(ConservativeHub.com) – On Saturday, December 9, during a Washington roast at the Gridiron Club’s winter dinner, Sen. Joe Manchin joked about joining the presidential race for a third time, saying that he might be the younger person that the country needs to lead.
Manchin said during the dinner that the United States could benefit from having a younger leader than the two potential presidential nominees for the two major parties. President Joe Biden, who is expected to be the Democratic party’s nominee, is 81 years old, while former President Donald Trump, who is the frontrunner in the Republican primary race, is 77.
Last month, Manchin announced that he would not be seeking reelection in 2024, according to AP News. However, at the recent dinner, he said that it was clear that the American people were looking for a newer generation of leaders. He then joked that maybe what they wanted to see was “someone close to 76 that doesn’t look a day over 70.” Manchin himself is currently 76.
Previously Manchin has teased in the past that he might launch a presidential run. In an interview on NBC “Meet the Press” in November, he claimed that he would “absolutely” consider a presidential run. However, many Democrats were worried that if Manchin joined the race as an independent candidate, he could take away some of the base of President Biden. This would potentially make it easier for Trump to win a second term in office.
Manchin also joked about these concerns, saying some argued his candidacy would help Trump while others argued his candidacy would help Biden. “I’m trying to figure out how it would help me,” he added.
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