Ryan Lizza is reporting for Politico that four anonymous sources “who regularly talk to” Joe Biden are saying that, if elected, he’ll only serve one term because of his age:
New @RyanLizza scoop: It is virtually inconceivable that he would run for re-election in 2024, when he would be the first octogenarian president, according to four people who regularly talk to Biden. https://t.co/TRyPvozmsS via @politico
— Carrie Budoff Brown (@cbudoffbrown) December 11, 2019
In other words, they’re admitting he’s too old for the job:
I assume you mean on purpose.. but does America really want an 86 yr old POTUS? (Age @JoeBiden would be at the end of a second term).
Ps: he can’t even remember his potential VP nominees now! https://t.co/JLWxfOzoqx— Eric Bolling?? (@ericbolling) December 11, 2019
Biden is himself not dumb enough to say this in public, however:
Top Biden adviser: “He’s going into this thinking, ‘I want to find a running mate I can turn things over to after four years but if that’s not possible or doesn’t happen then I’ll run for re-election.’ But he’s not going to publicly make a 1-term pledge.” https://t.co/tAUxKBh4o1
— Ryan Lizza (@RyanLizza) December 11, 2019
But, apparently his advisers sure are. Why say this part out loud when we all know Biden’s age WILL be an issue if he’s the nominee?
I think it is insanity to even hint at this, even if it’s true. Telling your co-partisans they’ll have to run in four years without the benefit of incumbency is supposed to help you? https://t.co/4mOwReN0cW
— Josh Barro (@jbarro) December 11, 2019
Not only does this admit that Biden is too old, it makes Biden a lame duck from the start (if he wins):
the "Biden will serve one term" idea keeps coming back because a few people in his orbit like the political jujitsu feeling of it — but the core issue is that Biden himself doesn't want to be written off as too old, and doesn't think the politics work to come in as a lame duck
— Edward-Isaac Dovere (@IsaacDovere) December 11, 2019
But this does make his VP choice more important, and maybe that’s the goal?
If Biden intends to not run for re-election in 2024, it feels even more imperative for him to say soon who he'd pick as his VP—because that one choice would be likely to also decide who starts as the front-runner just 4 years from now.
— Taniel (@Taniel) December 11, 2019
If the other 2020 candidates really want the nomination, they’d pounce on this:
If Biden doesn’t really want to be president he can always drop out and endorse someone else. This is some extreme beltway pundititis https://t.co/P44xt4KdPD
— Adam Serwer? (@AdamSerwer) December 11, 2019
But since they’re all angling to be Joe’s VP, we expect they’ll stay silent . . for now.
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