Yesterday in Atlanta Joe Biden finally said SOMETHING about the possibility of his run for the presidency. Before the audience gathered at Ahavath Achim Synagogue, Biden said, "I will be straightforward with you." He said, "Unless I can go to my party and the American people and say that I'm able to devote my whole heart and my whole soul to this endeavor, it would not be appropriate." He also said, "The honest to God answer is 'I just don't know.'" He added that he wouldn't hesitate to run if he knew he could do it, emotionally. Biden's been suffering after the recent death of his son, Beau, whose dying wish was that his father run for the White House.

There's been a lot of breaking gossip about the VP's potential run. Last week he met with Elizabeth Warren, who would only say that the two had "a long conversation." It's also worth noting that she's had long conversations with every other Democratic candidate. Biden's super PAC, Draft Biden, is making rumblings in Iowa. Obama's aides and advisors are nervous about the implications of jumping on the Biden ship or the Clinton ship (interesting that no one's even thinking about the U.S.S. Bernie).

So it seems like people are acting like he's going to run, but should he?

One argument for a Biden run is that he'd add to the conversation, make the debates interesting, broaden the field of possible ideas. But Biden doesn't bring anything new to the table. Biden's the blue collar, Roman Catholic, slightly lecherous, old-white-dude veteran politician from Scranton, PA.

Hillary's his equal re: political establishment bona fides and age, plus she's obviously way ahead of him on election infrastructure. She's got his neoliberal policies covered. She's a woman.

But what if he actually does get Elizabeth Warren to sign on as VP? That sounds like a good idea for Warren, who could benefit from an establishment candidate's nod, and Warren might draw some half-assed Bernie supporters away from Bernie, but it doesn't do much for Biden. The group of reluctant Hillary supporters and semi-reluctant Bernie supporters isn't large enough to be significant, and both groups would be making concessions anyway.

Biden's "I'm the poorest man in congress" schtick isn't going to hold up to Bernie's flaming rhetoric on income inequality, and Biden's charm will look cheap against Bernie's bluster.

Right now, Biden's the country's uncle, and not only because he's the one who looks the most like Sam. He's played a great supporting role under Obama, his favorability is on the rise, and he's one of the best glad-handers in the business. If he enters the race and loses, he'll end up looking even sadder than he looks now.