“I have no idea,” President Joe Biden said when asked Thursday if there would be a difference between running against former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
He was questioned by Mexican anchor Julio Vaqueiro, who attempted to press a bit after the president’s noncommittal response regarding two names frequently touted as top 2024 Republican challengers.
“I’m serious. I have no idea,” Biden insisted. But Vaqueiro continued: Would there be a difference given the polarization of the country that Biden frequently refers to?
“No, I don’t think so,” was the response. “Because I think that they have a similar modus operandi — a similar way in which they work.
“But I really don’t know,” Biden continued, adding, “I’ve never decided to run or not run based on who the opponent will be.”
Biden’s mental acuity may be questionable these days, but the instincts and experience of the old pol remain. He and his advisers probably have a good idea of the Republican they would prefer as an opponent.
But they ain’t sayin’.
Also, the issue may not be who Biden’s Republican challenger will be, but whether Biden himself will even be on the ticket.
Four months ago, he told “60 Minutes” that it was his intention to run but that it was too early for him to make that decision. He hinted that the results of the midterm elections would help him decide.
After the midterms — which, instead of the expected Republican blowout, ended essentially in a stalemate — Biden reiterated that he had always intended to run for re-election.
But Biden revealed something more in a joke he made. It was after noting that both he and his wife were making the decision as to his running again.
“She’s a hell of a lot more popular than I am in the Democratic Party, too.”
What did he say? Is he admitting he has problems with his own party?
There are storm clouds gathering for the president.
After all, despite the statements made Tuesday in his State of the Union address, it’s hard to hide the realities of the suffering economy, growing crime, and even the embarrassment of a Chinese balloon violating U.S. airspace.
The Washington Post recently published an Op-Ed listing many of Biden’s lies. That’s surprising, the Post being one of the unofficial public relations arms of the Democratic Party and a defender of its agendas.
And a recent poll showed only 37 percent of Democratic voters want him to run for re-election.
One of the issues is, of course, his age.
Vaqueiro addressed that problem in the Thursday interview.
“You’ve said now multiple times that you have an intention to run for re-election,” Vaqueiro said. “But you haven’t made that decision yet. What’s stopping you from making that decision?”
“I’m just not ready to make it,” Biden responded.
“There’s no motive behind that?” Vaqueiro asked.
“No.”
“How do you win Democrats again?” Vaqueiro asked. “Many of them are concerned about your age.”
“Well, that’s not what I hear,” Biden said. “Look, do you know any polling that’s accurate these days?”
Meanwhile, another friend of Democrats, CNN, published poll results indicating that approval of the State of the Union speech was the lowest since the Bill Clinton sex scandal years.
But back to the other side. Who might be the Republican nominee?
Trump has edged DeSantis in some polling. On the other hand, some polling has favored DeSantis. And who knows what might happen with other Republicans who decide to run?
Of course, it’s not about polling, as Biden indicated. The real determinations are made on Election Day.
Oh, wait.
There are those other things — some election anomalies that need to be resolved as we go forward.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
