Paul Ryan and Joe Biden

Rick Klein: “It’s an extraordinarily coincidence of timing that has Ryan and Biden – two former foes who squared off for No. 2 three years ago – publicly contemplating roles as potential party saviors. The vice president is not stepping up just yet, yet sounding very much like a man who can’t walk away. The congressman is claiming he’s poised to do just that, even while stepping back squarely into the arena.”

“Ryan is making an argument that he can rescue the Republican Party, though only via his own path forward – a bold statement meant to call out his rivals. Biden is building an argument where only he can salvage the Democratic Party, his rivals notwithstanding. Both men are citing family in motivations and hesitations. But the most important discussions are clearly going on inside their heads at this moment. Ryan and Biden are separated by a quarter century of age and miles of ideology. Both, though, are concerned about futures that are dimmer than their pasts.”