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[–] 119 points 2 years ago (5 children)

I vaguely remember him saying he was going to be a 1 term candidate in 2020.

You're correct, he did. Everyone forgot that for some reason. Note that this article is from 2019:

https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/11/biden-single-term-082129

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  • [–] 96 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)
  • [–] 8 points 2 years ago (3 children)

    So add those together and it implies he doesn't think Harris has the chops. But, to be fair, if that was actually the plan, they would've given her much more PR over the last 4 years.

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  • [–] 14 points 2 years ago

    If it weren't Trump running I think he would have stepped aside. He believed in 2019, and probably still believes now, that he has the best chance against Trump and that Trump is a singularly existential threat.

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  • [–] 4 points 2 years ago

    it implies he doesn’t think Harris has the chops

    Or that he changed his mind. Or that his assurances to aides that he wouldn't run for a second term were just to shut them up.

    Power is seductive, and I think it's pretty likely that once he became president, he convinced himself that he was still the best one for the job, and that he uniquely deserved to continue to govern.

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  • [–] 43 points 2 years ago

    He very specifically did not say publicly that he would be a 1 term president. Talking through the idea with aides and someone leaking it does not equal a campaign promise.

    This is a new decision, obviously. He is going to be a 1 term president. But he never promised it.

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