Vice President Joe Biden, known for his candid moments, talked with Stephen Colbert Thursday about his grief over his son’s death and how that has affected his decision to enter the 2016 presidential race, according to Bloomberg Politics.
Biden has been mourning his son, Beau, since his death of brain cancer in May. While Thursday’s interview started off lighthearted, the chatter soon turned to Beau, when Colbert gave the vice president his condolences.
They discussed Beau and Biden’s Roman Catholic faith. At one point, the vice president notes:
I would feel like I’d let Beau down if I didn’t just get up.
His grief has affected any possibility that he may run for president. He’s still breaking down over Beau’s death; he described one moment when he was greeting soldiers at a rope line.
It was going great, and a guy in the back yells, ‘Beau Biden, Bronze Star, I served with him in Iraq,’ and all of a sudden I lost it — I shouldn’t be saying this — and you can’t do that.
Biden went on to tell Colbert that a person could only run if they were at 110%. “I’d be lying if I said I knew I was there,” he said. “I’m being completely honest…Sometimes it overwhelms you.”
It echoes what the vice president said a week ago: That he would only run if he and his family had the “emotional energy” to do so.
Still, some members of the audience weren’t deterred, calling out that he should get into the race.
“Be careful what you wish for,” he replied with a laugh.
Colbert’s interview with Biden airs Thursday night on CBS.
