Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: Making tall claims and promises spices up an election. But US President Joe Biden, 81, may have stolen a march on all others, including his rival Donald Trump, 77, as they face off to reclaim the White House in the November 2024 presidential elections.
“Almost every world leader has told me that Trump should not be allowed to become the US President again,” Biden claimed on Thursday, according to the media reports on Saturday.
During a campaign, he cited meetings with world leaders, including at the G-20 summit in India, stating that almost every one of them told him not to let his predecessor Donald Trump win in 2024 as they felt it would put their democracies in danger.
Former Democratic Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama also joined Biden’s campaign on Thursday night in New York at the most lucrative fundraiser of the 2024 campaign, warning fellow Democrats that Trump, a Republican, must be defeated.
“Trump says if he loses again in November, there will be a bloodbath. What the hell is with this guy? I’m serious. It concerns me the most,” Biden said.
“Whether it’s the G-20 meeting in India or whatever the meeting where there are other heads of state, I am not exaggerating when I say and I say it in front of the press without giving the names almost every one of the world leaders finds an excuse to get me alone for a moment, put their hand on my arm, and say, You can’t let him win. My democracy is at stake,” he said.
India hosted the G-20 Summit in New Delhi for the first time in September 2023.
Biden faced no viable competition for the Democratic nomination. His Republican predecessor in office, Trump, 77, easily saw off a crowded field in the primaries. Now they are set for a rematch of 2020 in the November 5 elections this year.
Biden also slammed Trump for walking away from NATO.
“This is a guy who walked away from NATO…told Putin he could do whatever he wants to if they’re not paying their dues,” Biden said.
“Just look at what he’s done. The rest of the world is wondering what in the hell is happening to us. And they’re relieved, not because I’m so special but that I’m not Trump. I’m serious. I wish it was because they thought Biden was such a wonderful guy, “Biden said amidst laughter.
“I think they respect me. I think they listen to me. But the point is, it’s because they’re scared to death for their countries if he (Trump) were to win again,” the incumbent said.
All Americans including Democrats, independents, and Republicans should say that there is no place ever for political violence, for physical violence in the country’s political system, he said.
“We’re at a real inflection point in history. Things are changing. This guy denies there is global warming. This guy wants to get rid of not only Roe v. Wade (right to abortion) – by the way which he brags about having done – he wants to get rid of the ability of anyone anywhere in America to have the right to choose. All the things he’s doing are so old,” Biden said.
Former President Clinton said voters should put aside their differences given the stakes of the race. He accused Trump while in office of taking credit for an economy that had started improving under Obama and said Biden later inherited “a mess” left by Trump.
“Joe is right that we’ve got not just a nominee, but frankly a party and an entire infrastructure that increasingly seems unconcerned with the essence of America,” ex-President Obama said of Trump and Republicans.
“But we also have a positive story to tell about the future,” he added.