Rumors are swirling that former Vice-President Joe Biden, the current frontrunner for the Democrat Party’s presidential nomination, is only planning on serving a single term.
While the campaign has publicly stated that the former VP is not committing to a single-term presidency, anonymous aides are making it clear that there is a good chance Joe Biden won’t stand for re-election in 2024. In another four years’ time, Joe Biden will be 82 years old, and many are concerned about his health. Biden continually makes mistakes and odd statements during campaign rallies, suggesting his age could be a problem.
Biden himself has made it clear that he won’t commit to only serving a single term as president. At the same time, he hasn’t categorically stated that he will run for a second term. Many political analysts, along with some of Biden’s aides, think his ambiguity is a good idea. A president who has made it clear he will only be in office for a single term will be stuck with what is commonly referred to as a “lame duck presidency.” What is more, there are many who think a “one-term pledge” will drive away voters who are looking for a candidate who can handle the presidency for a full eight years.
Furthermore, some analysts have noted that, when the late Sen. John McCain ran for president, the idea of a “one-term presidency” was floated and it hurt his campaign. At the same time, there are some aides who feel that a one-term pledge would actually boost Joe Biden’s standing in the polls.
The former vice president has made it clear that he is running because he feels that his centrist, moderate position is the best bet for beating President Donald Trump. A “one-term pledge” would give progressive Democrats who don’t like his policies a good reason for voting for him, as he would then act as a “transitional” figure and give time for a proper progressive to be groomed. These same aides also feel that a one-term pledge wouldn’t actually have to preclude the former Vice-President from running for a second term if he is popular.
In the end, the most likely course of action is that Biden will do what gets him better polling numbers. The fact that he is telling some of his aides that he will most likely serve a single term indicates that he knows that he won’t be able to manage the presidency for more than that.
While it’s hard to know what Biden will do in the future, what can be said for certain is that the one-term conversation is bringing up even more concerns about Joe Biden’s mental and physical health.
