Former Vice President Joe Biden’s team is pushing back on a report stating that if he wins in 2020, he will not run for reelection in 2024.
According to Politico, Biden has indicated to top advisers that he would not run for reelection in 2024 but is trying to avoid publicly pledging he will only serve one term in the White House.
Democratic presidential candidate former U.S. Vice president Joe Biden campaigns at a VFW Hall December 7, 2019 in Oelwein, Iowa. Former Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry recently announced his endorsement of Biden with the Iowa caucuses less than two months away. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
“If Biden is elected,” one of four advisers Politico spoke to said of the issue, “He’s going to be 82 years old in four years and he won’t be running for reelection.”
The adviser argued that though several campaign members look at 2020 as a potential crowning of “the next generation of leaders,” he would be “willing” to “wait four years to get rid of [President Donald] Trump.”
A second adviser stated that Biden views a potential running mate as someone he “can turn things over to after four years.” (RELATED: John Kerry Suggests Republicans Are Doing To Biden What They Did To Him In 2004)
Democratic presidential candidate former U.S. Vice president Joe Biden greets Iowa voters after speaking at a campaign event December 6, 2019 in Elkader, Iowa. Former Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry announced his endorsement of Biden yesterday with the Iowa caucuses less than two months away. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
According to the report, the Biden team is reportedly worried about how a single-term pledge would hamper his efficacy in office.
Back in October, he flatly told the Associated Press he wouldn’t commit to a one-term pledge, but wasn’t married to seeking a second term.
Biden’s communications director, Kate Bedingfield, tweeted Wednesday morning that “this is not a conversation our campaign is having and not something VP Biden is thinking about.”
Lots of chatter out there on this so just want to be crystal clear: this is not a conversation our campaign is having and not something VP Biden is thinking about. https://t.co/mXNEnX6GrU
— Kate Bedingfield (@KBeds) December 11, 2019
Despite a recent surge from South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg — not to mention Biden’s miniature freakout on an Iowa voter — the former vice president is still the frontrunner in Real Clear Politics national polling average.
