Don’t let anyone tell you that you are too young or too old to accomplish something. Despite his critics, President Joe Biden managed to make his lifelong dream of being head of state come true in his 70s. He’s not turning down the heat anytime soon, either.
In a campaign video released on Tuesday (April 25), the 46th president of the United States announced that he would officially be entering the 2024 reelection race with hopes to obtain a second term. Biden, now 80 years of age, reasons with the American people that an additional four years in office will give him more time to “finish the job.”
His announcement follows the scandal of the Trump Administration in which Donald J. Trump became the first U.S. president to be indicted for “hush money payments,” all while attesting to running for presidency again.
Meanwhile, voters have dealt with a bevy of topsy-turvy promises that have proven to be mere tactics of persuasion to win votes, such as Biden’s ill-fated student debt forgiveness proposal of yesteryear that baited voters only to quickly be put on hold by the Supreme Court.
Or the tough discourse surrounding common sense gun laws that dwindled down to Biden implying he doesn’t have enough power to enforce stricter gun reform in the midst of back-to-back mass shootings.
Even the promises of maintaining rights for protected classes or a woman’s right to access abortion have weaned in light of what seems to be a strong conservative pushback.
The inspiring campaign video announcing Biden’s reelection run highlights Biden’s work among people of color, unions, and civil rights activists. The depiction of America is light and optimistic, filled with smiles, laughter, and cheering as Biden dotes on the concept of “personal freedom.”
This fantasy pales in comparison to the stark reality of a struggling economy and a post-pandemic mental health state of emergency that has manifested into an uncivil society boggled by social media narratives and an addiction to the entertainment of politics.
The 2024 elections has brought on new contenders, including female candidates Marianne Williamson (D), a book author and 2020 presidential candidate, and Nikki Haley (R), former U.N. Ambassador and South Carolina Governor. Yet, the strong presences of Biden (D) and Trump (R) may overshadow the bids of the other candidates.
Pigeon-holed into a very limited pick of the litter, voters may become disenchanted with voting altogether. On the optimistic side of the spectrum, this era of politics may be the very thing that inspires a new generation of politicians who show and serve in action rather than lip service.
Who will you vote for come Election 2024?
