(Washington) US President Joe Biden assured in an interview published Wednesday by USA Today that he could have been re-elected in November if he had remained in the race for the White House, while admitting not knowing if he could have completed this second term.
“I think so,” replied the 82-year-old Democratic leader to the question of whether he could have won the November presidential election against Donald Trump, adding to rely on polls, but without giving further details.
When (Donald) Trump ran, I truly believed that I was in the best position to beat him. But I also didn’t want to be president at 85 or 86 years old. So I talked about passing the baton.
Joe Biden
“I don’t know (…) So far so good. But who knows what I will be when I am 86? », added Mr. Biden, who will be replaced on January 20 by the Republican billionaire, elected in November against the vice-president and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris.
The latter replaced Joe Biden at short notice after the announcement in July of his withdrawal from the race for the White House, following a disastrous debate at the end of June against Donald Trump which had raised a number of questions about his acuity mental health and age.
Asked about his regrets, Joe Biden did not mention this debate, but spoke about disinformation, citing for example the link made by Donald Trump between illegal immigration and the car-ramming attack in New Orleans which left at least 14 dead on 1er January. He also mentioned the slow pace of infrastructure projects.
The outgoing president also told USA Today that he asked Donald Trump after the election not to attack his perceived enemies, warning him that it was not in his interest “to try to settle his accounts”. Donald Trump did not respond, according to him.
Joe Biden confirmed that he was considering preemptive pardons for people likely to be in the crosshairs of the next president, while claiming not to have made the decision.
He also said he wants to be remembered for his efforts in recovering the economy from the COVID-19 pandemic and the role of the United States in the world. “I hope (history) remembers that I did it with honesty and integrity,” he said.
