President Joe Biden can now put to rest any concerns about a potential third-party challenge from West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin in the 2024 presidential election. Manchin has officially declared that he will not be running for the White House. This announcement comes as President Biden fulfills a promise to visit the site of a devastating train derailment that occurred last year.
In November, Senator Manchin had stated that he would not seek re-election, fueling speculation that he may consider a run for president as an independent or third-party candidate. He had recently attended events hosted by No Labels, a political group aiming to create a bipartisan centrist alliance. However, Manchin's decision to not pursue a presidential run puts an end to these speculations.
Meanwhile, President Biden faced questions regarding his age and mental acuity following the release of the special counsel's report. However, one question that he no longer has to address is whether Manchin would challenge him in 2024. Manchin clearly stated that he will not be involved in a third-party or independent presidential run.
The president's visit to East Palestine, Ohio, also made headlines. He arrived there on Friday, more than a year after a toxic train derailment that occurred in the town. During his visit, President Biden met with first responders and expressed his disappointment, calling the incident an act of greed that could have been prevented. However, some residents of the predominantly Trump-supporting town felt that his visit was overdue and criticized the administration's response.
Former President Donald Trump, who is considered the front runner for the Republican nomination in 2024, had visited East Palestine less than two weeks after the derailment. Trump's recent comments on his social media platform, Truth Social, suggested that President Biden's delayed visit was insulting to the people living and working in the town.
In response to the coverage of the special counsel's report, the White House expressed dissatisfaction. White House spokesman Ian Sam wrote an intense letter to reporters, claiming that the coverage had misplaced focus and brought undue attention to the president's age and mental fitness.
Despite the ongoing debates and criticisms, President Biden is set to spend the President's Day weekend at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, before heading out to Los Angeles and San Francisco for fundraising events next week.
The White House Correspondents Association received a response letter from President Biden, asserting that Sam's comments were misdirected and suggesting a need to focus on the substantive issues raised in the report.
With Manchin's decision not to run for president, the race for the 2024 presidential election becomes even more intriguing as both major parties continue to navigate through the political landscape.
