US: Former Vice-President Joe Biden announces 2020 run for President
Former US Vice-President, Joe Biden, has formally announced that he is running for President in 2020, putting an end to speculations on Thursday. The 76-year-old has launched the presidential bid, joining the already crowded race for the 2020 Democratic nomination. He will be up against 19 others in the Democratic presidential contest, including Senators Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, and Bernie Sanders. Here's more.
The core values of this nation… our standing in the world… our very democracy...everything that has made America -- America --is at stake. That’s why today I’m announcing my candidacy for President of the United States. #Joe2020 https://t.co/jzaQbyTEz3
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) April 25, 2019
Biden made the announcement in a three-and-a-half-minute video posted on Twitter. "Everything that has made America America is at stake. That's why today I'm announcing my candidacy for president of the United States," he said in the video.
"I believe history will look back on four years of this president (Donald Trump) and all he embraces as an aberrant moment in time," Biden said. "But if we give Donald Trump eight years in the White House, he will forever and fundamentally alter the character of this nation, who we are, and I cannot stand by and watch that happen," he added.
Biden is reportedly betting on his working-class appeal and association with former US President Barack Obama will help him overcome any questions about his relevance in the increasingly liberal Democratic Party. His first major campaign event is in Pittsburgh on Monday where he is likely to speak about "rebuilding an inclusive middle class," reported NBC News. Later, he would launch a multi-state campaign tour.
Biden's decision to run for President in 2020 comes despite accusations on him by several that he touched them inappropriately, making them feel uncomfortable. Earlier in April, Amy Lappos accused him of unwanted physical contact at a fundraiser in Greenwich in 2009. In March, politician Lucy Flores alleged that Biden "inappropriately kissed and touched" her at a Las Vegas campaign rally in 2014.
However, Biden's spokesperson claimed that he doesn't recall any incident of him kissing Flores in 2014. These allegations against Biden could, however, drastically affect his run for President in 2020. Earlier in April, he promised to be "more mindful and respectful of people's personal space."
