J. Scott Applewhite / AP Photo
Vice President Joe Biden says President Obama asked him to run again as his vice president on the Democrats’ 2012 presidential ticket, despite circulating rumors that Hillary Clinton would be slotted in as veep. “Look, [Obama] said, ‘We’re going to run together, are you going to run?’ I said, ‘Of course, you want me to run with you, I’m happy to run with you,’” Biden recounted. Biden is trying to fill the charisma gap left by the cerebral president in his stump speeches backing embattled congressional Democrats. The vice president has trekked to Columbia, South Carolina; Akron, Ohio; and Pittsburgh in recent weeks. Former Vice President Walter Mondale says Biden is “the one everyone wants” on the campaign trail. “He seems to understand working people, he’s got the ethnic background, he puts a lot of emphasis on his faith and his family, and people are comfortable with him,” Mondale said.