OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez dodged a question from late-night host Stephen Colbert about whether a run for president is in her future after refusing to back President Joe Biden for reelection in 2024.
There are growing doubts among Democrats over whether Biden even ought to run again during the next presidential election cycle, due in large part to concerns about his age, health, and his handling of the sagging economy as well as other pertinent issues facing the country.
Colbert brought up those issues to the New York democratic socialist during a Tuesday evening appearance, adding that many in her own party are echoing similar concerns about Biden.
“You know, there’s some speculation as to whether President Biden is going to run in 2024. There’s some reports he’s a little frustrated that people keep asking, because he keeps on saying ‘yes,’ and people go, ‘Are you sure? Are you sure?'” Colbert remarked in reference to a New York Times report stating that Biden gets annoyed by such questions.
He went on to ask ‘AOC’ if she was interested in running for the White House herself.
“You know, I know somebody who is going to turn 35 about a month before the election in 2024, and they represent New York’s 14th. Is that job appealing to you at all?” he asked.
Fox News noted that Ocasio-Cortez “uncomfortably backed away” from the inquiry, responding with “I think that…” before Colbert interjected, “Theoretically.”
After appearing to shake her head “no,” the New Yorker insisted she was instead focused on protecting “democracy” for the time being.
“Listen, I think that we need to focus on keeping a democracy for anybody to be president in the next couple of years. And that’s my central focus is helping the people of this country right now,” she told Colbert.
But the late-night CBS host did not take that answer as a hard “no.”
“So it’s possible, it’s possible,” he offered before quipping that he was going to “get her in trouble.” Ocasio-Cortez dodged the question again, saying, “I don’t know about all of that,” as she went on to agree jokingly with Colbert that he was creating problems.
WATCH:
.@StephenAtHome to AOC: Can you please run for president in 2024? pic.twitter.com/Pr1qgkdWmZ
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) June 29, 2022
Earlier this month, Ocasio-Cortez raised some eyebrows when she patently refused to plainly and unequivocally state she would back Biden’s reelection on the CNN show “State of the Union.”
“I just want to ask about President Biden. He is saying he’s going to run again in 2024. Will you support him?” host Dana Bash said.
“You know, if the president chooses to run again in 2024 — I mean, first of all, I’m focused on winning this majority right now and preserving a majority this year in 2022,” the representative said.
“So we will cross that bridge when we get to it. But I think, if the president has a vision, then that’s something certainly we’re all willing to entertain and examine when the time comes,” she said.
“That’s not a yes,” the host said.
“Yes, I think we should endorse when we get to it,” the Bronx native said. “But I believe that the president has been doing a very good job so far. And should he run again, I think that — I think it’s — we will take a look at it. But, right now, we need to focus on winning a majority, instead of a presidential election,” she said.
WATCH:
"[Biden] is saying he's gonna run again in 2024. Will you support him?"
ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ: "We'll take a look at it. Ha ha ha." pic.twitter.com/ztJJe55vJv
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 12, 2022
She is not the only Democrat with reservations about Biden.
Democratic National Committee (DNC) member Steve Simeonidis, said that President Biden should step aside and allow someone else to take the reigns in the 2024 election.
“To say our country was on the right track would flagrantly depart from reality,” he said to The Times. “[Biden] should announce his intent not to seek re-election in ’24 right after the midterms.”
“Democrats need fresh, bold leadership for the 2024 presidential race,” Shelia Huggins, a DNC member from North Carolina said. “That can’t be Biden.”