Joe Biden, already the oldest U.S. president at age 80, announced on Tuesday that he will run for reelection in 2024, putting to the test whether or not the American people are willing to grant the Democrat another four years in the White House.
In a professionally prepared video distributed by his new campaign staff, Biden made his statement, saying that he will preserve American democracy if elected. The attack on the United States Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump is depicted in the opening sequence, which is set on January 6, 2021.
“When I ran for president four years ago, I said we’re in a battle for the soul of America, and we still are,” Biden said. “This is not a time to be complacent. That’s why I’m running for re-election.”
“Let’s finish this job. I know we can,” he said.
Vice President Biden said that the Republican Party’s plans to restrict access to healthcare for women, slash Social Security, and ban books posed a threat to American freedom and condemned the party’s supporters as “MAGA extremists.” To “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) refers to the campaign slogan of Donald Trump, who is widely expected to be Biden’s Republican opponent in the upcoming November 2024 election.
While his economic record is marred by a 40-year high in inflation, Biden has presided over the lowest levels of unemployment since 1969 and secured billions in federal funds to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and for new infrastructure.
Due to his advanced age, Biden’s re-election effort is a historic and risky gamble for the Democratic Party, which is in the minority in the House and faces a difficult electoral map to win the Senate in 2024.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll published on April 19 found that Biden’s support rating remained unchanged at 39%, and that some Americans have serious concerns about his age: he would be 86 by the end of a potential second term, over a decade older than the average U.S. male life expectancy.
After a checkup in February, Biden was deemed “fit for duty” by doctors thanks to his sobriety and regular exercise (5 days a week). The White House believes his track record proves he has the requisite mental acuity for the position.
Biden’s 2024 campaign will have Kamala Harris as his running mate.
