Biden Is Gearing Up for a 2nd Term
Published in Der Standard
(Austria) on 21 February 2023
by Manuela Honsig-Erlenburg (link to
original)
The U.S. president’s highly symbolic visit to Kyiv could be the prelude to another presidential bid.
It was a historic gesture for Ukraine. Joe Biden surprised the world with his visit to Kyiv, followed by a keynote speech in Warsaw on Tuesday. Countless photos were taken that will go down in the history books and archives.
One moment was particularly powerful: Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy side by side, an air-raid siren going off as the two left St. Michael's golden-domed monastery, the headquarters of the independent Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Biden and Zelenskyy remained calm and were not intimidated — in contrast to Vladimir Putin, who surrounds himself with like-minded individuals, travels now only in an armored train and is allegedly unwilling to listen to any advice.
Americans love narratives like these — the Russian as the devious villain and the American as the fearless, shining light. These images not only help Zelenskyy as a strong sign of solidarity from his most important political ally, but also help Biden position himself favorably regarding aid for Ukraine and with respect to the next presidential election campaign.
Until now, polls have rated Biden’s approval at a modest level of around 42%. In fact, even his own party wants to see a new generation break through. Biden has not yet publicly announced that he will seek another presidential bid. But his recent and notable appearances indicate that he wants to give it another shot.
It was a historic gesture for Ukraine. Joe Biden surprised the world with his visit to Kyiv, followed by a keynote speech in Warsaw on Tuesday. Countless photos were taken that will go down in the history books and archives.
One moment was particularly powerful: Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy side by side, an air-raid siren going off as the two left St. Michael's golden-domed monastery, the headquarters of the independent Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Biden and Zelenskyy remained calm and were not intimidated — in contrast to Vladimir Putin, who surrounds himself with like-minded individuals, travels now only in an armored train and is allegedly unwilling to listen to any advice.
Americans love narratives like these — the Russian as the devious villain and the American as the fearless, shining light. These images not only help Zelenskyy as a strong sign of solidarity from his most important political ally, but also help Biden position himself favorably regarding aid for Ukraine and with respect to the next presidential election campaign.
Until now, polls have rated Biden’s approval at a modest level of around 42%. In fact, even his own party wants to see a new generation break through. Biden has not yet publicly announced that he will seek another presidential bid. But his recent and notable appearances indicate that he wants to give it another shot.
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