Biden officially entered the race, but his age scares even supporters

On April 25, President Joe Biden officially announced his bid for re-election. He is starting a battle to convince the country that he deserves another four years in the White House and that his age won't hinder his ability to govern. CNN.

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In a video released early on April 25, Biden described next year's election as a fight against Republican extremism, implicitly arguing that he needs more time to fully realize his promise to restore national character.

“When I ran for president four years ago, I said we were fighting for the soul of America. And we are still alive,” he said in a video that began with images of the January 6, 2021 uprising and abortion rights activists protesting in front of the U.S. Supreme Court.

“The question we face is whether we will have more freedom or less freedom in the coming years. More rights or less, Biden says in voiceover. “I know what the answer should be, and I think you do too.” This is not the time to be complacent. That's why I'm running for re-election."

Biden's official statement marked the beginning of an election race that could turn into a rematch with Donald Trump.

A new presidential race has begun four years after Biden officially announced his bid for the 2020 election. Then it became a mission to restore the spirit of the country and to prevent Trump from being re-elected.

On the subject: All the same in the arena: Biden and Trump will again fight for the presidency of the United States

Biden's fourth and final presidential campaign will draw on similar themes. As in 2020, Biden appeals to the ideals of the nation, especially in light of the specter of Trump's return.

His promotional video warns against "MAGA extremists" who, he says, "dictate what health decisions women can make, ban books and tell people who they can love."

“Every generation of Americans has faced a moment when they had to defend democracy. Stand up for our personal freedoms. Stand up for the right to vote and our civil rights,” he says. “And this is our moment.”

But Biden's campaign will also be based on promoting the gains made in the first two years of his presidency. And this is his main argument that he needs more time to "finish the job".

“I know we can,” he says.

Age is a big minus

No serious Democratic challengers are expected to emerge, and Biden will likely have an easy path to his party's nomination. There are only two contenders in the race: writer Marianne Williamson and anti-vaccine activist and environmental lawyer Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Still, at 80, Biden is the country's oldest president. Polls have consistently reflected concerns about his age, even among Democrats. Most Americans — and even most Democrats — in recent polls have shown little enthusiasm for another Biden bid.

A range of upcoming challenges, from the ongoing war in Ukraine to a still uncertain economy, could thwart Biden's re-election. And now that power is divided in Washington, the GOP-controlled House of Representatives has largely dashed hopes for major legislative advances in the two years leading up to the 2024 vote.

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The President's tenure has so far been marked by the key triumphs of his grand political agenda. This includes funding during the Covid-19 pandemic, rebuilding national infrastructure, supporting domestic semiconductor chip manufacturing, and addressing climate change. And under Biden's leadership, the US has attempted to undo the legacy of Trump's nationalist diplomacy by returning to global agreements and strengthening partnerships with allies abandoned by his predecessor.

But broader national concerns added to Biden's problems.

There was a chaotic and deadly withdrawal from Afghanistan. Politics at the border. Fluctuations in energy prices. Mistakes with old allies. Supply chain issues and shortages of daily necessities and essentials such as Covid-19 tests, baby food and some medicines. Ongoing legal challenges to Biden's executive branch policies, such as student debt cancellations. And investigations into his family, which have accelerated under the GOP majority. And, of course, widespread inflation affects world markets and the purchasing power of Americans.

Biden will also face pressure in the coming months to negotiate with Republican lawmakers to raise the government's borrowing limit to avoid a catastrophic default, a prospect that is already causing concern amid a faltering economic recovery.

In last November's midterm elections, Biden's party was able to defy historical trends by taking a seat in the US Senate and averting a dramatic red wave in the House of Representatives. Biden has mostly won the sympathy of progressive Democrats through massive climate investments and moves to reduce student debt. But concerns, including from members of his party, remain about his ability to convince enough voters.

Campaigning

Biden's anticipated start to the campaign won't result in sudden changes to his day-to-day schedule as commander in chief, advisers say.

“He will just continue to work on schedule,” said one of Biden’s advisers.

Biden's video announcement will set off a frenzy to raise funds and build the infrastructure for re-election that Biden hopes will win him a second term. But that won't put Biden on a campaign trail in the near future. This is reminiscent of Obama's pre-election actions.

Obama held his first campaign rally in May 2012, 13 months after announcing his bid for a second term.

For now, Biden advisers have said the president does not intend to hold any campaign rallies until the Republicans have a presumptive nominee and the general election begins in earnest.

Biden will continue to use official White House events and travel outside of Washington to advertise his achievements, creating a contrast with the Republicans.

Democratic officials have drawn up tentative plans for Biden to begin an active fundraising schedule this summer. He is expected to meet with some of the big sponsors of his previous campaign in Washington this week.

Efforts to support the campaign intensified a few days before it was announced.

He named Julie Chavez Rodriguez, a senior White House official, as his campaign manager and Quentin Fulks, who ran the successful 2022 Georgia Senator Rafael Warnock run, as his deputy campaign manager.

While Rodriguez will formally manage the campaign, the effort will also be largely directed from the West Wing, with aides Anita Dunn, Jan O'Malley Dillon, Mike Donilon and Steve Ricchetti also starring.

He also named a list of campaign co-chairs, including Representatives Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware, Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, and Veronica Escobar of Texas; Senators Chris Koons of Delaware and Tammy Duckworth of Illinois; DreamWorks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

The headquarters is expected to be in Wilmington, Delaware, where Biden spends most of his weekends.

Biden has long said he plans to run again in 2024, but he has also often stressed that he respects fate and that he will have to consult with his family before making a decision. In October, he told Jake Tupper that he plans to consider running for re-election after the midterms.

Vice President Kamala Harris has repeatedly said she expects to be Biden's running mate if he runs for re-election.

Fighting Election Denial

Biden, a career politician with years of experience in Washington, entered his first term in 2021 amid protests and widespread election denial that have plagued him throughout his tenure. His 2020 presidential campaign was built on the belief that the election was a battle for the soul of the nation after four years of Trump's rule.

Having overcome a once-in-a-generation pandemic and taking office days after a historic act of public upheaval and violence in Washington, Biden faces two unique challenges in the 2024 campaign.

First, he, a former member of Congress elected to office as the sixth youngest U.S. senator in history, will be the first sitting octogenarian to ask the American public to renominate him for a term that ends when he turns 86.

In October, the president said voters concerned about his age should look at his record since taking office.

“Well, they're worried about whether I can do anything. Look what I did,” Biden said. “Name me a president in recent history who did as much as I did in his first two years.”

Biden may also face the prospect of running in the election with the same candidate as before.

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Trump, who was indicted in New York for business fraud and is still under investigation for his actions as president, will have to defy historic odds to regain the presidency. Grover Cleveland was the only US president to lose a presidential election and then regain the White House four years later. And so far, some Republicans have been lukewarm about Trump's presidential nomination, especially after Trump-backed candidates performed poorly in key midterm races last fall. Nevertheless, at this stage, Trump remains the clear leader among Republicans, well ahead of his rivals.

Biden said he thinks he can beat Trump again, but his bid does not allay recent fears from fellow Democrats unsure how he will handle another top Republican.

Some leading Democrats have privately said they fear it could lead to a more difficult 2024 campaign against a younger, fresher Republican.

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