The oldest US president ever is up for re-election – and once again has to explain why a man over 80 should do one of the toughest jobs in the world.
US President Joe Biden has dismissed doubts that his age would make him unsuitable for another term. “I’ve gained a hell of a lot of wisdom. I know more than the vast majority of people,” said the 80-year-old in an interview with MSNBC television broadcast last night (local time). “I have more experience than anyone who has ever run for this post. And I think I’ve proven that I’m both honorable and effective.”
Grandfather of seven and political veteran
Biden entered the White House in 2021 as the oldest president of all time. At the end of April, the Democrat announced that he wanted to run for a second term in next year’s presidential election. Biden will be 81 when elected in a year and a half, and he would be 86 at the end of a possible second term.
The grandfather of seven 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.
Confusion about press conference
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. It was only on Friday that Biden received malice because he announced a “big press conference” during an appearance in the White House for the afternoon and thus caused 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.
Predecessor Trump as a challenger
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. In the case of the Democrats, on the other hand, Biden, as incumbent, is unlikely to have any serious competition. In order to actually run as his party’s official candidate, Biden has to be confirmed in internal party primaries.
With Harris by his side
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. In the election campaign, Biden’s team should therefore also be interested in polishing up their external image.
Biden’s first campaign video, with which the Democrat publicized his re-election ambitions, already offered a foretaste of this: Harris was given a lot of space in it. When asked about this, Biden said in the interview with MSNBC: “I just think that Vice President Harris didn’t get the recognition she deserved.” She was “really very, very good” and didn’t get the attention she deserved.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
