Hillary Clinton says it’s time for Americans to just accept that President Biden is old — but vote for him anyway.
“Somebody the other day said to me: ‘Well, but, you know, Joe Biden’s old’,” the former secretary of state recalled during a Super Tuesday interview.
“I said, ‘You know what, Joe Biden is old. Let’s go ahead and accept the reality. Joe Biden is old’,” Clinton said of the 81-year-old commander-in-chief.
Clinton urged voters to still back Biden, saying that mushrooming fears over the oldest-ever president — who would be 86 at the end of a second term — are nothing compared to those of former President Donald Trump, 77, returning to the White House.
“So we have a contest between one candidate who’s old, but who’s done an effective job and doesn’t threaten our democracy,” she said of her fellow Democrat.
“And we have another candidate who is old, barely makes sense when he talks, is dangerous, and threatens our democracy,” she said of Trump, who is just one year older than she.
“Pick between your two old ones and figure out how you’re going to save our democracy,” she told host Zerlina Maxwell on the SiriusXM show.
“Because no matter where you stand on the political spectrum, you want to maintain freedom, and the rule of law, and protection for people’s fundamental rights, or at least I used to think so.”
Trump’s last remaining rival for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination, Nikki Haley, has dropped out of the race.
There are still some formalities to go through, but Ms Haley’s decision has essentially guaranteed that Mr Trump will go head-to-head with President Biden in November’s elections.
It will be the third US presidential election in a row that Mr Trump has contested.
Ms Haley dropped out hours after a drubbing on Super Tuesday when 16 US states and territories picked their preferred Republican presidential candidates. She won just one of the states.
But in an unusual move, Ms Haley did not endorse the nomination winner, Donald Trump. Instead she said Mr Trump would have to “earn” the votes of Republican who backed her.
Many of those who picked Ms Haley are thought to be uncomfortable about a second Trump term.
Just as she began speaking, Mr Trump took aim at Ms Haley saying he had “trounced” his rival in “record-setting fashion”.
Trump has to ‘earn the votes’
At 10am on Tuesday (2am, Thursday, AEDT) in her home state of South Carolina, Ms Haley formally conceded.
“I am filled with the gratitude for the outpouring of support we’ve received from all across our great country, but the time has now come to suspend my campaign,” Ms Haley said.
“I congratulate (Donald Trump — and wish him well. I wish anyone well who would be America’s president.
“Margaret Thatcher provided some good advice when she said, never just follow the crowd. Always make up your own mind. It is now up to Donald Trump to earn the votes of those in our party and beyond it who did not support him. And I hope he does that.”
Trump says he ‘trounced’ Haley
Ms Haley was easily swept aside by Mr Trump in Tuesday’s procession of presidential primaries, winning just one state, Vermont.
As things stand, Mr Trump has earned 995 of the 1215 delegates he needs to secure the nomination, with Ms Haley trailing miles behind, with just 89.
“As she exits the race, it is hard to know whether Haley is part of the party’s future or a last gasp of more traditional Republicanism that favours a hawkish foreign policy, fiscal discipline and limited government,” The Journal said in its report.
“The 52-year-old could still have a future in presidential politics, but her sharp criticism of Trump in the final two months of her campaign will likely make that challenging while he still has a hold on the party.”
Mr Trump himself addressed Ms Haley’s then-looming departure from the race in a post on his social media network, Truth Social, early in the day.
“Nikki Haley got TROUNCED last night, in record-setting fashion, despite the fact that Democrats, for reasons unknown, are allowed to vote in Vermont and various other Republican primaries,” he said.
(Vermont has an open presidential primary, meaning all citizens can choose to vote in either the Democratic or Republican contest. The state records whether an individual decides to cast a ballot in the Republican or Democratic primary.)
“Much of her money came from Radical Left Democrats, as did many of her voters,” the former president continued.
“At this point I hope she stays in the ‘race’ and fights it out until the end!
“BIDEN IS THE ENEMY. HE IS DESTROYING OUR COUNTRY. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!”
Biden’s appeal to Haley voters
President Joe Biden, who defeated Mr Trump in 2020s general election, is trailing him in the polls this time around. He released a statement after Ms Haley’s announcement, noting that “it takes a lot of courage to run for president”.
“Trump made it clear he doesn’t want Nikki Haley’s supporters. I want to be clear: there is a place for them in my campaign,” he said.
“I know there is a lot we won’t agree on. But on the fundamental issues of preserving American democracy, on standing up for the rule of law, on treating each other with decency and dignity and respect, on preserving NATO and standing up to America’s adversaries, I hope and believe we can find common ground.”
Mr Biden’s re-election campaign also released a statement after the Super Tuesday results warning of Mr Trump’s “dangerous” candidacy.
“The results of last night’s Super Tuesday contests cemented what we have known for some time now: Donald Trump limps into the general election as a wounded, dangerous and unpopular candidate,” said the Biden campaign.
“The Republican nominee is cash-strapped, beleaguered by a host of external issues, and is running on an extreme agenda that is already proving to be a significant liability for key voting blocs that are critical to the pathway to 270 electoral votes.”
Mr Biden, who faces no meaningful opposition for the Democratic nomination, is due to deliver his annual State of the Union speech later this week.
“Building off of last night’s momentum, tomorrow evening’s State of the Union address will provide the American people with the latest example of the stark choice they will be confronted with in November between President Biden, who remains laser-focused on delivering for the American people while running on a historically popular record of accomplishment, and Donald Trump, whose failed record and dark vision for this country is as dangerous as it is unpopular with the voters who will decide this election,” said the campaign.
“The road to victory is about earning, not just asking for, the American people’s support. That means putting in the work in every community, meeting voters where they are about the stakes of this election, and investing everywhere.
“We are confident that the President and Vice President’s vision for unity, freedom, and progress will again defeat Donald Trump’s extremist, dangerous agenda this November.”
– with the New York Post
