In a surprising revelation, Franklin Foer, a prominent Biden biographer with extraordinary access to the president's inner circle, suggested that it "wouldn't be a total shock" if President Joe Biden were to drop out of the 2024 presidential race.
"When he talks about his life, he uses this word, fate, constantly. Joe Biden is a very religious guy, and fate is a word loaded with religious meaning. And he always talks about, he can't say where fate goes. And so I always, when I hear that, to me, it's the ellipses in the sentence when he's talking about his own future," Foer explained during an interview to a US media.
This revelation comes amid growing concerns about President Biden's age, as he would be 86 years old by the end of a potential second term. Foer's book also reveals private admissions by the President that he has felt tired during his first two years in office, suggesting physical and mental fatigue.
"It doesn’t take [legendary journalist] Bob Woodward to understand that Joe Biden is old", Foer said. "I’m not a gerontologist, and I can’t predict how the next couple of years will age Joe Biden," he added.
While Biden formally announced his bid for re-election in April, the issue of his age remains a central concern. A recent poll conducted by a US media found that two-thirds of Democrats and 73% of registered voters believe Biden is too old to seek re-election, with only 36% believing he is mentally fit for office.
In response to these concerns, Biden has publicly acknowledged that questions about his age are legitimate. However, behind closed doors, he has expressed frustration at the media's focus on this topic.
The possibility of President Biden withdrawing from the 2024 race, given his unique perspective on fate and mounting concerns about his age, has now become a topic of increased speculation in political circles.