Jill Biden confirmed on the 24th (local time) that her husband, US President Joe Biden, would seek re-election.
In an exclusive interview with the Associated Press that day, Mrs. Biden said that President Biden would run for re-election, saying, “There is little left to do other than choosing the time and place of the announcement.” The interview was conducted in Nairobi, Kenya, the second and final destination of the five-day trip to Africa.
He tried to instill confidence in the re-election challenge that President Biden had not yet officially declared.
He said, despite concerns that President Biden is too old to serve a second term, “(Husband) says he hasn’t done his job yet. He says he hasn’t finished what he started yet,” he said. “That’s important.” President Biden will be 86 when his second term ends.
Also, when asked if it would affect President Biden’s decision to run for re-election, he said, “Of course you will listen to me. Because we are a married couple,” he said, “he decides for himself. You can trust me,” he replied.
President Biden was asked about his wife’s remarks a few hours later.
In an exclusive interview with ABC Broadcasting, he laughed at a related question and replied, “There are other things to be done before starting a full-scale election campaign.”
President Biden’s aides said that he is likely to formalize his re-election challenge around April. It is the time when the fundraising ends in the first quarter, and former President Barack Obama also started his re-election campaign at this time.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Biden’s interview took place on the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Mrs. Biden recalled visiting Ukraine in May of last year. It was at this time that she met Olena Zelenska, visiting her school and spending time with her children.
Mrs. Biden said, “At that time, I did not know how long (the war) would last. And it’s already been a year,” he said. “We see damage, violence, and fear on TV every day. We all want this war to end quickly,” she said, wishing for peace. As for the people of Ukraine, she cheered, “they are fighting for their country,” and she is “very strong and resilient.”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.