The 80 -year -old Democratic President said on Friday in an interview with ABC News that he wanted to be a candidate for his succession in 2024 but that “there are too many other things [to] finish in the short term Before [he] begins to campaign “.
mo12345lemonde with AFP
He is the oldest in -office president, and it is an angle of attack privileged by his republican opponents who wish to dislodge him from the White House in 2024. Joe Biden confirmed, however, Friday, February 24 , that he intended to announce his candidacy for a second term, but not immediately.
“My intention has been … has since started to introduce myself,” he said in an interview with the ABC News channel. His wife, Jill Biden, said earlier this day at the Associated Press news agency that only had to decide on the place and the date of an advertising announcement.
Questioned on this interview, Joe Biden, 80, launched a mind trait without confirming or delaying. He said, however, that he was not in a hurry, believing that “there are too many other things [to] finish in the short term before [he] begins to campaign”, in reference to reforms in lessons that were undertaken by his administration.
“legitimate” questions about his age
The question of whether his age had influenced his decision to present himself or not, he replied: “No. But it is legitimate that people ask questions about my age. It is completely legitimate . “” All I can say is: “Pay attention to what I do” “, he added, seeming to allude to the results of his first two years of mandate.
Joe Biden would end a possible second term at the age of 86. A medical examination conducted last week concluded that he was “vigorous” and “fit” to fulfill his functions.
The age and physical state of the Democratic President in practice remain, however, a privileged and regular angle of attack of his Republican adversaries, in the forefront of which Donald Trump, however aged 76, in the running to resume his place At the White House.
The other declared republican candidate, Nikki Haley, 51, made an electoral argument from a very young age as soon as he launched in the campaign. “If you are tired of losing, place your confidence in a new generation,” she said. With the impertinent proposal the implementation of “compulsory tests of mental competence for politicians over 75”. If they were elected to the White House in 2024, Joe Biden and Donald Trump would respectively 82 and 78 years old.