On Monday, President Joe Biden hosted the White House’s annual Easter Egg Roll. Predictably, the 46th president committed some embarrassing gaffes… but he also gave hints about 2024.
The White House Easter Egg Roll dates to 1878, when President Rutherford B. Hayes opened the White House lawn to children kicked off the grounds of the U.S. Capitol.
This year, not even the Easter Egg Roll could escape speculation about 2024.
Biden himself used the event as an opportunity to confirm his plans for another presidential campaign despite being 80 years old.
The commander-in-chief said he plans to to participate in “at least three or four more Easter egg rolls, maybe five.” He was alluding to his expected bid for re-election.
Some possible contenders — like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — have hinted at timelines for when to announce their 2024 plans. For example, DeSantis has suggested an announcement sometime after the end of the state legislature’s current term. Biden has given no such timeline.
Later, Biden fielded questions from Al Roker of NBC’s “Today” show, but the president declined to elaborate.
“I’m planning on running, Al, but we’re not prepared to announce it yet,” he told Roker.
Roker followed up, “Are you saying that you would be taking part in our 2024 election?”
Biden replied, “Well, I’ll either, I’ll eith—I’ll either be rolling egg or, uh, being the, the gu—you know, the guy who’s pushing them out.”
Even Biden’s earlier sound bite was a clearer answer than that!
Take a look —
Roker: "Are you saying that you would be taking part in our 2024 election?"
Biden: “Well I’ll either, I’ll either be rolling egg or uh, being the guy, you know, the guy who’s pushing 'em out.”pic.twitter.com/7OrlUaimI3
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) April 10, 2023
President Joe Biden said he plans to participate in “at least three or four more Easter egg rolls, maybe five.”
“I plan on running, Al, but we're not prepared to announce it yet,” Biden told Al Roker. https://t.co/BefBuTBNEC pic.twitter.com/GpKsYF8MkK
— NBC4 Washington (@nbcwashington) April 10, 2023
Biden made similar remarks on 60 Minutes in September.
“Look, my intention, as I said, to begin with, is that I would run again. But it’s just an intention. But is it a firm decision that I run again? That remains to be seen,” Biden said at the time. “If I were to say to you, I’m running again, all of a sudden a whole range of things come into play that I have requirements to change and move and do… in terms of election laws.”
Last month, First Lady Jill Biden said that she was “absolutely” expecting her husband to run for re-election.
Two fellow Democrats — the self-help author Marianne Williamson and the lawyer-turned-activist Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. — have already announced campaigns for president, although neither looks likely to unseat an incumbent president of the same party.
The Horn editorial team