Vice President Joe Biden said of his decision not to run for the Democratic presidential nomination that "I regret it every day" on Wednesday in an interview with Hartford, Connecticut station WVIT.
"I regret it every day, but it was the right decision for my family and for me," Biden said.
Biden, who lost his son Beau to cancer in May, began considering a run last summer, and polls showed he would mount a strong challenge for the nomination to frontrunner Hillary Clinton, particularly in light of her troubles with her private email scandal while at the State Department, and socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.).
However, in a memorable interview with comedian Stephen Colbert in September, Biden discussed his grief over Beau's death and expressed doubts about being able to make the emotional investment for a candidacy. In October, he announced he did not feel he could mount a run, and since that time Clinton has solidified herself as the far-and-away favorite to win the Democratic nod.
Biden left out former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, who sits way behind Clinton and Sanders, when he told WVIT there still "two good candidates" for the Democratic nomination.
"I plan on staying deeply involved, and we've got two good candidates," Biden said. "There's real robust debate between Hillary and Bernie, as there would have been if I had gotten in the race."