US President Joe Biden has refused to say whether he will run for re-election in 2024.
“Sir, are you determined to run again, or are there certain conditions that must be met?” In an interview published on Sunday, September 18, CBS 60 Minutes host Pelley inquired.
“Look, if I were to tell you that I’m running again, all of a sudden, a whole range of things come into play—requirements that I have to change, move, and do,” Mr. Biden said.
“In terms of election legislation. and it’s far too early to make such a decision. I have a high regard for fate. So what I’m doing is just doing my job. I’m going to do it. And make a decision on what to do within the timeframe that makes sense after this next election cycle here, going into next year.”
“You say it’s far too early to make that decision,” Pelley responded. “I assume you didn’t make the decision in your head?”
“Look, as I said before, my intention is to run again,” the president said. “However, it is only a wish. But am I certain I want to run again? That is yet to be determined.”
President Biden stated that he hopes to keep control of the House and Senate in the November midterm elections. Polls show that less than half of the country approves of the job he’s done.
Pelley questioned Biden on why he believes his numbers are so low.
“This is a very difficult period. We’ve reached a watershed moment in this country’s history “Biden stated.
“We’re going to make decisions, and we’re making them right now, that will determine what we’ll look like in ten years. I believe you’d agree that the pandemic has had a significant psychological impact on the American people. Consider how that has altered everything. People’s attitudes toward themselves, their families, the state of the nation, and the state of their communities, you know. As a result, there’s a lot of uncertainty out there, a lot of uncertainty. We also lost a million people. COVID attracts a million people. Only 2 million people had been vaccinated when I took office, when I was elected. I got 220 million, but the point is that it takes time. We were put in an extremely difficult situation. It’s been a very trying time. It’s extremely difficult.”
Biden is the country’s oldest commander-in-chief in its history. When Pelley questioned Biden about his fitness for the job, he responded:
“Take notice of me. And, to be honest, that’s all I can think of. Take note,”
“If you think I don’t have the energy or mental acuity, that’s one thing. It’s another thing; you just keep an eye on things and, you know, stick to my schedule. Follow my lead. I don’t think— when I sit down with our NATO allies and keep them together, I don’t have them asking, ‘Wait a minute, how— how old are you?’”
“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 that any person of any age would be able to do,” the president continued.
“How would you describe your mental focus?” Pelley inquired.
“Oh, it’s concentrated. I’d say it’s— I believe it’s— I haven’t— look, I have difficulty even mentioning, even saying to myself, in my own head, the number of years, “Mr. Biden stated “I don’t think of myself as being as old as I am. I mean, it’s just not— I haven’t noticed anything— there aren’t things I don’t do now that I did before, whether it’s physical, mental, or anything else.”
