Vice President of the United States Joe Biden stood next to his wife and Barack Obama in the White House Rose Garden on Wednesday morning and told the world he's not running for president.

"Unfortunately, I believe we're out of time, the time necessary to mount a winning campaign," Biden said. "But while I will not be a candidate, I will not be silent," he added, vowing to continue to be an outspoken defender of Obama's legacy.

"I believe that President Obama has led this nation from crisis to recovery, and we're now in a resurgence. This country will be making a tragic mistake if we attempt to walk away from or undo the Obama legacy," the vice president said.

Biden said he's been waiting to decide until his family had finished grieving for his son, Beau, who died of a brain tumor in May. In dealing with grief, he said, "You hope there comes a time, when you think of your loved one, it brings a smile to your lips before it brings a tear to your eye." He said the Biden family is finally at that point, but that there just isn't the time to run.

After last week's Democratic debate — where it was briefly rumored that Biden would show up — passed, rumors that the VP would soon announce his decision reached fever pitch.

On Monday afternoon, Ed Henry, chief White House correspondent for Fox News, tweeted that Biden was preparing his announcement. Other outlets also said they expected the announcement in 48 hours or so. Today, about 49 hours later, it came.