WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden moved closer than ever to announcing on Thursday that he will seek a second term in 2024, but stopped short of setting a launch date for his widely anticipated re-election campaign. Stopped.
Asked during a brief exchange with reporters when he would announce he was running again, Biden teased with a smile: “When I announce it.”
The president was speaking in the hallways of Congress, where he was meeting with senators from his Democratic Party.
The 80-year-old leader and his colleagues have made it clear that barring any major surprises, the question is no longer whether he will seek re-election, but when he will announce his candidacy.
If history is any indication, the announcement could be next month: Barack Obama and Bill Clinton both announced re-election bids in April, while George W. Bush went for May.
In his push to woo voters, Biden will rely on his economic and social records, as well as his contrasts with former President Donald Trump, who is already in the race for the Republican nomination.
Biden is likely also taking into account the fact that most US presidents run for a second term and are often unsuccessful.
However, his old age is one of the main concerns of voters.
Biden, who is healthy according to his latest medical examination, is already the oldest president-elect and would leave the White House at age 86 if re-elected.
