Hillary Clinton Responds To Biden Announcement: He’s A ‘Great Man’

Vice President Joseph Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton talk in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2009, as President Barack Obama began remarks with NATO Secretar... Vice President Joseph Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton talk in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2009, as President Barack Obama began remarks with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) MORE LESS
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This post was updated at 2:22 PM ET.

Hillary Clinton released a statement calling Vice President Joe Biden “a great man” shortly after his Wednesday announcement that he will not be entering the 2016 presidential race.

Clinton commended Biden for his “passion for our country and our people.”

“Like millions of others, I admire his devotion to family, his grace in grief, his grit and determination on behalf of the middle class, and his unyielding faith in America’s promise,” Clinton wrote. “I am confident that history isn’t finished with Joe Biden. As he said today, there is more work to do.”

She voiced a similar sentiment earlier on Twitter, calling Biden “a good friend and a great man.”

The possibility of a Biden run has haunted the Clinton campaign for months, as the Vice President has consistently ranked high in national polls of likely Democratic voters.

Though the two worked closely together during Clinton’s tenure as Secretary of State during the Obama administration, Biden took a few pointed shots at Clinton during his announcement speech in the White House Rose Garden.

“This party—our nation—will be making a tragic mistake if we walk away or attempt to undo the Obama legacy,” Biden said, with President Obama at his side.

Clinton has broken with Obama on several issues important to his administration, including coming out against the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal and opposing the Keystone XL pipeline.

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