President Biden He admitted concerns about his age and discussed his legacy in an interview with USA Today in the Oval Office. He still claims he would have won another term if he were to run against Donald Trump but admits he's not sure if he can last another four years.
“Do you think you had enough strength to stay in office for another four years?” USA Today's Susan Page asked.
“I don't know,” Biden said. “That's why I thought when I first announced it, when I talked to Barack (Obama) about it, I said I thought I was the right person. And I had no intention of running after (my son) Beau died — this is real, not a joke. Then when he “Trump is running again for re-election, and I really thought I had the best chance of beating him.”
Biden added: “But I was not looking to become president when I was 85 years old, 86 years old. So I talked about passing the baton,” which reflects concerns about his age, especially before he withdrew from the election. Presidential race.
Obama ignores Biden's 'stubborn old man' and 'weak' in January. 6 Editorial
President Biden acknowledged concerns about his age and discussed his legacy in a new interview. (Getty Images)
numerous Media reportsincluding from The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, featured interviews with current and former White House staffers who expressed serious doubts about the 82-year-old Biden's stamina.
“But I don’t know,” the president continued. “Who knows? So far, so good. But who knows what I'll be like when I'm 86?”
The president's words seemed like a stark admission, despite his repetition Claims before withdrawal Because he was in good shape, he recognized his limitations as the oldest president in American history.
Biden again said he believed it Trump could have been defeated In the rematch. The president announced he was leaving the race after his poor debate performance against him in June, which exposed epistemological issues that many of his supporters had denied or defended. He ultimately endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, who lost the general election.
President Biden spoke with USA Today in a wide-ranging interview before leaving office. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
Biden's comments came in the context of a discussion about his legacy as president.
“So I hope that history will say that I came and I had a plan for how to restore the economy and reestablish America's leadership in the world,” the president said. “That was my hope.”
Biden said that one of the features of his era is his experience with world leaders and with historical changes in different regions of the world.
“And I think the only advantage of being an old man is that I've known every major world leader for a long time,” Biden said.
“So I had a point of view about each one of them and their interests,” he continued. “So I think it's helped me navigate some of the fundamental changes that are happening, whether it's in Europe, whether it's in Latin America, whether it's in the world. The Middle Eastin the Far East. And anyway, that's what I hope anyway, that I'll be seen in that context.”
WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 24: US President Joe Biden speaks briefly with reporters as he leaves the White House on October 24, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) (Chip Somodevilla)
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