Pushing back on speculation that President Biden will bow out of the 2024 presidential race due to his advanced age, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Monday that he has “every intention for running for reelection.”
In response to a question about the internal discussions within the Democratic camp regarding the game plan for 2024, Psaki deflected before confirming Biden’s reelection bid.
”We’re focused right now on what the American people elected the president to do just over a year ago, which is to get COVID under control, to put people back to work, and to help give people some breathing room. And we hope other people keep their focus on that as well,” Psaki said. “The president has every intention of running for reelection.”
Pundits across the political spectrum have argued that Biden’s repeated verbal blunders may be evidence of a broader cognitive decline. Nearly half of voters, as of November, have questioned Biden’s mental fitness, according to poll conducted by Politico/Morning Consult.
Similarly, in September, a majority of Americans concluded that Biden is not “mentally sharp,” according to a Pew Research Center poll.
In March, Biden told reporters that he planned to run for reelection, despite being 78 years old. If he were to secure a second term, he would be 86 years old at its end.
“My plan is to run for reelection. That’s my expectation,” Biden said.
Last month, Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy, at 81, announced that he would be retiring from the chamber to “pass the torch” to somebody younger. Biden would be launching his reelection campaign at the same age as Leahy.
Biden’s approval rating has steadily decreased in recent months, due largely to the defection of independents disgruntled with his mismanagement of COVID, immigration, inflation, and the economy.