Joe Biden joins presidential race

Former Vice President Joe Biden officially announced his bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination Thursday, ending months of speculation. In a video announcement, the 76-year-old Biden did not describe the policy specifics of his platform but took clear aim at President Donald Trump. “We are in the battle for the soul of this nation,” Biden said. “If we give Donald Trump eight years in the White House, he will forever and fundamentally alter the character of this nation, who we are, and I cannot stand by and watch that happen.” Biden served two terms as former President Barack Obama’s vice president and before that as a U.S. senator representing Delaware for 36 years.

“Welcome to the race Sleepy Joe,” Trump tweeted, saying the Democratic Party primary campaign would be “nasty. … But if you make it, I will see you at the Starting Gate!”

Obama spokeswoman Katie Hill issued a statement that fell short of a formal endorsement: “President Obama has long said that selecting Joe Biden as his running mate in 2008 was one of the best decisions he ever made. He relied on the vice president’s knowledge, insight, and judgment throughout both campaigns and the entire presidency. The two forged a special bond over the last 10 years and remain close today.”

Biden is polling as the front-runner in the crowded field of 19 other Democratic presidential hopefuls. A Monmouth University poll of Democratic voters found that 27 percent said they would support Biden’s nomination. A Reuters/Ipsos poll Wednesday found that 24 percent of Democrats would support him, with Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., in second place at 15 percent. RealClearPolitics reported that Biden was beating Trump by an average of 7.8 percentage points in head-to-head polls.

Biden is set to appear on ABC’s The View Friday morning and will then kick off a string of campaign events with a speech in Pittsburgh.