“I have no idea,” President Joe Biden said Thursday 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 Vaquero, who tried to put some pressure after the president’s non-committal response to two names often mentioned as the top Republican challengers in 2024.
“I’m serious. I have no idea,” Biden insisted. But Vaquero continued: Will it make a difference because of the polarization of the country that Biden often mentions?
“No, I don’t think so,” was the response. “Because I think they have a similar approach — the same way they work.
“But I don’t really know,” Biden continued, “I never decide to run or not to run based on who the opponent is going to be.”
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Biden’s mental acuity may be in question these days, but the instincts and experience of the old poll remain. He and his advisers probably have a good idea of which Republican they’ll prefer as an opponent.
But they are not saying.
Also, it may not be who Biden’s Republican challenger will be, but whether Biden himself will be on the ticket.
Four months ago, he told “60 Minutes” that was his intention to run, but that it was too early for him to make that decision. He indicated that the results of the mid-term elections would help him decide.
After the midterms — which largely ended in a stalemate rather than the expected Republican push — Biden reiterated that he always intended to run for re-election.
But Biden revealed more in a joke he made. After noticing that both he and his wife are deciding to run again.
“He’s also much more popular in the Democratic Party than I am.”
What did he say? Is he admitting to having problems with his own team?
Storm clouds are gathering for the president.
After all, despite his statement in his State of the Union address on Tuesday, it’s hard to hide the reality of a struggling economy, rising crime and even the embarrassment of a Chinese balloon violating US airspace.
The Washington Post recently published an op-ed listing many of Biden’s lies. It’s surprising, given that the Post is an unofficial PR weapon of the Democratic Party and a champion of its agenda.
And a recent poll found only 37 percent of Democratic voters want him to run for re-election.
One thing of course is his age.
Vaquero addressed that issue in Thursday’s interview.
“You’ve said multiple times now that you intend to run for re-election,” Vaquero said. “But you haven’t made that decision yet. What is preventing you from making this decision?”
“I’m not ready to make it,” Biden responded.
“There’s no purpose behind it?” Vaquero asked.
“No.”
“How do you win the Democrats back?” Vaquero asked. “A lot of them are concerned about your age.”
“Well, that’s not what I’m hearing,” Biden said. “Look, do you know any accurate polling these days?”
Meanwhile, another friend of the Democrats, CNN, released poll results indicating that approval of the State of the Union speech was at its lowest since Bill Clinton’s sex scandal years.
But back to the other side. Who could be the Republican nominee?
Trump leads DeSantis in some polls. On the other hand, some polls went in favor of DeSantis. And who knows what might happen to other Republicans who decide to run?
Of course, it’s not about polling, as Biden has indicated. The actual decision is made on election day.
Wait.
There are other issues – some electoral inconsistencies that need to be addressed as we move forward.
This article was originally published in the Western Journal.