Biden: if Trump wasn't running, I'm not sure I'd be running
Biden: if Trump wasn't running, I'm not sure I'd be running
The statement, delivered during a fundraiser at a private residence near Boston, provided one of the clearest explanations to date for Biden's reelection considerations and reportedly caught senior Biden campaign officials and advisers off guard.
“Yikes,” responded one top campaign adviser upon learning of the comments.
The campaign swiftly attempted to downplay the president's remark as a non-issue, emphasizing that Biden has consistently portrayed Trump as a distinct threat to the nation. They pointed out that he expressed similar sentiments regarding his decision to run for president during the 2020 campaign.
“President Biden said in 2020 he was running to restore the soul of our nation – he got into the race after Trump said what he did after Charlottesville – and he correctly views the former president as a unique threat to our democracy,” explained Delaware Sen. Chris Coons, a national co-chair of Biden’s 2024 campaign, to CNN. “President Biden beat Trump before and he will do it again.”
When questioned later on Tuesday about whether he would still be running if Trump wasn't, Biden seemed to backtrack, stating to reporters at the White House: “I expect so, but look — he is running, and I have to run.”
The earlier comment came as Biden kicked off a fundraising spree ahead of a costly reelection campaign. Over five days, he is anticipated to raise over $15 million through high-dollar fundraisers and grassroots initiatives, as per a source familiar with the campaign’s fundraising.
Biden headlined three fundraisers in the Boston area on Tuesday, marking the first of seven events scheduled between now and Monday, with more planned later in the month. Democratic officials are preparing for a potentially billion-dollar campaign as Biden endeavors to convince a somewhat skeptical public of his reelection bid.
In the initial fundraiser, Biden directly addressed Trump, cautioning that his predecessor is "telling us what he’s going to do. He’s making no bones about it."
“Trump’s not even hiding the ball anymore. He’s telling us what he’s going to do. He’s making no bones about it,” Biden conveyed to donors, according to those present. He referenced Trump’s recent focus on repealing the Affordable Care Act and the former president's “vermin” remark, where Trump vowed to "root out the communists, Marxists, fascists, and the radical left thugs."
The president also mentioned that Trump did not attend his inauguration, stating in part: “I can’t say I was disappointed, but he didn’t even show up,” eliciting laughter from the audience, as reported by those in attendance.