Joe Biden announces re-election bid, asks for time to 'finish the job'

Appealing to Americans to give him more time to “finish the job” to restore the nation’s character, US President Joe Biden launched his re-election bid on April 25. In his three-minute promotional video, Biden basically pushed the argument that he needed more time to complete his vow to restore the nation’s character.

“When I ran for president four years ago, I said we are in a battle for the soul of America. And we still are,” he said in the video, which opened with images of the January 6, 2021, insurrection and abortion rights activists protesting at the US Supreme Court

His bid for a second term comes less than three years after he defeated his predecessor Donald Trump to become the oldest president in US history. In the 2020 presidential race, Biden had made it a mission to restore the country’s character and prevent his rival Trump from achieving a second term.

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In the video, in a voiceover narration, Biden dubbed the 2024 election as a fight against Republican extremism, arguing he needed more time to fully realise his vow to restore the nation’s character.

“The question we are facing is whether in the years ahead we have more freedom or less freedom. More rights or fewer,” he added. “I know what I want the answer to be and I think you do too. This is not a time to be complacent. That’s why I’m running for re-election,” he said.

The 80-year-old Democrat made the announcement of his re-election bid in the video with a one-word pitch: Freedom. “Personal freedom is fundamental to who we are as Americans. Nothing is more important, more sacred,” he said, adding that has been the work of his first term.

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Further, Biden argued that abortion rights, the defence of democracy, voting rights and the social safety net will be among the most important issues on the ballot in 2024. “Every generation of Americans has faced a moment when they’ve had to defend democracy, stand up for our personal freedoms, and stand up for our right to vote and our civil rights. This is ours,” he said.

Just as he did in 2020, Biden is appealing to Americans to safeguard the nation’s ideals, particularly with the specter of Trump’s return. His announcement video also warned against “MAGA extremists”, who he says are “dictating what health care decisions women can make, banning books, and telling people who they can love.”

According to media reports, most Americans – and even a majority of Democrats – in recent surveys have not shown much enthusiasm for another Biden run. Polls have consistently reflected concern about his age even among Democrats.