US President Joe Biden on Wednesday said he “probably” intends to seek reelection in 2024 but has yet to make the decision "firmly."
"I haven't made that decision. That's my intention, I think, but I haven't made that decision firmly yet," Biden told PBS NewsHour in an interview.
The President has been cautious thus far in confirming he plans to seek reelection. He said after the recent midterm elections that he is targeting early this year for an official announcement.
Outgoing White House chief of staff Ron Klain hinted last week that Biden will be running for a second term in 2024, even though Biden has yet to confirm that himself.
“As I did in 1988, 2008 and 2020, I look forward to being on your side when you run for president in 2024,” Klain said at a ceremony in the White House marking the transition from Klain to incoming chief of staff Jeff Zients.
Biden’s popularity has been on the decline. A poll released this week found that a majority of Democrats now think one term is plenty for the President.
The poll, published on Monday, shows just 37% of Democrats say they want Biden to seek a second term, down from 52% in the weeks before the midterm elections.
Follow-up interviews with poll respondents suggest that many believe the 80-year-old’s age is a liability, with people focused on his coughing, his gait, his gaffes and the possibility that the world’s most stressful job would be better suited for someone younger.
The poll also shows only 23% of US adults say they have “a great deal” of confidence in Biden to effectively manage the White House. That has ticked down from 28% a year ago and remains significantly lower than 44% two years ago, just as Biden took office.
Just 21% have a lot of confidence in Biden’s ability to handle a crisis, down slightly from 26% last March.