President Joe Biden said at a fundraiser on Tuesday that he’s “not sure” he would be running for a second term if Donald Trump weren’t trying to reclaim the White House.
“If Trump wasn’t running, I’m not sure I’d be running,” Biden told attendees at a fundraiser.
“A stunning admission by President Biden,” CNN’s Jake Tapper said on The Lead. “He now says if Donald Trump was not running for president in 2024, he’s ‘not sure’ that he would also be in the race. Those comments today at a fundraiser in Boston.”
Tapper welcomed CNN political director David Chalian, who said Biden “tends to reveal his inner-most thoughts” when he’s behind closed doors.
“What we’re seeing here is a real, clearly defined rationale for Biden pursuing reelection despite his current political standing, which is not that great in the polls, obviously, the conversation about his age, and concern among Democrats if he is the best candidate to put forward,” Chalian said, continuing:
What Joe Biden is making clear with these comments, he clearly thinks — because he said, also, “Democrats cannot let Trump win,” as a part of his comments — he thinks he is the single best Democrat to be able to defeat Donald Trump, because he did so once. We’ll see if it plays out this
way.I would also say, Jake, it raises the question — I know he’s the big front runner — what if Donald Trump is not the nominee? Does that mean President Biden’s going to reconsider the reelection effort if that is the key rationale for his running?
“Is this the kind of admission a candidate should be making?” Tapper asked.
“It clearly will provide Donald Trump an opportunity here to talk about Joe Biden being more focused on him than anything else,” Chalian said. “But I think if Joe Biden’s critical mission this time is starting to piece back his coalition of voters, some of which he has seen a diminishing support — reminding those voters of the contrast with Donald Trump, and that Donald Trump is the target here, could help rally the troops, if you will.”
Watch the clip above via CNN.