Biden 2024 news: White House botches question over term length as campaign embraces ‘Dark Brandon’ meme

Joe Biden’s campaign announcement was a preview of the strategy he’ll use against Republicans writ large in 2024, writes The Independent’s Eric Garcia.

One theme ran consistent throughout his 2024 launch on Tuesday: That his party is the party of freedom while the Republican Party poses a threat to personal liberty. Republicans commonly sell themselves as the party of “freedom” and many political action committees, outside groups and conferences use some variation of the word.

Read more:

When Donald Trump was inaugurated in January 2017, he became the oldest commander-in-chief sworn in at the age of 70 years and 220 days old.

That was surpassed by his successor Joe Biden, who was 78 years and 61 days when he became the country’s 46th president in January 2021.

But depending on who wins the 2024 presidential election, a new record could be set as both Mr Biden and Mr Trump are running for the presidency again.

Read more:

In a surprising shift, Joe Biden’s top domestic policy adviser Susan Rice is set to leave her post next month just as the president launches his re-election bid.

In a statement on Monday, Mr Biden said of her departure: “After more than two years of her steady leadership of the Domestic Policy Council – it’s clear: there is no one more capable, and more determined to get important things done for the American people than Susan Rice.”

Ms Rice, a longtime Democratic foreign policy expert, served as president Barack Obama’s national security adviser and UN ambassador, the only person to serve in both positions.

She worked closely with then-vice president Biden in those roles and was on his short list to become his running mate during the 2020 campaign.

With Joe Biden having finally announced that he is officially seeking re-election, Republicans in Congress have been busy conducting investigations that they hope will tarnish the 46th president’s public image enough to convince voters that it is Donald Trump – not Biden – that deserves four more years at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Biden himself has not been the target of the various congressional investigations.

Instead, Republicans are laser-focused on using the full power of legislative branch oversight to target Biden’s son Hunter.

Andrew Feinberg has the details.

Hunter Biden, the president’s son, has long been a target of calls for investigations by Republicans. Now, he’s returning the favour.

His lawyer called for Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene to be investigated for what the president’s son has called “unmoored verbal abuses” such as false accusations of human trafficking, The Washington Post reported.

Abbe Lowell, the lawyer for President Joe Biden’s son, sent a letter to the Office of Congressional Ethics asking for an investigation.

Eric Garcia reports from Washington, DC.

The White House press secretary was asked during Tuedsay’s briefing about what Mr Biden meant in his reelection announcement and in other speeches when he referred to the need to “finish the job” in the months and years ahead.

Ms Jean-Pierre replied that Mr Biden was referring to implementing the legislation his administration had successfully shepherded through Congress, including the Inflation Reduction Act, as well as other 2020 campaign promises which have been held up by both Republicans and some of his own party members on Capitol Hill.

“You’re going to continue to hear him say this...he believes that this is a way to communicate with the American people, to communicate to let them know that we are going to do the job and finishing up the agenda that he laid out in 2020,” she said.

Former President Donald Trump has suggested that he is planning on skipping the Republican primary debates due to his polling advantage and alleged biases against him.

Mr Trump voiced a particular concern with the second primary debate, scheduled to be held at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.

Democrats, meanwhile, are not holding any debates this cycle. It’s a move that has some hoping for a younger, more progressive alternative to challenge the president on the debate stage fuming.

Abe Asher covers the ex-president’s latest Truth Social rant:

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who had left open the possibilty of running for president if Joe Biden declined to run for reelection, confirmed on Tuesday that he would not compete for the nomination against the incumbent president.

Mr Sanders told the AP that he would “do everything I can to see the president is reelected.”

“The last thing this country needs is a Donald Trump or some other right-wing demagogue who is going to try to undermine American democracy or take away a woman’s right to choose, or not address the crisis of gun violence, or racism, sexism or homophobia,” said the senator. “So, I’m in to do what I can to make sure that the president is reelected.”

Read more:

The Republican National Committee has released an ad using AI-generated images to paint a grim future if President Joe Biden were to win a second term.

The video came as Mr Biden announced his bid for a second term for president in the 2024 presidential election. Axios first reported that the video uses AI-generated images of Mr Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris celebrating their re-election.

Eric Garcia has more.

White House press secretary Karine Jeane-Pierre issued a clarification on Twitter after seeming to laugh off a question and direct a reporter to Joe Biden’s 2024 campaign when asked at Tuesday’s briefing if Mr Biden would serve “all eight years” if he won reelection.

“As you know, we take following the law seriously. So I wanted to be sure that I didn’t go into 2024 more than is appropriate under the law. But I can confirm that if re-elected, @POTUS would serve all 8 years,” she wrote.