President Joe Biden on Wednesday said his party’s strong performance in the 2022 US midterm elections was an indication that Americans have chosen the side of democracy by giving Democrats a fighting change to remain in control of the House and Senate, the best such result by an incumbent president’s party in two decades.
With polling indicating an easy rout for Republicans as late as last week, White House officials had demurred in the days before voting started when pressed on whether the president would hold the traditional post-election day press conference. But on the heels of Tuesday night’s results, the White House announced that he would address reporters on Wednesday afternoon.
After walking into the State Dining Room, Mr Biden’s initial remarks had the air of a victory lap.
“We had an election yesterday. And it was a good day, I think, for democracy. And I think it's a good day for America,” he said. “Our democracy has been tested in recent years, but with their votes, I reckon people have spoken once again, that democracy is who we are”.
The president also hailed the record midterm-year voter turnout and praised election workers and volunteers – “the heart and soul of democracy,” he said – for carrying out their responsibilities.
Mr Biden, who frequently wore a wide grin and cracked jokes throughout his remarks, certainly had reason to feel upbeat. Although results in many key races haven not been called, the “red tsunami” hoped for by Republicans failed to materialise, and Democrats flipped several House seats as well as the Pennsylvania Senate seat won by the state’s lieutenant governor, John Fetterman.
And while the president refrained from delivering any political attacks in his prepared remarks, he made clear that he feels quite confident about his party’s standing and displayed a lack of concern about the possibility that a GOP-controlled Congress would impeach him or launch probes into his family members.
“I think the American people will look at all of that for what it is. It's just almost comedy,” he said. “I can't control what they're going to do. All I can do is continue to try to make life better for American people”.
Mr Biden also weighed in on his predecessor’s plans to announce his own candidacy as soon as next week after one reporter asked him how he reassures allies about the resiliency of American democracy when the political movement headed by Donald Trump remains strong.
In response, the president chuckled and replied: “Oh yeah?”
Pressed further on how he’d guarantee to America’s partners that Mr Trump would not return to the White House, Mr Biden said he would “demonstrate that he will not take power” by”making sure that [Mr Trump] under the legitimate efforts of our Constitution, does not become the next president again”.
The president’s remarks were among the closest he has come to confirming that he, too, will be running for re-election in 2024.
But Mr Biden demurred when asked directly if the midterm results would factor in to whether he declares himself a candidate for the next presidential election, choosing to instead repeat a previous statement about him being a “respecter of fate” and saying that he’ll make a decision after consulting with his family.
According to exit polling taken during in-person voting yesterday, a clear majority of Americans would prefer that he not stand for election once more. But Mr Biden appeared confident that he can convince sceptics that he remains the best man for the top job in the US.
Asked if he has a message for those who would not want him to run in 2024, he flashed a broad smile and whispered: “Watch me”.
