The historian describes what the experience of two past incumbent presidents, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lyndon B. Johnson, may teach us about Biden’s campaign for reelection.
By now, you know where things stand: President Biden says he’s all-in. And no one – well, almost no one – can convince him otherwise. Asked by George Stephanopoulos of ABC News last Friday whether, if he were convinced he could not defeat Donald Trump, he would stand down, Mr. Biden replied, „Well, it depends – if the Lord Almighty comes out and tells me that, I might do that!“
On Friday he told a cheering crowd in Madison, Wisconsin, „Let me say this as clearly as I can: I’m staying in the race.“
President Biden’s decision comes as some Democrats are urging the 81-year-old to get out following last month’s debate.
Reviewing claims made by Trump and Biden during first 2024 debate
But beyond the headlines of hand-wringing in Washington, this moment also has the whiff of history. Two past presidents offer Mr. Biden a playbook of sorts of how to handle tough questions about age, stamina, and politics in a reelection campaign.
