Democrats should not impeach President Donald Trump if they take control of the House of Representatives in the midterm elections this November.
That is what former Vice President Joe Biden, one of the top 2020 Democratic frontrunners in the latest polls, advised during an interview that aired Thursday on "CBS This Morning."
Biden urged Democrats to wait until the conclusion of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election is over before taking any steps against the president. Mueller is currently investigating whether Trump's presidential campaign colluded with the Russian government and whether the president took any actions that constitute obstruction of justice.
"There are so many things to attend to immediately," Biden said. "Let's see where the investigation takes us."
When asked if he thinks a report from the investigation should be issued before the midterm elections, Biden said he believes it should be released only after the probe is completed. "I've been around a long time. You wait until the investigation's finished," Biden said. "You don't put an arbitrary end to it. You wait until it’s finished, and let’s see what it has to say."
As Politico noted, there are Justice Department policies that prohibit investigators from releasing politically-sensitive information in the weeks leading up to an election.
Instead of introducing articles of impeachment against Trump, Biden urged Democratic lawmakers to focus on policy changes. "I think we should focus on all the terrible things that are happening now in terms of interest of the middle class people and working class people," he said.
In the interview, the former vice president also said that Trump "seems to have a love affair with autocrats."
Biden also pointed to one challenge he feels he would be confronted with if he pursues a White House bid in 2020: his age. The 75 year old called his age a "legitimate issue." Biden, however, is not much older than Trump, who is 72 years old and will be 74 years old by the 2020 race.
Still, Biden expressed concern that "people are going to judge" him for his age. "I think they're going to judge me on my vitality," he said. "Can I still run up the steps of Air Force Two? Am I still in good shape? Do I have all my faculties? Am I energetic? I think it's totally legitimate people ask those questions."
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