Subtitles section Play video Print subtitles FOR EVEN BEFORE BIDEN WAS IN THE RACE. RACE. YOU SAT DOWN WITH HIM TODAY. YOU SAT DOWN WITH HIM TODAY. IS THAT RIGHT? IS THAT RIGHT? GIVE ME THE VIEW FROM JOE BIDEN. GIVE ME THE VIEW FROM JOE BIDEN. >> WELL, NICOLLE, IT’S JUST BEEN >> WELL, NICOLLE, IT’S JUST BEEN A WHIPLASH PERIOD FOR ALL OF US A WHIPLASH PERIOD FOR ALL OF US FOLLOWING THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN. FOLLOWING THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN. A WEEK AGO WE WERE ABOUT TO A WEEK AGO WE WERE ABOUT TO RELEASE A POLL WITH A SINGLE RELEASE A POLL WITH A SINGLE DIGIT LEAD AND IF THAT HELD, DIGIT LEAD AND IF THAT HELD, THERE WERE A LOT OF FOLKS IN THE THERE WERE A LOT OF FOLKS IN THE BIDEN CAMP WHO DIDN’T THINK BIDEN CAMP WHO DIDN’T THINK THEY’D BE AROUND FOR SUPER THEY’D BE AROUND FOR SUPER TUESDAY. TUESDAY. AND NOW ALL THE SUDDEN THE PARTY AND NOW ALL THE SUDDEN THE PARTY IS BEGINNING TO COALESCE AROUND IS BEGINNING TO COALESCE AROUND HIM IN A BIG WAY SO QUICKLY THAT HIM IN A BIG WAY SO QUICKLY THAT IT’S HARD TO KEEP OUR HEADS ON IT’S HARD TO KEEP OUR HEADS ON STRAIGHT. STRAIGHT. EVEN JUST TALKING TO THE VICE EVEN JUST TALKING TO THE VICE PRESIDENT, THERE’S A FOCUS AND A PRESIDENT, THERE’S A FOCUS AND A CALM AROUND HIM I HAVEN’T SEEN CALM AROUND HIM I HAVEN’T SEEN IN HIM IN A WHILE. IN HIM IN A WHILE. WE TALKED ABOUT MAYOR PETE WE TALKED ABOUT MAYOR PETE DROPPING OUT. DROPPING OUT. HE SAID HE ENCOURAGED HIM TO HE SAID HE ENCOURAGED HIM TO STAY INVOLVED IN THE RACE. STAY INVOLVED IN THE RACE. COY ABOUT WHETHER HE ASKED FOR COY ABOUT WHETHER HE ASKED FOR HIS ENDORSEMENT. HIS ENDORSEMENT. AND ASKED IF HE’S INVOLVED IN -- AND ASKED IF HE’S INVOLVED IN -- WHETHER HE WAS TALKING TO AMY WHETHER HE WAS TALKING TO AMY KLOBUCHAR OR OTHERS. KLOBUCHAR OR OTHERS. THE REWARD WOULD LEAK OUT THAT THE REWARD WOULD LEAK OUT THAT AMY KLOBUCHAR WAS GOING TO AMY KLOBUCHAR WAS GOING TO ENDORSE AND JOIN HIM TONIGHT. ENDORSE AND JOIN HIM TONIGHT. I HAVE TO TELL YOU I WASN’T I HAVE TO TELL YOU I WASN’T PLANNING TO GO TO DALLAS. PLANNING TO GO TO DALLAS. WE WERE GOING TO SKIP AHEAD TO WE WERE GOING TO SKIP AHEAD TO CALIFORNIA TO BE IN POSITION FOR CALIFORNIA TO BE IN POSITION FOR SUPER TUESDAY WHERE HE IS GOING SUPER TUESDAY WHERE HE IS GOING TO BE TOMORROW. TO BE TOMORROW. BUT THE BIDEN TEAM, ACROSS THE BUT THE BIDEN TEAM, ACROSS THE BOARD, HAS BEEN STRONGLY BOARD, HAS BEEN STRONGLY ENCOURAGING ENCOURAGING ENCOURAGING ME TO JOIN THERE. ENCOURAGING ME TO JOIN THERE. IT’S ALMOST LIKE THERE’S A IT’S ALMOST LIKE THERE’S A "AVENGERS" SEQUEL IN DALLAS. "AVENGERS" SEQUEL IN DALLAS. AND BY THE WAY, INCLUDING AND BY THE WAY, INCLUDING PRESIDENT OBAMA HIMSELF TO TRY PRESIDENT OBAMA HIMSELF TO TRY TO HURRY THIS RACE TO A FINISH. TO HURRY THIS RACE TO A FINISH. THERE’S A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS THERE’S A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS HAPPENING THAT SUGGEST THEY HAPPENING THAT SUGGEST THEY DON’T WANT TO WAIT FOR SUPER DON’T WANT TO WAIT FOR SUPER TUESDAY. TUESDAY. THEY WANT TO BEGIN THIS PROCESS THEY WANT TO BEGIN THIS PROCESS AS SOON AS YOU CAN. AS SOON AS YOU CAN. >> YOU DANGLED SOMETHING REALLY >> YOU DANGLED SOMETHING REALLY RIVETING IN FRONT OF ME. RIVETING IN FRONT OF ME. TELL ME MORE ABOUT CONVERSATIONS TELL ME MORE ABOUT CONVERSATIONS WITH FORMER PRESIDENT OBAMA WITH FORMER PRESIDENT OBAMA >> WE KNOW THE FORMER VICE >> WE KNOW THE FORMER VICE PRESIDENT TALKED TO HIM OVER THE PRESIDENT TALKED TO HIM OVER THE WEEKEND. WEEKEND. AND CRAIG MELVIN ASKED BIDEN AND CRAIG MELVIN ASKED BIDEN LAST WEEK ABOUT WHY PRESIDENT LAST WEEK ABOUT WHY PRESIDENT OBAMA WASN’T SENDING MORE SMOKE OBAMA WASN’T SENDING MORE SMOKE SIGNALS UP IN TERMS OF HIS SIGNALS UP IN TERMS OF HIS SUPPORT FOR JOE BIDEN. SUPPORT FOR JOE BIDEN. HE SAID I KNOW YOU DON’T BELIEVE HE SAID I KNOW YOU DON’T BELIEVE IT BUT I REALLY ASKED THE IT BUT I REALLY ASKED THE PRESIDENT NOT TO ENDORSE ME. PRESIDENT NOT TO ENDORSE ME. HE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO SHOW HE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO SHOW THAT HE EARNED THIS ON HIS OWN THAT HE EARNED THIS ON HIS OWN MERITS. MERITS. BUT WHEN YOU SAW LAST WEEK BUT WHEN YOU SAW LAST WEEK PRESIDENT OBAMA’S LAWYERS REACT PRESIDENT OBAMA’S LAWYERS REACT TO THE TV AD BEING RUN IN SOUTH TO THE TV AD BEING RUN IN SOUTH CAROLINA THAT USED HIS OWN CAROLINA THAT USED HIS OWN AUDIO, THAT’S A STEP THEY HADN’T AUDIO, THAT’S A STEP THEY HADN’T BEEN TAKING. BEEN TAKING. THAT WAS A SMOKE SIGNAL. THAT WAS A SMOKE SIGNAL. WE KNOW HE’S BEEN WORKING THE WE KNOW HE’S BEEN WORKING THE PHONE LINES AND POTENTIALLY PHONE LINES AND POTENTIALLY SPEAKING TO OTHER CANDIDATES AS SPEAKING TO OTHER CANDIDATES AS WOEL. WOEL. THERE’S A WAY PRESIDENT OBAMA THERE’S A WAY PRESIDENT OBAMA COULD HAVE AN IMP PACT WITHOUT COULD HAVE AN IMP PACT WITHOUT EXPLICITLY SAYING THE WORDS THAT EXPLICITLY SAYING THE WORDS THAT HE WANTS TO HAPPEN. HE WANTS TO HAPPEN. AND I THINK THAT’S -- A LOT OF AND I THINK THAT’S -- A LOT OF DEMOCRATS ARE TAKING THOSE DEMOCRATS ARE TAKING THOSE SIGNALS. SIGNALS. SUSAN RICE IS A PERSON WHO, WHEN SUSAN RICE IS A PERSON WHO, WHEN SHE COMES OUT AND ANNOUNCES SHE COMES OUT AND ANNOUNCES SHE’S ENDORSING. SHE’S ENDORSING. THAT’S SOMETHING I DON’T THINK THAT’S SOMETHING I DON’T THINK HAPPENS UNLESS THERE’S A SPIRIT HAPPENS UNLESS THERE’S A SPIRIT AROUND THE PRESIDENT SUGGESTING AROUND THE PRESIDENT SUGGESTING THAT’S AN OUTCOMHE’S HAPPY TO THAT’S AN OUTCOMHE’S HAPPY TO SEE. SEE. >> AND WE PUT UP HER TWEET. >> AND WE PUT UP HER TWEET. HAVING WORKED FOR A PRESIDENT HAVING WORKED FOR A PRESIDENT WHO I THINK ONLY ENDORSED IN THE WHO I THINK ONLY ENDORSED IN THE MESSY REPUBLICAN PRIMARY BECAUSE MESSY REPUBLICAN PRIMARY BECAUSE HIS BROTHER WAS RUNNING, GEORGE HIS BROTHER WAS RUNNING, GEORGE W. BUSH ENDORSED JEB BUSH. W. BUSH ENDORSED JEB BUSH. I KNOW HOW RELULKTANT THEY ARE I KNOW HOW RELULKTANT THEY ARE BECAUSE THEY THINK THEY CAN PLAY BECAUSE THEY THINK THEY CAN PLAY A ROLE IN BRINGING THE TWO A ROLE IN BRINGING THE TWO HALVES TOGETHER. HALVES TOGETHER. BUT THERE ARE A WHOLE BUNCH OF BUT THERE ARE A WHOLE BUNCH OF SUBPRESIDENTIAL ENDORSEMENT SUBPRESIDENTIAL ENDORSEMENT THINGS. THINGS. IT’S MY UNDERSTANDING MICHELLE IT’S MY UNDERSTANDING MICHELLE AND JOE BIDEN HAD A PRETTY CLOSE AND JOE BIDEN HAD A PRETTY CLOSE RAPPORT. RAPPORT. >> Reporter: THEY ABSOLUTELY >> Reporter: THEY ABSOLUTELY HAVE A VERY CLOSE RELATIONSHIP. HAVE A VERY CLOSE RELATIONSHIP. I HAVEN’T HEARD OF ANY OUTREACH I HAVEN’T HEARD OF ANY OUTREACH BETWEEN THEM. BETWEEN THEM. AND AS OBAMA AND BIDEN HAVE BEEN AND AS OBAMA AND BIDEN HAVE BEEN AS WELL. AS WELL. IT’S WORTH PAYING ATTENTION TO I IT’S WORTH PAYING ATTENTION TO I THINK THESE KIND OF SIGNALS THINK THESE KIND OF SIGNALS COMING OUT. COMING OUT. HARRY REED IS ANOTHER HARRY REED IS ANOTHER ENDORSEMENT TODAY. ENDORSEMENT TODAY. ONE MORE THING. ONE MORE THING. I SHOULD MENTIONED. I SHOULD MENTIONED. ONE OTHER THING IN TERMS OF THE ONE OTHER THING IN TERMS OF THE TEA LEAF READING WE’RE DOING A TEA LEAF READING WE’RE DOING A LOT OF RIGHT NOW. LOT OF RIGHT NOW. WHEN I ASKED THE VICE PRESIDENT WHEN I ASKED THE VICE PRESIDENT WHETHER HE THINKS OBAMA WOULD WHETHER HE THINKS OBAMA WOULD HAVE TO STEP UP SOONER THAN THE HAVE TO STEP UP SOONER THAN THE CONVENTION TO HELP UNITE THE CONVENTION TO HELP UNITE THE PARTY. PARTY. HE SAYS HE KNOWS THE PRESIDENT HE SAYS HE KNOWS THE PRESIDENT WANTS TO DO THAT AND HE BELIEVES WANTS TO DO THAT AND HE BELIEVES HE’LL BE THERE WHEN HE NEEDS TO. HE’LL BE THERE WHEN HE NEEDS TO. AND HE SAID HE NEEDS TO BE THE AND HE SAID HE NEEDS TO BE THE ONE TO ALSO BE THE FIGURE WHO ONE TO ALSO BE THE FIGURE WHO CAN ULTIMATELY UNITE THE PARTY CAN ULTIMATELY UNITE THE PARTY AND HE INTENDS TO DO THAT, HE AND HE INTENDS TO DO THAT, HE SAID. SAID. >> SHORT OF A BARACK OBAMA >> SHORT OF A BARACK OBAMA ENDORSEMENT A PETE BUTTIGIEG ENDORSEMENT A PETE BUTTIGIEG INDORSZMENTIN INDORSZMENTIN ENDORSEMENT IS PRETTY DARN GOOD. ENDORSEMENT IS PRETTY DARN GOOD. HE GAVE ONE OF THE MOST ELOQUENT HE GAVE ONE OF THE MOST ELOQUENT AND ELEGANT SPEECHES FOR SOMEONE AND ELEGANT SPEECHES FOR SOMEONE COMING SHORT OF A DREAM OF COMING SHORT OF A DREAM OF WINNING HIS PARTY’S NOMINATION. WINNING HIS PARTY’S NOMINATION. HOW DID HE ARRIVE AT THE HOW DID HE ARRIVE AT THE SEQUENCING OF WITHDRAWING FROM SEQUENCING OF WITHDRAWING FROM THE RACE AND MAKING THE THE RACE AND MAKING THE ENDORSEMENT AS WE EXPECT, AS ENDORSEMENT AS WE EXPECT, AS OTHER NEWS ORGANIZATIONS HAVE OTHER NEWS ORGANIZATIONS HAVE REPORTED, HE’S HE’S EXPECTED TO REPORTED, HE’S HE’S EXPECTED TO TONIGHT? TONIGHT? >> THERE’S A PRIVATE PLANE >> THERE’S A PRIVATE PLANE DESTENED FOR DALLAS THIS DESTENED FOR DALLAS THIS EVENING. EVENING. I TALKED TO MULTIPLE CAMPAIGN I TALKED TO MULTIPLE CAMPAIGN OFFICIALS WHO SAID THE PATH WAS OFFICIALS WHO SAID THE PATH WAS VERY NARROW. VERY NARROW. AND THIS IS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO AND THIS IS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO GOT IN THE RACE HOPING HE COULD