Joe Biden regrets he’s not president, but tells Oprah why it was the right call at the time

Former Vice President Joe Biden sits down with Oprah Winfrey. Screenshot via Good Morning America

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Joe Biden wishes he was President of the United States.

The former vice president sat down for an interview with Oprah Winfrey, a portion of which was shown exclusively on “Good Morning America” on Thursday. It was just over two years ago that Biden announced he would not be running against Hillary Clinton to succeed Barack Obama.

“I regret that I am not president because I think there is so much opportunity,” Biden told Winfrey. “I think America is so incredibly well-positioned.”

Biden spent 36 years in the U.S. Senate before serving under Obama for eight years. Although he says he wishes he occupied the Oval Office, he doesn’t regret his decision.

“I don’t regret the decision I made because it was the right decision for my family,” Biden said.

At the time, Biden and his family were just five months removed from the death of his son, Beau, a former Delaware attorney general and serviceman, due to brain cancer at the age of 46.

He told Winfrey that anyone who aspires to run for president must be able to answer two questions. He said he could not answer the second question.

“One: Do they truly believe they are the most qualified person for that moment? I believed I was,” Biden said. “But, was I prepared to be able to give my whole heart, my whole soul and all my attention to the endeavor?

“I knew I wasn’t.”

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Biden certainly hasn’t been shy about criticizing the current president Donald Trump.

Since leaving the vice president’s office, Biden has been vocal about Trump’s handling of the aftermath of a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va., in August and his gruff efforts at diplomacy.

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In the final month of last year’s presidential campaign, Biden remarked that he wished he “could take Trump behind the gym,” after Trump’s infamous 2005 comments were made public in which he boasted about sexually assaulting women.

President Barack Obama hugs Vice President Joe Biden during funeral services for Biden’s son, Beau Biden, Saturday, June 6, 2015, at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Wilmington, Del. (Yuri Gripas/Pool Photo via AP)

In the clips shown on “GMA,” Biden didn’t name Trump, although he described to Winfrey the characteristics he believes make for a successful leader.

“They understand their strengths and they understand their weaknesses. They play to their strengths and try to shore up their weaknesses,” Biden said. “And the people who don’t do that are the people who aren’t self-aware enough to know … because most of the time that abuse ends up in their downfall as well.”

Winfrey’s full interview with Biden airs Sunday on OWN.

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