After months of speculation and anticipation, U.S. President Joe Biden made it official. At 80 years of age, he is officially the oldest incumbent candidate for president of the United States.
If re-elected, he will take the oath of office as the oldest Commander-in-Chief in U.S. history. Biden’s age becomes an immediate challenge confronting the campaign as it looks ahead to re-election.
A recent NBC News poll shows 70 per cent of all Americans — including 51 per cent of Democrats — believe President Biden should not run for a second term with his age being the overarching factor.
Still, as Biden faces a weary and skeptical electorate, nagging questions of his physical viability, and anemic enthusiasm surrounding his candidacy, his re-election chances against Donald Trump, the GOP front-runner for the Republican nomination, appear promising.
Flashback to 2020 when then-candidate Joe Biden and incumbent president Trump waged an epic battle for the White House.
Even amidst a once-in-a-generation pandemic that took the lives of millions of Americans, voters braved an uncertain political landscape to push the final vote tally to unprecedented heights.
In the end, Biden, the twice-failed presidential contender, had received more votes than any other presidential candidate in U.S. history. Surpassing the final numbers of his previous running mate, Barack Obama.
Fast forward three years and even with a long list of record accomplishments and a groundbreaking running mate as the first woman (and first woman of colour) to serve as vice-president, an overwhelming majority of voters are less than enthusiastic about a rematch between the two geriatric pols now vying for the presidency.
Nevertheless, while President Biden has battled a steady drumbeat of less-than-stellar approval ratings, when matched up against Donald Trump, like 2020 all over again, Biden comes out ahead.
Donald Trump remains a deeply polarizing political figure. He is beset by legal challenges that continue to escalate at every turn.
Now, his once thinly veiled autocratic tendencies have been unleashed for all the electorate to see and it is turning off key demographics the twice-impeached ex-President will desperately need to be competitive against the current White House occupant.
Nevertheless, a hard turn towards autocracy and mounting legal problems have not diminished Trump's march to the Republican nomination. In fact, just the opposite has occurred; the far-right base of support for the indicted ex-Commander-in-Chief has hardened. The GOP electorate has coalesced around Trump’s candidacy, showering him with copious amounts of campaign cash; key congressional endorsements; and a massive boost in the polls.
In fact, in that same NBC News poll, an astounding 70 per cent of Republican primary voters stand behind Trump, despite the many ongoing investigations he is facing. All of this, despite no clear path back to the White House. For all of Trump's apparent invincibility as the potential Republican standard bearer, President Biden remains the former reality television star’s kryptonite.
The political strengths that endear Trump to red meat conservatives: especially and including incessant name-calling and tracking in misinformation and disinformation do not transfer well with independent voters, suburban women, and moderate-to-conservative-leaning Democrats.
In fact, they act as a repellent to these key voter blocs, underscoring recent gains made by Democrats in key battleground states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. These are states that once again, will likely determine the winner in 2024 just as in 2016 and 2020.
Biden’s net rating of negative 10 is nearly double Trump’s net rating of negative 19 favouring the incumbent in a head-to-head matchup. President Biden is embarking on a re-election effort facing strong headwinds given his low approval rating.
A Gallup survey showed presidents that were unable to increase their approval rating to near or above 50 per cent before Election Day failed to get re-elected.
Donald Trump’s approval rating just after the 2020 election registered at 43 per cent. President Biden’s approval rating currently is hovering between 39 - 43 per cent. Numbers that typically spell disaster for re-election. Clearly, the Biden campaign is counting on facing the one challenger with approval ratings even worse than his: Trump. The former real estate magnate's current approval rating stands at 34 per cent.
In fact, Biden himself recognizes that in his weakened state he is still in a much stronger position than Trump with voters. Hence Biden’s famous line, “Don’t compare me to the almighty, compare me to the alternative.”
President Biden’s accomplishments in his first term are plentiful. However, rather than touting these successes and making his candidacy a referendum on his many victories, legislatively and electorally, like 2020, this race will focus on the alternative.
The alternative that despite tremendous strength with the party is weaker than an already weak incumbent. Biden, the no-drama president. Biden, the president that still travels every weekend to his home in Delaware. Biden, the president that fiercely eschews palace intrigue.
Biden, the president that is steely focused on governing. Biden, the normal and boring president compared to the alternative that is Trump. Biden is steadfastly shaping a campaign narrative that places great emphasis on what a return to a MAGA presidency means versus a “sleepy Joe” mantra characterized by a relatively drama-free White House replete with endless scandals, never-ending firings, and criminal indictments.
Just a few short months ago, Trump’s political obituary was being written. The GOP had moved on without him. An heir apparent was awaiting coronation.
Yet, like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, Trump has charged back, vanquishing all challengers and tightening his hold on the Republican Party. Now, the man many thought politically dead is readying a challenge for the White House. All that is standing in his way is a man that has already defeated him and will surely do so again.
Eric Ham is a bestselling author and former congressional staffer in the U.S. Congress. He served as a contributor to TheHill.com and The Washington Diplomat. He resides in Washington, DC.
As the month-long boycott of Loblaw-owned stores wears on, small independent food retailers and alternative grocery options say they're seeing a boost in traffic and sales.
One person has died aboard a London-Singapore flight that encountered severe turbulence, Singapore Airlines said Tuesday. The plane was diverted to Bangkok, where emergency crews rushed to help injured passengers amid stormy weather.
As we enter another wildfire season, Environment and Climate Change Canada is advising people to pay attention to air pollution levels and check the Air Quality Health Index – especially on smoky days.
If you've been to a party lately and haven't seen someone drinking a BORG, you're likely not partying with college students.
The Edmonton Oilers weathered a late Vancouver Canucks charge on Monday night, beating the hosts 3-2 to win their seven-game second-round playoff series in the decisive showdown.
Katy Perry said her goodbyes on 'American Idol' after seven seasons. On Sunday night’s live 'idol' season finale, a medley of Perry's hit songs were performed, including 'Teenage Dream,' 'Dark Horse' and 'California Gurls.'
A defence witness in Donald Trump's hush money case whom the judge threatened to remove from the trial over his behaviour will return to the stand Tuesday as the trial nears its end.
Singapore Airlines will reward its employees with a bonus worth nearly eight months of salary, a person familiar with the matter told CNN on Friday.
Microsoft wants laptop users to get so comfortable with its artificial intelligence chatbot that it will remember everything you're doing on your computer and help figure out what you want to do next.
It was an unusual morning for Regina's Fire and Protective Services (RFPS) — a fire rescue team was called in to assist after a man became trapped in the bucket of a garbage truck.
McGill University has denounced a pro-Palestinian protest held Sunday outside the home of one of its senior administrators.
A 35-year-old woman is in critical condition after the pick-up truck she was driving was struck by a Via Rail passenger train Monday morning in Quebec's Monteregie region.
Former investors of the self-styled “Crypto King” say they are watching his social media accounts and worried his displays of wealth are signs he’s spending their money, even now, as another large expense tied to Aiden Pleterski has triggered a previously unreported lawsuit.
For those who go to their local libraries often, they know there’s much more to their library than just borrowing books. Local libraries in Atlantic Canada are now renting out a broader range of items for people.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal by a Canadian-born former Guantanamo detainee who was seeking to wipe away his war crimes convictions, including for killing a U.S. soldier in Afghanistan.
A federal judge will reopen the sentencing hearing for the man who broke into Nancy Pelosi's San Francisco home and bludgeoned her husband with a hammer after the judge failed to allow him to speak during his court appearance last week.
Michael Cohen testified Monday that he stole tens of thousands of dollars from his ex-boss Donald Trump's company, an admission defence lawyers hope to use to undermine Cohen’s credibility.
Fast-moving storms with strong winds, large hail and apparent tornadoes swept Oklahoma and Kansas, while Houston made progress in recovering from last week's deadly storms.
The chief prosecutor of the world's top war crimes court sought arrest warrants Monday for leaders of Israel and Hamas, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over actions taken during their seven-month war.
A video link between New York City and Dublin that was shut down due to inappropriate behaviour on both sides of the Atlantic has reopened with new security measures.
Former South African president Jacob Zuma was disqualified Monday from running for a Parliament seat in next week's national election because of a previous criminal conviction.
The federal government is launching what it calls its 'national action plan' to combat auto thefts, which will include stronger penalties for thieves, and increased information sharing between police agencies, government officials and border enforcement.
When MPs file back in to the House of Commons on Tuesday, it will be for the final five-week parliamentary push before hitting the barbecue circuit. Looking ahead to what could be a raucous rush to the summer hiatus, CTVNews.ca spoke with top House representatives to get a sense of what's atop their priority list.
Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne says it's 'untenable' for 'smaller players' like Walmart and Costco to delay signing on to the government- and industry-led grocery code of conduct, now that industry giant Loblaw has agreed to do so.
As we enter another wildfire season, Environment and Climate Change Canada is advising people to pay attention to air pollution levels and check the Air Quality Health Index – especially on smoky days.
A new study has linked the legalization of cannabis with a rise in the number of Ontario seniors visiting emergency rooms.
British authorities and the country's public health service knowingly exposed tens of thousands of patients to deadly infections through contaminated blood and blood products, and hid the truth about the disaster for decades, an inquiry into the U.K.'s infected blood scandal found Monday.
OpenAI says it plans to halt the use of one of its ChatGPT voices after some users said it sounded like Scarlett Johansson, who famously voiced a fictional, and at the time futuristic, AI assistant in the 2013 film 'Her.'
Microsoft wants laptop users to get so comfortable with its artificial intelligence chatbot that it will remember everything you're doing on your computer and help figure out what you want to do next.
A two-story building burned to the ground more than 2,000 years ago in the Pyrenees mountains of northeastern Iberia in Spain. The inferno consumed the wooden structure, situated in an Iron Age settlement, killing six animals penned in the stable.
Katy Perry said her goodbyes on 'American Idol' after seven seasons. On Sunday night’s live 'idol' season finale, a medley of Perry's hit songs were performed, including 'Teenage Dream,' 'Dark Horse' and 'California Gurls.'
A month before Kevin Costner puts the first instalment of his multi-chapter western 'Horizon: An American Saga' into theatres, the actor-director came to the Cannes Film Festival to unveil his self-financed passion project.
As Saudi Arabia liberalizes some aspects of its society Seera, an all-women psychedelic rock band that blends traditional Arabic melodies with the resurgent psychedelia of bands like Tame Impala, represents the way women now are finding their voice and expressing themselves through the arts in a nation long associated with ultraconservative Islam and the strict separation of the sexes.
As the month-long boycott of Loblaw-owned stores wears on, small independent food retailers and alternative grocery options say they're seeing a boost in traffic and sales.
A free promotional tumbler handed out with Nutrl beverages at Ontario's alcohol retailer is being recalled over safety concerns.
Bruce Nordstrom, a retail executive who helped expand his family’s Pacific Northwest department store chain into an upscale national brand, has died.
Around 15,000 people passed through Red River Exhibition Park this weekend to mark the 19th annual Manito Ahbee Festival celebrating Indigenous culture and heritage.
Those who want to climb one of the most popular trails of the iconic Japanese Mount Fuji will now have to reserve ahead and pay a fee as the picturesque stratovolcano struggles with overtourism, littering and those who attempt rushed 'bullet climbing,' putting lives at risk.
Italy has dozens of secret smaller lakes that boast superb scenery, unknown to mass tourism, where locals get together on day trips and enjoy picnics.
The Edmonton Oilers weathered a late Vancouver Canucks charge on Monday night, beating the hosts 3-2 to win their seven-game second-round playoff series in the decisive showdown.
Danny Jansen had a three-hit, five-RBI outing that included a two-run, seventh-inning homer in the Blue Jays 9-3 win against the Chicago White Sox 9-3 in the three-game series opener on Monday.
The Minnesota Timberwolves reached the Western Conference finals brimming with talent, trust and tenacity after staging the biggest Game 7 comeback since the NBA began tracking play-by-play data 28 years ago.
Almost everyone is guilty of distracted driving at one point and time, but according to a report from Transport Canada using their most recent data from 2021, 25 per cent of fatal crashes involve speeding, while another 20 per cent involve distracted driving.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne says federal opposition parties should be 'celebrating' the recently announced electric vehicle deals, despite their criticisms the Liberals refuse to make public the terms and conditions laid out in the contracts.
It’s a good time to be in the market for a used Tesla.
A sanctuary dedicated to animals with disabilities is celebrating the third birthday of one of its most popular residents.
Catching 'em all with impressive speed, a 7-year-old boy from Windsor, Ont. who only started his competitive Pokémon journey seven months ago has already levelled up to compete at a world championship level.
2b Theatre recently moved into the old Video Difference building, seeking to transform it into an artistic hub, meeting space, and temporary housing unit for visiting performers in Halifax.
A B.C. woman says her service dog pulled her from a lake moments before she had a seizure, saving her life.
A Starbucks fan — whose name is Winter — is visiting Canada on a purposeful journey that began with a random idea at one of the coffee chain's stores in Texas.
Members of Piapot First Nation, students from the University of Winnipeg and various other professionals are learning new techniques that will hopefully be used for ground searches of potential unmarked grave sites in the future.
ALS patient Mathew Brown said he’s hopeful for future ALS patients after news this week of research at Western University of a potential cure for ALS.
When Adam Kirschner wrote 'Slap Shot,' he never imagined the song would be embraced by his favourite team.
A team is ready to help an entangled North Atlantic right whale in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
A 3-2 defeat by the Edmonton Oilers Monday night ended the playoff run for the Vancouver Canucks.
Two people were transported to hospital Monday, including one in an air ambulance, after a serious crash closed the Sea-to-Sky Highway in both directions.
Mounties in southeastern British Columbia are searching for the occupants of a vehicle that allegedly fled from police after a reported "firearms incident" on Monday.
Hot and humid weather is in the forecast for Toronto early this week before a return to more seasonable temperatures this weekend.
An altercation over fireworks led to a stabbing on the Martin Goodman Trail late Monday night, Toronto police say.
As the month-long boycott of Loblaw-owned stores wears on, small independent food retailers and alternative grocery options say they're seeing a boost in traffic and sales.
Inflation does not appear to exist at Dane's Lemonade Stand. "No, it does not," Dane Benesh said. Monday, in Copperfield, a tall glass of his lemonade cost the same $1 it did when he started in 2018.
The United Conservative Party says it has gathered a panel of medical experts for a town hall meeting next month that's expected to discuss the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in children.
The goal at Calgary's Genesis Centre on Monday was to make sure every single kid who walked through the doors felt included.
The St. Laurent LRT station will remain closed until at least Wednesday as OC Transpo continues to repair and inspect damaged ceiling tiles and concrete above both rail platforms.
The hot and humid weather will continue to grip Ottawa over the next two days, but there is relief on the way ahead of Ottawa Race Weekend this weekend.
A suspended driver was stopped for stunt driving on Hwy. 417 in Ottawa this holiday weekend, according to police.
McGill University has denounced a pro-Palestinian protest held Sunday outside the home of one of its senior administrators.
A two-year-old child is dead after being found unconscious in a residential swimming pool in the municipality of Saint-Apollinaire, in Quebec's Chaudière-Appalaches region.
Desjardins Group has offered its 'sincerest apologies' after some locations displayed a poster showing a Canadian flag to mark National Patriots' Day.
The Edmonton Oilers weathered a late Vancouver Canucks charge on Monday night, beating the hosts 3-2 to win their seven-game second-round playoff series in the decisive showdown.
A wildfire that forced thousands of people to evacuate several Fort McMurray neighbourhoods last week is no longer classified as out-of-control.
Kevin Kossowan isn't going to the grocery store to find ingredients for dinner. Instead, he's searching for them in the wild in places such forested land he owns north of Rochester, Alta.
Police have charged a man with multiple firearm-related offences after an incident outside a pharmacy in Meteghan, N.S., last week.
New Glasgow Regional Police has arrested a man after receiving reports of someone with a knife at a business in New Glasgow, N.S., on Saturday.
Thousands flocked to Saint John’s Waterfront Container Village over the May long weekend to see what’s new at the popular uptown location.
Premier Wab Kinew announced Monday a byelection will be held in Tuxedo on June 18.
Winnipeg police is investigating after a woman was hit by a vehicle and later died from her injuries Sunday.
Flashes of purple darting across the sky mixed with the serenading sound of songs will be noticed more with spring in full force in Manitoba.
Close to 200 people showed up at the Muskowekwan Bingo Hall on Monday to address the weekly drug-related deaths casting a shadow on their communities.
There's bound to be many new faces in the province's legislature later this year. Nearly half of Saskatchewan Party members elected in 2020 will not be representing the party on the ballot this fall.
The Regina Police Service (RPS) has released very few details surrounding a shooting involving the service's Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT).
Waterloo Regional Police are investigating after a reported Victoria Day shooting in Kitchener.
Waterloo Regional Police is continuing to investigate a single motor vehicle collision in Woolwich Township.
Hundreds of Canada’s best jumpers were in Waterloo this weekend for Rope Skipping Canada’s national championships.
Canada’s weather service has issued an advisory about the potential of funnel clouds forming over the City of Saskatoon.
A Saskatchewan man who had a sexual encounter with a 15-year-old girl he met on Tinder successfully appealed to shorten release conditions barring him from online dating.
The Sikh culture in Saskatoon is growing, and the massive turnout at the Nagar Kirtan parade on Sunday put the strength of their community on full display, as thousands walked up a span of Attridge Drive.
A northern Ontario NDP MPP says the province needs to tackle the issue of predatory landlords.
If you've been to a party lately and haven't seen someone drinking a BORG, you're likely not partying with college students.
East Algoma Ontario Provincial Police have charged one person in Elliot Lake in connection with an ongoing neighbour dispute.
London-Middlesex and Sarnia-Lambton are under a special weather statement from Environment Canada. Hot and humid conditions are expected Tuesday as an air mass moves into southwestern Ontario.
A busy section of Dashwood Road/Highway 83 in South Huron has reopened following a crash on Monday. Crews were called to the scene near Goshen Line around 4 p.m. for what was described as a "serious collision" between a pickup truck and a motorcycle.
A small memorial service held in front of London City Hall Monday intended to send a message to politicians, the plans to solve the homeless crisis need to move more quickly.
Barrie reminds its residents about fines for not following bylaws.
OPP monitored the waters of Georgian Bay during the Victoria Day long weekend and issued tickets to boaters who consumed alcohol.
A 19-year-old driver was caught driving double the posted speed limit in Innisfil on Sunday.
Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent are under a special weather statement as hot and humid conditons are expected Tuesday.
Windsor police officers are investigating after multiple shots were fired at a vehicle on Erie Street.
The Town of Tecumseh is all having roadways inspected using automated road scanning technology.
The mayor of the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality in British Columbia says drones are endangering helicopters being used to fight wildfires near Fort Nelson, which was ordered evacuated earlier this month.
Two people were transported to hospital Monday, including one in an air ambulance, after a serious crash closed the Sea-to-Sky Highway in both directions.
Questions about how the team is going to handle the absence of star winger Brock Boeser from a do-or-die game seven dominated pre-game interviews with the Vancouver Canucks coach and players Monday morning.
One person is dead after a fight in Penticton early Sunday morning, according to authorities.
A suspect is at large after robbing a convenience store at gunpoint in Merritt, B.C., Friday, according to local police.
After four targeted shootings in four days, Mounties in Kamloops are taking the unusual step of warning the public about two men they believe are likely to be targeted in future violent incidents.
With just over two minutes remaining in the first overtime, Mirko Buttazzoni scored to give the Bandits a 4-3 victory over the Sherwood Park Crusaders Saturday in Brooks.
The Sherwood Park Crusaders got some great goaltending from Erick Roest Friday night on the way to a 4-3 victory over the Brooks Bandits.
The average home price in Lethbridge has jumped 11.6 per cent in the last year. A home in Lethbridge now costs just over $374,000 on average. That's according to the latest data from the Alberta Real Estate Association.
The Town of Blind River is looking at using tiny homes to create smaller and more affordable housing in the community.
A man with a history of dangerous behaviour has been charged with pulling the fire alarm at the hospital in Elliot Lake.
East Algoma Ontario Provincial Police have charged one person in Elliot Lake in connection with an ongoing neighbour dispute.
79-year-old Madonna Wilkinson has been playing the accordion since she was 15, when she picked one up that had been left behind at one of her parents' rollicking parties in the oceanside town about 25 kilometres north of St. John's, N.L. She has played Sunday masses and St. Patrick's Day parties, and community events of all kinds.
Canada's new $10-a-day child care program is expanding, but there's growing evidence that demand for the program is rising even faster, leaving many parents on the outside looking in.
A new study shows an Atlantic salmon population in southern Newfoundland is disappearing, and it says nearby aquaculture operations are a likely contributor to the decline.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
