Former Vice President Joe Biden said Friday he hopes his late son Beau is “proud” of him as he launches his third presidential bid.
Biden, who appeared on ABC’s “The View” a day after announcing his 2020 campaign, explained that Beau, his oldest son, had made him promise before he passed away in 2015 that he would not “withdraw from the things that have motivated my whole life… and try to make things better.”
Asked if Beau was the reason why he was running for president, Biden replied: “No, he’s not why I’m running. But I hope as I’ve – it sounds stupid. When I get up in the morning, I think about you know, I hope he’s proud of me. I hope he’s proud.”
In his memoir, “Promise Me, Dad,” Biden described the emotional toll Beau’s death from brain cancer had on him as he weighed a bid for the presidency in 2016. Biden ultimately decided against running so he and his family could grieve the loss.
During his appearance on “The View,” the former vice president noted that “a lot of people, all you folks, have lost somebody. They’re still with you. They’re in you. They’re there.”
Biden has often cited Beau as a primary motivator to remain publicly involved and active. He told CNN last year that Beau “wanted to make sure I stayed in the public arena. That’s all I’ve done my whole life.”
