Obama said to give Biden his blessing

President Obama has given Vice President Biden his “blessing” to launch a 2016 bid for the White House if he chooses to run, a senior Democrat told CNN on Monday. 

Obama and Biden met for a private lunch at the White House on Monday, where the president gave Biden the green light for launching a 2016 bid, CBS News also reported. 

{mosads}While Biden does not need Obama’s permission, the president made it clear to Biden that he would not stand in the way or advise him against running, the senior Democrat told CNN.

“Sources continue to speculate about something they know nothing about,” Biden spokeswoman Kendra Barkoff told the outlet. “This lunch was a private meeting between two people — the President and the Vice President.”

Biden is leaning toward running, people involved in the discussions told The Wall Street Journal and CNN, but he has yet to make up his mind.

The White House said Monday that Obama has not ruled out endorsing someone in the 2016 Democratic primary, which could involve both his vice president and former secretary of State.

Hillary Clinton, who left the State Department in 2013 after four years, has been the longtime front-runner for the Democratic nomination, but continues to battle questions about her private email.