OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
A testy President Joe Biden didn’t like a question thrown at him by a reporter late Friday regarding his plans to run again in 2024.
Biden’s terse response came as he prepared to leave Ireland West Airport Knock before boarding Air Force One and heading back to his home in Rehoboth Beach, Del.
Reporters repeatedly asked him about his 2024 plans, saying before he departed for Ireland, he’d “already made that calculus” on whether he planned to seek reelection, adding he would make the announcement “relatively soon,” Fox News Digital reported.
“Do you know whether the last few days have changed your calculus on when you’ll make an announcement on your plans for 2024,” a reporter asked.
“No, no, no, no. I’ve already made that calculus. We’ll announce it relatively soon,” Biden snapped in reply. “But the trip here just reinforced my sense of optimism about what can be done.”
“So you’ve made a decision,” the reporter pressed.
In a somewhat frustrated tone, Biden responded: “I told you my plan is to run again.”
Biden’s recent statement coincides with remarks made previously by the White House and First Lady Jill Biden. In February, Jill Biden mentioned that her husband is “pretty much” prepared to announce his candidacy for re-election, the news outlet continued.
“He says he’s not done,” Jill Biden told the AP during a visit to Nairobi. “He’s not finished what he’s started. And that’s what’s important.”
And, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has responded similarly, telling MSNBC in February that the president “intends to run” again in 2024.
During an appearance on “The Sunday Show” with host Jonathan Capehart, Jean-Pierre was asked if an official announcement regarding a Biden-Harris 2024 ticket would be made soon. She was evasive, however, citing the limitations imposed by the HATCH Act on discussing politics. But, she noted, “What I can say is repeat what the president has said many times is that he intends to run. And I leave it there.”
While Biden continues to delay his formal reelection announcement, he has picked up a couple of challengers for the 2024 Democratic nomination, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Marianne Williamson, both of whom are considered to be long shots. However, another name has emerged recently — California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has been touring the country in recent weeks.
If Biden does ultimately decide to run again, it won’t be a popular decision among Democratic voters.
In March, a Yahoo News/YouGov poll found that a majority of registered voters believe Biden is “too old for another term” in office. Almost seven out of 10 voters (68%) admitted that the 80-year-old president’s age is a problem for them.
The poll showed that more Democrats agree rather than disagree with that assessment. Roughly 48% of Democrat voters said Biden’s age is an issue, with just 34% saying the president’s age was not a concern for them.
The New York Post detailed more of the findings from the poll: “Eighteen percent of Democrats polled were not sure if Biden was too old for another term. Already the oldest president in US history, Biden would be 86 by the end of his second term if he were to win re-election in 2024. A majority of independents, 71%, also said that age 82 was too old to start a second term as president, which is how old Biden would be on his second Inauguration Day. Biden has not formally declared that he will run for a second term, but he has said on several occasions that he intends to seek re-election.”
In early February, an AP-NORC poll found that Biden only has support from 37 percent of Democrats for a second term. Prior to the midterms last November, the same poll found that 52 percent wanted Biden to run again in 2024.
“While Biden has trumpeted his legislative victories and ability to govern, the poll suggests relatively few U.S. adults give him high marks on either. Follow-up interviews with poll respondents suggest that many believe the 80-year-old’s age is a liability, with people focused on his coughing, his gait, his gaffes, and the possibility that the world’s most stressful job would be better suited for someone younger,” the Associated Press reported.
