He is the oldest US president ever to run for a second term. But Biden does not see an obstacle in his age. He said in a television interview that he had “acquired a great deal of wisdom”.
US President Joe Biden does not see his age as an obstacle to a second term. In a television interview, he dismissed his suspicions that he was unsuitable for another term due to his 80 years of age. After announcing his re-election, Biden said on MSNBC that he was the most experienced person to have volunteered for the position. “I’ve gained a lot of wisdom,” Biden said. “I know more than the vast majority of people.” He also proved to be honorable and efficient.
Biden entered the White House in 2021 as the oldest president ever. At the end of April, the Democrat announced that he wanted to run for a second term in the presidential elections next year.
Americans are skeptical of opinion polls
Polls show that a majority of Americans think Biden should not run for a second term. For many, his age is the reason. Biden will turn 81 in the presidential election in November next year, and at the end of a possible second term he will be 86. In order to actually run as the official Democratic nominee, Biden must also be confirmed in the party’s internal primary.
Political competition exploits small stumbles
Biden’s age and suitability to run for president again has long been a topic of debate, including within his own party. The Democrat regularly attracts derision with slips of the tongue. Only last Friday did Biden slyly announce an afternoon “big press conference” during his White House appearance, causing confusion. Nothing was known about the press conference by the president, nor did it happen. The US media, citing the White House, reported that Biden referred to the recording of the MSNBC interview when he made his announcement – and thus expressed it almost incorrectly.
The political rivalry regularly uses small steps of this nature to question Biden’s mental fitness.
Biden wants to start the race with Vice Harris
In the case of the Democrats, Biden, as the incumbent, is unlikely to have any serious competition in the race for the nomination. In order to become his party’s official contender for the presidential nomination, Biden has not been confirmed by the party’s internal primary.
Biden has already committed to returning to the race with his vice president, US Vice President Kamala Harris. However, Harris has remained sallow in the past two years, he has had to struggle with image problems and he hasn’t been able to score political goals.
A grandfather of seven, Biden has been in politics for decades. He has sat in the Senate for over 35 years. From 2009 to 2017 he was Vice President of the then United States Barack Obama, four years earlier he himself rose to the highest office in the United States.
Trump is running again as the Republican nominee
Former President Donald Trump is once again running as the nominee of the Republicans, whom Biden has already campaigned against in 2020. Biden defeated the Republican incumbent at the time.
“We cannot allow the same man who was president four years ago to become president again in this election,” Biden said, without naming Trump. When asked what distinguishes him from Trump, he replied: “Everything. Everything. Everything.”
A wide field of Republican applicants is expected.
Courtesy of Nina Barth, ARD Studio Washington