President Biden announced that he and Vice President Harris will seek re-election in a video released early Tuesday morning.
In the video titled “Freedom,” President Biden echoed his 2020 campaign message of battling for the “soul of our nation,” uniting the country, and supporting the middle class, his campaign said. The video opens with footage of the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol protest.
“Freedom. Personal freedom is fundamental to who we are as Americans. There’s nothing more important. Nothing more sacred,” Biden, 80, said in the video. “That’s been the work of my first term: To fight for our Democracy. This shouldn’t be a red or blue issue.”
He added: “This is not a time to be complacent. That’s why I’m running for re-election. Because I know America. I know we are good and decent people. And I know we are still a country that believes in honesty and respect, and treating each other with dignity. That we’re a nation where we give hate no safe harbor. And we believe that everyone is equal, and that everyone should be given a fair shot to succeed in this country.”
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The announcement comes four years to the day that Biden announced his candidacy for the 2020 presidential election, which he eventually won over former President Donald Trump.
“When I ran for President four years ago, I said we are in a battle for the soul of America – and we still are. The question we are facing is whether in the years ahead we have more freedom or less freedom, more rights or fewer,” said President Biden.
He continued: “Every generation of Americans has faced a moment when they’ve had to defend democracy, stand up for our personal freedoms, and stand up for our right to vote and our civil rights. This is ours. Let’s finish the job.”
Today’s announcement includes details about his initial campaign leadership team, which includes Sens. Tammy Duckworth, Chris Coons, Reps. Lisa Blunt-Rochester, Jim Clyburn, Veronica Escobar, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and DreamWorks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg. They will all serve as national co-chairs for the campaign.
“This election is a generational moment for Americans across the country to stand up and fight for our democracy and freedoms. To win this fight, we need strong leadership that can build and expand our broad, diverse coalition from 2020,” said President Biden.
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The campaign also announced Campaign Manager Julie Chávez Rodríguez and Principal Deputy Campaign Manager Quentin Fulks in their respective roles.
“With this team leading the charge, we’ll be able to do just that. Julie and Quentin are trusted, effective leaders that know the stakes of this election and will bring their knowledge and energy to managing a campaign that reaches all Americans. Our campaign co-chairs are hardworking public servants that have dedicated their lives to making Americans’ lives better. I’ve been able to count on each and every one of them throughout my career, especially in the most challenging moments. Together, this team brings the expertise, leadership, and work ethic required to win this election and finish the job for the American people.”
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The campaign added: “This team forms the backbone of a campaign that will be focused on building and expanding on the coalition that sent President Biden and Vice President Harris to the White House in 2020 with more votes than any Presidential ticket in our country’s history.”
Vice President Harris also released a statement, calling the 2024 presidential election a “pivotal moment in our history.”
“For two years we have made transformational investments to build a nation in which everyone can be safe and healthy, find a good job, and retire with dignity,” she applauded.
Despite President Biden calling for unity and respect in the upcoming election, Harris then attacked Republicans as “extremists” and accused GOP candidates of wanting to take the country “backward.”
“In response, extremists have intensified attacks on basic, foundational freedoms and rights,” the vice president said. “For example, they want to take away a woman’s right to make decisions about her own body. They attack the sacred right to vote and attempt to silence the voice of the people. And they try to block common-sense reforms to save lives and keep Americans safe from gun violence.”
Harris added: “The Republicans running for President want to take our country backward. We will not let that happen.”
“Just like we did in 2020, we must come together to fight for our democracy, continue to make progress, and make sure all Americans can get ahead and thrive. Joe and I look forward to finishing the job, winning this battle for the soul of the nation, and serving the American people for four more years in the White House,” she concluded.
Biden and Harris remain immensely unpopular, with Biden’s approval ratings in the low 40s in most polls.
His job performance rating currently stands at 44% approve vs. 56% disapprove, according to the latest Fox News national survey.
Fox News polls show the president’s approval rating hovers at a low point among several key voting groups, including women (43% now vs. 42% low), voters ages 45+ (41% vs. 39% low), suburban voters (41% vs. 39% low), rural voters (31% vs. 30% low) and Democrats (81% vs. 78% low) – Democratic men in particular (79% vs. 78% low).
He also scores lowly among suburban women with 41% approval.
“Biden’s numbers cratered in the Fall of 2021 after the Afghanistan withdrawal debacle and the onset of hyperinflation,” said Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who conducts the Fox News poll with Democrat Chris Anderson, referencing the death of 13 Americans when Biden withdrew forces from Afghanistan. “Since then, his approval has barely moved, despite a midterm election, economic ups and downs, and several legislative policy rollouts.”
Biden’s time in office has also been roiled by a series of world issues including the COVID-19 pandemic, North Korea launching ballistic missiles towards and over Japan, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and China’s unchecked ascendancy in the Indo-Pacific region, including their pushing countries away from using the U.S. dollar and from supporting Taiwan.
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Domestically, Biden also has been subject to an investigation of mishandling classified information, which included documents spanning decades found at his different properties, violent crime remains high in cities across the country and the U.S.-Mexico border faces record-high immigration figures, including the surge of deadly fentanyl. He also allowed a Chinese spy aircraft to float across the country.
His son’s involvement with the Chinese and a Ukrainian energy firm, and other business dealings have also raised issues for the administration.
Biden’s entry into the 2024 contest comes as several Republicans have already joined the running, including Biden’s 2020 opponent Donald Trump, Gov. Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott, Vivek Ramaswamy and others.
On the Democratic side, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced his intention to seek his party’s nomination.
Fox News’ Dana Blanton contributed to this report.