Biden versus Trump: The sequel?

US PRESIDENT Joe Biden’s formal announcement on Tuesday (April 25) that he will run for re-election in 2024 didn’t come as a surprise, and to describe it as anti-climactic would probably be an understatement. It generated nothing more than a few shrugs and yawns among politicians and pundits in Washington, who have never doubted that the current White House occupant would seek a second term in office.

But it would be more than an overstatement to suggest that many Americans are greeting the prospect of “four more years” with Biden with much enthusiasm.

Indeed, what should have been a rallying moment – an opportunity to remind supporters why one had run for office four years ago, and to promise voters a sense of continuity and renewal – feels more like being stuck with an employee you can’t fire, or can’t find a replacement for.