Biden, Hinting at 2016, to Speak at Iowa Event. [View all]

Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. will be the keynote speaker at Senator Tom Harkin’s annual steak fry fund-raiser next month, a signature political event that often showcases as featured speakers those aspiring to be president.

Mr. Biden will speak after Mayor Julian Castro of San Antonio, according to a person familiar with the plans. Mr. Biden’s attendance is a sign, Democratic officials here say, that he wants Iowa voters to know he is very much considering another White House bid in 2016. A spokesman for Mr. Biden did not reply to requests for comment.

The gathering, to be held on Sept. 15 at a county fairgrounds south of Des Moines, underscores Mr. Biden’s effort to nurture ties in Iowa, which holds the first presidential nominating contest in the nation, and the other early-voting states. He spoke at a South Carolina Democratic dinner in May and will raise money this month for Gov. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire.

Mr. Biden has many longtime friends in Iowa, dating to 1988 and the first of his presidential runs. They include Mr. Harkin, a former Senate colleague. Mr. Biden attended the Iowa ball in Washington during the inauguration festivities this year and invited Democratic officials and activists from this state to his residence for a reception.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/11/biden-hinting-at-2016-to-speak-at-iowa-event/?hp