President Joe Biden nearly lost his composure when a reporter recently asked him whether he will seek reelection in 2024.
The encounter was caught on film. The RNC Research account posted the footage to its Twitter page. Take a look:
Q: Did the Ireland trip change your "calculus" on announcing your re-election?
Biden: "I’ve already made that calculus. We’ll announce it relatively soon."
Q: "So you’ve made a decision, you just have to announce it?"
Biden: "I told you — my plan is to run again." pic.twitter.com/xo4nW6g16P
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 15, 2023
The incident, according to Fox News, took place on Friday evening. Biden, in the video, is speaking to reporters at the Ireland West Airport Knock just before he is about to board Air Force One to make the trip to his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
One of the reporters on hand decided to ask Biden about 2024. The reporter began, "Do you know whether the last few days have changed your calculus on when you’ll make an announcement on your plans for 2024?"
"No, no, no, no," Biden calmly replied. "I’ve already made that calculus. We’ll announce it relatively soon. But, the trip here just reinforced my sense of optimism about what can be done."
The reporter took this response as an opportunity to ask the 2024 question that has not adequately been answered. "So you’ve made a decision?” the reporter asked.
Here, Biden's tone changes. He almost loses complete control, as we have seen many times in the past. But, on this particular occasion, Biden settled for a tone of annoyance.
"I told you, my plan is to run again!" Biden replied.
Biden and the White House have indeed stated that Biden will seek reelection in 2024. But, Biden and the White House, at times, have also answered the 2024 question in such a way as to leave doubt in the minds of many about whether Biden actually will run.
That Biden has delayed his 0fficial 2024 announcement for this long, in itself, has raised eyebrows. The fact of the matter is that Biden told the American public that he was going to make the announcement months ago, but it still hasn't happened. And, the question is "Why?"
The answer is unclear. But, the polls have shown that Biden does not seem to have the full support of Democratic voters, and that's for several reasons, including his age.
We'll see if Biden really does make his 2024 announcement "relatively soon."
In the meantime, on the Democratic side, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Marianne Williamson have already announced their 2024 presidential candidacies.