would leave them, at ages 77 and 82, after eight years in the White House, and the giving up of their private time and money making potential, instead they should both retire in dignity. That would allow a younger generation to enter the fray, and would be good for the Democratic Party and the nation at large!