President Joe Biden formally announced his bid for reelection Tuesday, setting off a battle to convince the country his record merits another four years in the White House.
He also said that his age won’t impede his ability to govern. Biden, 80, is already the oldest president in US history and is likely to face questions about his age throughout the campaign. He would be 86 after finishing a second full term in 2029.
In a video released early Tuesday, Biden framed next year’s contest as a fight against Republican extremism, implicitly arguing he needed more time to fully realize his vow to restore the nation’s character.
“When I ran for president four years ago, I said we are in a battle for the soul of America. And we still are,” he said in the video, which opened with images of the January 6, 2021, insurrection and abortion rights activists protesting at the US Supreme Court.
“The question we are facing is whether in the years ahead we have more freedom or less freedom. More rights or fewer,” Biden says in voiceover narration.
“I know what I want the answer to be and I think you do too. This is not a time to be complacent. That’s why I’m running for reelection.”
Biden’s reelection bid could lead to a rematch with Trump
CNN reports that Biden’s official declaration ends any lingering doubts about his intentions, and begins a contest that could evolve into a rematch with his 2020 rival, former President Donald Trump.
It adds, that he enters the race with a significant legislative record but low approval ratings, a conundrum his advisers have so far been unable to solve. Already the oldest president in history, he also confronts persistent questions about his age.
As yet Biden has no major challengers for the Democratic nomination, meaning a smooth path to the candidacy is almost certain.
The launch comes four years to the day since Biden made his 2020 bid official. That race became a mission to restore the country’s character and prevent Trump from achieving a second term.
Trump has already launched his bid for the presidency, raising the prospect that both men will face each other again on 5 November 2024. They are considered favorites to win their nominations although Trump faces competition from the likes of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
“You could take the five worst presidents in American history, and put them together, and they would not have done the damage Joe Biden has done,” Trump said in a statement on Monday night.
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