President Biden announced his reelection bid Tuesday morning, making “freedom” the focus of his announcement video.
“When I ran for president four years ago, I said we’re in the battle for the soul of America. And we still are,” Biden says in the three-minute video. “The question we’re facing is whether in the years ahead we have more freedom or less freedom. More rights or fewer rights. 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."
While he spoke about how Americans are a “good and decent people,” he also denounced “MAGA extremists” and claimed they are “cutting Social Security that you’ve paid for your entire life, while cutting taxes for the very wealthy, dictating what health care decisions women can make, banning books, and telling people who they can love all while making it more difficult for people to vote.”
In his announcement video, Biden called on Americans to give him another four years to "finish this job" of defending democracy and standing up for personal freedom, the right to vote, and civil rights.
"Because this is the United States of America. And there’s nothing, simply nothing we can not do if we do it together," he concluded.
Every generation has a moment where they have had to stand up for democracy. To stand up for their fundamental freedoms. I believe this is ours.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) April 25, 2023
That’s why I’m running for reelection as President of the United States. Join us. Let’s finish the job. https://t.co/V9Mzpw8Sqy pic.twitter.com/Y4NXR6B8ly
The president's reelection bid comes after a recent NBC News poll showed 70 percent of Americans believe he should not run for a second term, which includes 51 percent of Democrats. Biden's age is a "major" reason listed among those who don't want him to seek a second term. If reelected, Biden would be 82 years old on Inauguration Day.
Update: Biden announced his reelection team in a statement, calling his campaign manager, Julie Chávez Rodríguez, and principal deputy campaign manager, Quentin Fulks, "trusted, effective leaders."
Today, President Biden also announced initial campaign leadership. Congresswoman Lisa Blunt-Rochester, Congressman Jim Clyburn, Senator Chris Coons, Senator Tammy Duckworth, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and Governor Gretchen Whitmer will serve as the campaign’s national co-chairs.
Julie Chávez Rodríguez will serve as Campaign Manager and Quentin Fulks will serve as Principal Deputy Campaign Manager. This team forms the backbone of a campaign that will be focused on building and expanding on the coalition that sent President Biden and Vice President Harris to the White House in 2020 with more votes than any Presidential ticket in our country’s history.
“This election is a generational moment for Americans across the country to stand up and fight for our democracy and freedoms. To win this fight, we need strong leadership that can build and expand our broad, diverse coalition from 2020,” said President Biden. “With this team leading the charge, we’ll be able to do just that. Julie and Quentin are trusted, effective leaders that know the stakes of this election and will bring their knowledge and energy to managing a campaign that reaches all Americans. Our campaign co-chairs are hardworking public servants that have dedicated their lives to making Americans’ lives better. I’ve been able to count on each and every one of them throughout my career, especially in the most challenging moments. Together, this team brings the expertise, leadership, and work ethic required to win this election and finish the job for the American people.”
“This is a pivotal moment in our history,” said Vice President Kamala Harris. “For two years we have made transformational investments to build a nation in which everyone can be safe and healthy, find a good job, and retire with dignity. In response, extremists have intensified attacks on basic, foundational freedoms and rights. For example, they want to take away a woman’s right to make decisions about her own body. They attack the sacred right to vote and attempt to silence the voice of the people. And they try to block common sense reforms to save lives and keep Americans safe from gun violence. The Republicans running for President want to take our country backwards. We will not let that happen. Just like we did in 2020, we must come together to fight for our democracy, continue to make progress, and make sure all Americans can get ahead and thrive. Joe and I look forward to finishing the job, winning this battle for the soul of the nation, and serving the American people for four more years in the White House.”