President Joe Biden has been “irked” by Democrats continuing to make moves ahead of the 2024 presidential race even though he repeatedly said he would seek reelection, The New York Times reports.
Biden and his top aides have been “stung” by repeated questions about his plans and “irritated at what they see as a lack of respect from their party and the press,” according to the report.
Biden plans to run even though he will be nearly 82, aides told the outlet, and insisted that he also intends to build up resources for the Democratic National Committee to help party members nationwide.
Biden’s advisers compared the trend to 2020, when some Democrats dismissed him as too old and too moderate.
“Too many people in our party look at the glass as half-empty as opposed to the glass as half-full,” former Biden adviser Cedric Richmond told the Times, accusing other Democrats of “putting too much into these polling numbers.”
Biden’s approval rating is below 40%.
Some Dems making moves:
Some Democrats are already making moves ahead of potential 2024 bids.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker recently traveled to New Hampshire, the first-in-the-nation primary state.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has also repeatedly criticized party leaders for not doing enough to confront Republicans.
But Biden’s aides told the Times Pritzker reassured him he won’t run if Biden does and Newsom is in frequent contact with the West Wing.
When Sen. Bernie Sanders announced he would not launch a primary challenge to Biden, the president invited him to the White House for dinner the next night, according to the report.
Some Dems hope he goes:
Some Democrats have publicly called for Biden to make way for someone else.
South Carolina gubernatorial candidate Joe Cunningham told CNN that Biden should give up the nomination to a “new generation of leadership.”
But others have defended Biden, noting that he was already able to defeat Trump and the former president, who is likely to run again, will also be pushing 80 in 2024.
