Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. said the White House is “ready to compromise” after the midterm elections but that a Republican victory on Tuesday wouldn’t force the administration to undergo a wholesale overhaul in how it does business.
He appeared to indicate that the onus would be on Republicans regardless of the outcome of the elections on Tuesday.
“I don’t think it would change anything, in terms of what we’re about,” he told CNN. “We know what we have to get done the last two years. Going into 2016, the Republicans have to make a decision whether they’re in control or not in control. Are they gonna begin to allow things to happen? Or are they gonna continue to be obstructionists? And I think they’re gonna choose to get things done.”
He also said he doesn’t see the White House drastically changing the way it does business after the midterms should Republicans take control of the U.S. Senate.
“I think we have to be more direct and clear about exactly what it is we’re looking to do, and look, we’re ready to compromise,” he said. “I think they’re gonna be inclined, because the message from the people — and I’m getting it all over the country — is they’re tired of Washington not being able to do anything.”
For his part, Mr. Biden did predict that Democrats will hold onto their tenuous majority in the Senate — where he could theoretically be called on to break ties if the balance ends up 50-50.
As for 2016, Mr. Biden said he would “absolutely” run for president even if former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton — who has a big advantage in most public polling among would-be Democratic candidates — enters the race, but said he hasn’t made up his mind yet about a possible run.
“There’s plenty of time to make that decision,” he said. “There really is. I mean, look, everybody talks about how, you know, everything is gonna be gone by the summer. And I don’t see that at all.”
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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