--- title: Joe Biden: 'I Regret That I Am Not President' description: Former Vice President Joe Biden has long been frank about his presidential ambitions — and this time was no exception canonical: https://time.com/5017464/joe-biden-president-oprah-interview/ author: Alana Abramson article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-11-09T18:41:02.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T08:04:10.056Z article:section: Politics og:title: Joe Biden: 'I Regret That I Am Not President' og:description: But he doesn't regret his decision not to run og:url: https://time.com/5017464/joe-biden-president-oprah-interview/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt10d9c50a28719c0f/6988d5e50b72e31eea6eea6c/joe-biden.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3000 og:image:height: 1688 og:image:alt: Concordia Europe Summit - Day 2 og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Joe Biden: 'I Regret That I Am Not President' twitter:description: But he doesn't regret his decision not to run twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt10d9c50a28719c0f/6988d5e50b72e31eea6eea6c/joe-biden.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Joe Biden: 'I Regret That I Am Not President' > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=9e1cea6b-24f9-4c7d-ba10-d0db5bda8ae5&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Joe Biden Confronts Heckler [Watch (HLS stream): Joe Biden Confronts Heckler](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/49ZOwep6.m3u8) (1:08)  _Published 2016-09-02. Vice President Joe Biden silenced both a heckler and his audience in Cleveland on Thursday when he referenced his son Beau's death._  by [Alana Abramson](https://time.com/author/alana-abramson/)  ## Alana Abramson Nov 9, 2017 6:41 PM UTC  Former Vice President of the United Sates Joseph Biden speaks during the Concordia Europe Summit on June 7, 2017 in Athens, Greece. Former Vice President of the United Sates Joseph Biden speaks during the Concordia Europe Summit on June 7, 2017 in Athens, Greece. Leigh Vogel—Getty Images  by [Alana Abramson](https://time.com/author/alana-abramson/)  ## Alana Abramson Nov 9, 2017 6:41 PM UTC Former Vice President Joe Biden has long been frank about his presidential ambitions — and this time was no exception. “I have a regret that I am not President, because I think there is so much opportunity,” Biden said [in an interview with Oprah Winfrey,](http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/biden-regret-president-decision-family/story?id=51030934) an excerpt of which was obtained by ABC News’ _Good Morning America_. “I think America is incredibly well positioned.” Biden had been toying with a run for the presidency in 2016, but that process came to a halt after his eldest son Beau died of brain cancer in May of 2015\. Biden announced that October of that year that he had decided not to run, explaining that his family was still recovering from Beau’s death. “No woman or man should announce that they are running for President unless they can answer two questions. One, do they truly believe they are the most qualified, which I think I was, but was I prepared to give my whole heart, my whole soul, all my attention to the endeavor?” Biden told Oprah. “And I knew I wasn’t.” Biden’s new memoir, _Promise Me Dad,_ which chronicles his experience with his son’s illness while being Vice President, will be released on November 14. ## Transcript There should be no reason this should be, [ CROSSTALK ] [ INAUDIBLE ] Some of my friends, my American friends died. Why did you tell [ INAUDIBLE ], [ CROSSTALK ] Hilary, Hilary, Hilary, Hilary, Hilary. It's all right, it's all right, it's all right. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] Because the deal was to get them into Mambig and to work, was then go back across the Euphrates so we could have special forces moved in. That's why. [ CROSSTALK ] By the way. [ NOISE ] We want Hilary, Hillary, Hillary, Hillary, I'll tell you what, by the way, if you're serious I am. Will you listen? So did my son. So let me ask you a question, come back after here and talk to me about that Okay, [ APPLAUSE ] You have my permission, clear, [ APPLAUSE ] Okay? 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