Biden Secures Enough Delegates to Win 2024 Democratic Nomination

President Joe Biden, who took office aiming to stabilize a nation impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, secured a second consecutive Democratic nomination on Tuesday, setting up a likely rematch with his predecessor, whom he holds responsible for the country’s turmoil.

Biden became the presumptive nominee of his party after winning sufficient delegates in Georgia, surpassing 1,968 delegates for a majority vote at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August, where his nomination will be confirmed. Former President Donald Trump is expected to secure the Republican nomination soon.

Despite facing low approval ratings and a lack of enthusiasm from voters, Biden, who ran for president for the first time 37 years ago, did not face any significant Democratic challengers in his bid for re-election at the age of 81.

A recent survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research revealed that only 38% of U.S. adults approve of Biden’s job performance as president, while 61% disapprove.

Biden and his supporters are banking on support from his Democratic base and independent voters who are wary of a potential second Trump presidency, despite their reservations. Their strategy revolves around highlighting Trump’s perceived flaws, leading to a lackluster campaign that many Americans did not desire but will have to choose in November regardless.

Biden is positioning the race as a battle for freedoms, both domestically and internationally. He contrasts his backing for Ukraine and efforts to expand NATO with Trump’s admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his hint that he would allow Russia to attack NATO allies he deems delinquent.

Biden is fighting against Republican-led endeavors to restrict abortion rights, which have also put in vitro fertilization procedures at risk. Democrats attribute their electoral successes over the past two years to a backlash against the Supreme Court’s overturning of the federal right to abortion, a decision for which Trump claimed credit by appointing three of the justices who ruled in favor.

Despite significant accomplishments and perceived advantages on key issues, Biden heads into a rematch with Trump with vulnerabilities that are not easily remedied.

During his first two years in office, Biden enacted long-term investments in infrastructure and boosted the semiconductor industry. He also secured Senate confirmation for his Supreme Court nominee, making Ketanji Brown Jackson the first Black woman to serve as a justice.

The U.S. economy thrived following the COVID-19 pandemic, with low unemployment rates. After Trump contested his 2020 election defeat based on unfounded fraud claims, Biden signed a revision of the Electoral Count Act to prevent presidential candidates from overturning election results in Congress.

As Russia amassed troops near Ukraine’s borders, Biden administration officials cautioned Putin against invasion and declassified intelligence to garner international support for Kyiv. With backing from the U.S. and Western Europe in terms of weapons and intelligence, Ukraine resisted Russian attempts to install a puppet government and maintained control over most of its territory against a much stronger adversary.

However, the disorganized U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan left lasting images of desperate individuals trying to flee a country that American troops had fought to secure for two decades but lost to the Taliban in a matter of months. Thirteen U.S. service members lost their lives in a suicide bombing outside the Kabul airport during the evacuation process.

Inflation surged alongside economic growth, leading to higher prices and eroding income gains for many Americans. While inflation has slowed from previous highs, only 34% of U.S. adults express approval of Biden’s handling of the economy, according to an AP-NORC survey.

Following promises to reverse Trump’s immigration policies, the Biden administration struggled to manage the record number of unauthorized crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border, with thousands of individuals arriving daily. Republican states transported migrants to Democratic-led cities that faced difficulties in providing shelter.

Biden’s campaign asserts that the White House has tackled inflation and introduced border legislation, including provisions negotiated with Republicans, which they later rejected.

Yet, one of the main concerns voters have about Biden’s candidacy, his age, remains unchangeable.

As the oldest-ever American president, Biden would be 86 if he serves a full second term. Regardless of the election outcome in November, either he or Trump would be the oldest leader inaugurated on Inauguration Day 2025.

Shortly before securing the nomination, Biden faced hours of testimony from a special counsel investigating his mishandling of classified documents. The counsel, Robert Hur, determined that he could not prosecute the president, in part due to his forgetfulness. Hur described Biden in his report as a sympathetic, well-meaning elderly man with memory issues.

The president’s age has emerged as a significant issue on the campaign trail, although many voters share similar concerns about Trump, who is 77. A recent AP-NORC survey found that 63% of respondents lack confidence in Biden’s mental capacity to effectively serve as president, while 57% expressed the same doubts about Trump.

In both his State of the Union address and a new campaign advertisement, Biden emphasized the value of experience with a touch of humor.

As he stated before Congress: “I may not look it, but I’ve been around long enough. With age comes wisdom.”