Biden Team Wants Everything to Point to Another Run

Advisers have no doubt about reelection campaign if Trump is the opponent
By Bob Cronin,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 17, 2022 5:35 PM CDT
Biden Team Wants Everything to Point to Another Run
First lady Jill Biden listens as President Biden talks to reporters Friday before boarding Marine One outside the White House.   (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

It's not entirely clear that President Biden will run for reelection in 2024, but it's clear that his advisers want it to look that way. The Biden team is taking steps to head off talk of Democrats finding another candidate by portraying the president and his organization as moving toward another campaign, the Washington Post reports. The advisers want that message to be particularly unambiguous if the Republican nominee turns out to be former President Trump. On the other hand, if Trump isn't on the ticket, Democrats could pressure Biden to drop out, party regulars say.

A reelection announcement next spring is under consideration by the Biden team, which would be similar to the timing of former President Barack Obama's reelection campaign launch. There's been no movement to announce sooner, though possible candidates don't want to wait for the president's decision, with some saying Biden should declare after this year's midterm elections. Advisers want everyone to notice that Democratic organizations in battleground states are being built up and funded in anticipation of the 2024 race. And as Biden's team wishes, the Democratic National Committee won't set up a debate schedule for prospective candidates.

Biden also has left little room for debate about his candidacy even among his advisers by insisting privately, as well as publicly, that he's in, per the Post. "If Trump is going to run, there is no question Biden is running, and he would probably run regardless," said Greg Schultz, who was his first campaign manager last time. Despite Biden's dismal poll numbers overall, he does well on questions of character, and Democrats point to successes such as low unemployment and high job creation. Former Sen. Chris Dodd said his conversations with Biden indicate he'll run. "He has beaten this guy Trump once, and I think he beats him again if Trump is a candidate," Dodd said. In addition, Biden supporters contend, there's no reason to think any other Democratic nominee would do better. (More President Biden stories.)

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