The president pushed back on concerns over his age and “mental acuity”
FILE PHOTO: US President Joe Biden speaks during a meeting with state and local elected officials at the White House in Washington, DC, August 26, 2022. © AP / Evan Vucci
US President Joe Biden has said he has every intention to run for reelection in 2024, but argued it was “too early” to make any official announcements and that, for now, he would focus on his duties as commander in chief.
Speaking to CBS ‘60 Minutes’ in an interview on Sunday, Biden discussed his prospects for another presidential run.
“Look, if I were to say to you, ‘I’m running again,’ all of a sudden, a whole range of things come into play that I have – requirements I have to change and move and do. In terms of election laws,” he said, adding “It’s much too early to make that kind of decision.”
“My intention, as I said to begin with, is that I would run again. But it’s just an intention. But is it a firm decision that I run again? That remains to be seen,” the president continued.
Commenting on concerns about his old age and whether it might affect his fitness for office, Biden – who will turn 82 in 2024 and is currently the oldest president in US history – simply told critics “Watch me.”
“Honest to God, that’s all I think. Watch me. If you think I don’t have the energy level or the mental acuity, then, you know, that’s one thing. It’s another thing, you just watch and, you know, keep my schedule. Do what I’m doing,” he said, adding “I respect the fact that people would say, you know, ‘You’re old.’ But I think it relates to how much energy you have, and whether or not the job you’re doing is one consistent with what any person of any age would be able to do.”
Though some recent polls have indicated a slight boost in approval ratings for the president – with a recent NBC survey showing 45%, the highest since last October – overall public opinion on his job performance has steadily declined since he took office, according to Reuters / Ipsos polling, which showed a 54% disapproval rating among all voters as of last week.
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