Media questions Biden 2024 run as Democrats distance themselves from president
Media speculation about Biden's ability to run in 2024 mirrors Democrats who have expressed concern over his age and low approval numbers.
President Biden is annoyed by the questions surrounding him running again in 2024, according to a New York Times report, which noted that he and top aides see the speculation as "a lack of respect from their party and the press."
"Several said the president and his inner circle were confounded by Democrats’ discussions about a Plan B when the one person who has defeated Donald J. Trump has made clear he intends to run again," the Times noted.
The president reportedly told his aides that he's experiencing a replay of when other members of his party expressed some level of doubt about his age and abilities.
The New York Times reported recently that several Democrats had expressed concern about the president's leadership ability heading into 2024 as Americans face high gas prices and skyrocketing inflation.
President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the recent mass shootings from the White House on June 2, 2022. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
The outlet reported that the president "blames the same doubters for the current round of questioning."
Critics believe Biden "doesn’t have the temperament for partisan combat," according to the New York Times.
Cedric Richmond told the outlet that "a wing" of the Democratic Party "wanted a different candidate" and that he was "sure they’d love to have their candidate back in the mix again."
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez departs after a meeting between President Joe Biden and Democratic lawmakers at the U.S. Capitol on Oct. 1, 2021. (Reuters/Leah Millis)
Some lawmakers have found that adding to Biden's 2024 speculation could help them stand out, according to the New York Times.
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Joe Cunningham, a Democratic gubernatorial candidate in South Carolina who is running against Gov. Henry McMaster, told CNN that the president should leave the Democratic nomination "to a new generation of leadership," the outlet noted.
"Mr. Biden’s top advisers reject the idea that an open primary would deliver Democrats a stronger standard-bearer. They fear his retirement would set off a sprint to the left. What’s more, while Vice President Kamala Harris would most likely garner substantial support, she’s unlikely to clear the field, leading to a messy race that could widen the party’s divisions on issues of race, gender and ideology," the New York Times reported.
President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and Iron Workers Local 86 political director Heather Kurtenbach arrive for the signing of the infrastructure bill at the White House on Nov. 15, 2021. (Reuters/Jonathan Ernst)
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The Biden administration has said that the president intends to run again. Vice President Kamala Harris said Monday during an interview with CNN that the president would be seeking re-election in 2024 and said that she would be his "ticket mate."