Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden plans to make a widely expected announcement of his candidacy for the U.S. presidential in a video on Wednesday, the Atlantic reported on Friday, citing sources close to Biden's top aides.
The announcementwill follow months of speculation over whether Biden, a Democratic partystalwart and an early leader in opinion polls, would launch a bid for hisparty's nomination to challenge President Donald Trump in 2020.
The announcement video will include footage shot two weeks ago outside the house where Biden grew up in Scranton, Pennsylvania, the Atlantic reported. Biden's roots in the faded industrial town of about 77,000 people have fueled his appeal among U.S. working class voters.
Democrat Hopeful
Biden served 36years in the U.S. Senate representing Delaware and eight years as vicepresident under former President Barack Obama. At 76, he will become the secondoldest candidate in the Democratic primary after Senator Bernie Sanders, who is77.
His announcementwould bring the field of Democratic presidential hopefuls to 19. Politicalobservers in recent weeks have wondered if Biden delayed his decision due torecent allegations from women that Biden made them feel uncomfortable when hetouched them at political events in the past.
Biden responded tothe allegations earlier this month by saying he believed he never actedinappropriately during his many years in public life.
"I will bemuch more mindful, and that's my responsibility," Biden said in a videoposted on social media. "I've worked my whole life to empower women. I'veworked my whole life to prevent abuse."
In the days afterfour women came forward with allegations, sources close to Biden told Reutersthat campaign preparations had not been slowed by the controversy.
NBC News citedmultiple officials as saying Biden's advisers are finalizing plans for thecampaign launch this coming week.
