He is the oldest US President ever to run for a second term. But Biden sees no obstacle in his age. He had “gained a hell of a lot of wisdom,” he said in a TV interview.
US President Joe Biden does not see his age as an obstacle to a second term. In a television interview, he dismissed doubts that he was not suitable for another term because of his age of 80. After announcing his re-election, Biden said on MSNBC that he was the most experienced person to ever volunteer for the post. “I’ve gained a hell of a lot of wisdom. I know more than the vast majority of people,” Biden said. He also proved that he was honorable and effective.
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 next year’s presidential election.
Americans are skeptical in 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 be 81 in the presidential election in November next year, and at the end of a possible second term he would be 86. In order to actually run as the official candidate for the Democrats, Biden must also be confirmed in internal party primaries.
Political competition takes advantage of small missteps
Biden’s age and suitability to run again for the presidency have long been the subject of debate, including within his own party. The Democrat regularly attracts ridicule with slips of the tongue. Only last Friday did Biden come up with malice because he announced a “big press conference” for the afternoon during an appearance in the White House, causing confusion. Nothing was known of a press conference by the President, nor did it happen. 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.
Political competition regularly uses small missteps of this kind to question Biden’s mental fitness.
Biden wants to start the race with Vice Harris
In the case of the Democrats, Biden, as incumbent, is unlikely to have any serious competition in the race for the candidacy. In order to become his party’s official contender for the presidential nomination, Biden has yet to be confirmed by the party’s internal primaries.
Biden has already committed to returning to the race with his deputy, US Vice President Kamala Harris. However, Harris had remained pale in the past two years, had to struggle with image problems and could hardly score politically.
Grandfather of seven, Biden has been in the political business for decades. He sat in the Senate for more than 35 years. From 2009 to 2017 he was deputy to then US President Barack Obama, before four years later he himself rose to the highest office in the United States.
Trump is running again as the Republican candidate
Ex-President Donald Trump is again running as a candidate for the Republicans, against whom Biden had already contested his 2020 election campaign. Biden defeated the Republican incumbent at the time.
Without naming Trump, Biden said: “We cannot allow the same man who was president four years ago to become president again in this election.” When asked what differentiates him from Trump, he replied: “Everything. Everything. Everything.”
A broad field of applicants is expected for the Republicans.
With information from Nina Barth, ARD Studio Washington