President Joe Biden told donors in Weston, Massachusetts, Tuesday that if former President Donald Trump were not running for reelection in 2024, he would probably not seek another four years.
Biden suggested in 2019 that he would not run for reelection if he won the 2020 election, but according to his Tuesday remarks, it seems Biden believes he is the only Democrat who can defeat Trump.
“If Trump wasn’t running, I’m not sure I’d be running,” Biden said, adding that Democrats “cannot let him [Trump] win.”
Biden also tried to claim that Trump’s 2024 agenda, such as curtailing the administrative state or cutting red tape to energy independence, is dangerous.
“Trump’s not even hiding the ball anymore. He’s telling us what he’s going to do. He’s making no bones about it,” Biden said, CNN reported.
Many Democrats and members of the establishment warned Democrat Party officials that Biden might not be the best Democrat to face Trump, citing his age and falling polling numbers:
- David Axelrod: “If he continues to run, he will be the nominee of the Democratic Party. What he needs to decide is whether that is wise, whether it’s in HIS best interest or the country’s.”
- Bill Kristol: “President Biden has served our country well. I’m confident he’ll do so for the next year. But it’s time for an act of personal sacrifice and public spirit. It’s time to pass the torch to the next generation.”
Polling shows Trump leading Biden:
- Bloomberg News/Morning Consult: Trump leads Biden in six of seven crucial swing states
- CNN: Trump leads Biden by three points among “men of color” voters
- CNN: Trump expanded his leads over Biden
- YouGov: Trump edged out Biden in a head-to-head matchup
Follow Wendell Husebø on “X” @WendellHusebø. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality.