JOE? – AT 10:46 A.M. ET:  The drama on the Republican side played out well during the debates.  But there is real drama on the Dem side as well.  Will Joe Biden jump in?  If so, will he derail Hillary, or will he flop?  From AP:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Vice President Joe Biden and his wife are retreating from Washington for a week in South Carolina with little on their schedule but a momentous decision to make: whether he should run for president.

Biden's advisers say he hasn't indicated which way he's leaning. The vice president is still mourning the death of his son barely two months ago. But since reports surfaced saying he was taking a fresh look at running, potential campaign staffers have begun sending in their resumes, aides said, and longtime Biden donors have offered to help if he gets in the race.

And while Biden has yet to ask staff to organize on his behalf, he has started showing interest in details like filing deadlines and what it would take for him to raise enough money to build a campaign structure in the limited time left, said the aides, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to comment publicly.

So shortly after Biden returns from his vacation, his aides and supporters are expecting a decision about his political plans.

COMMENT:  Well, he's vacationing in South Carolina, a key primary state.  He could have gone to Hawaii, or Puerto Rico.  I can't believe the choice of South Carolina was based entirely on the quality of its fine beaches.

Biden knows the risks of jumping in.  He could fail to dent Hillary and live out his term as vice president in humiliation.  He could damage her, and she could limp to the nomination and lose the general election, and he could be blamed.  Or, he could win the nomination and lose the general, and spend the rest of his life hearing people say that Hillary would have won.

So, it's not an easy choice.  Biden doesn't poll particularly well.  There's no "wanting" of Joe, except by those who see Hillary as a disaster. 

And yet, this is his last chance for the prize.

August 8,  2015