So it's now official in writing, right?
They are also in video.
President Biden says he wants
to finish the job
and wants to beat what he calls
MAGA extreme ism.
Again,
when I ran for president four years ago,
I said, we're in a battle
for the soul of America and we still are.
The question we're facing is
whether in the years ahead,
we have more freedom or less freedom,
more rights or fewer.
I know what I want the nation to be,
and I think you do, too.
This is not a time to be complacent.
That's why I'm running for reelection.
It was exactly four years ago
today that Biden threw his hat
in the ring
for 2020
and warned voters
then about Donald Trump's rhetoric.
Let's go to the White House now.
CNN's Arlette Seides is there.
Arlette,
we've seen the president on video today.
What do we expect
from him live in in person?
Well, John, in a little over an hour,
President Biden will be holding
his first public event
since officially
rolling out his reelection bid.
The president is
expected at around 1230
to speak at a union conference
here in Washington, D.C.
as he looks to highlight his ties
to the labor community.
But it also highlights
the strategy of how the president
will be deployed in the coming months.
Advisers say not to expect the president
to be out there
on the campaign trail
holding these large style rallies.
Instead,
they believe that one of his main
selling points to the American
people will come
as he simply doing the job as president
So he will be speaking
at that union events today.
He is also,
over the course of the next
two days, hosting
the South Korean president
here at the White House.
A bit later today,
Vice President Kamala Harris
will be speaking
at a reproductive rights rally
at a time when abortion
has been a mobilizing issue
for Democrats.
But this all comes as the president
is officially rolling out his campaign.
The president
really trying to draw comparisons
comparisons to his 2020 launch
when he had warned
there was a battle
for the soul of the nation.
He is saying that
that battle is not yet complete
and he needs another four years
in the White House.
He is also trying to warn
that American freedoms are under siege.
By what he has described
as MAGA extremists.
And in that video, he used those images
from the January six
insurrection,
as well as highlighted to Republican men,
one of which who could be
his match up in a general election
come November 20. 24. Take a look
You know, around the country,
MAGA extremists are lining up
to take on those bedrock
freedoms, cutting Social Security
that you paid for your entire life.
Cutting taxes for the very wealthy.
Dictating what health care
decisions women can make.
Banning books
and telling people who they can love.
Now, as this campaign
formally takes shape,
the president is facing some challenges,
including polling
that has shown that
the majority of Americans
do not believe
he should seek a second term,
with many saying
that some of their concerns
relate to the issue of his age.
But President Biden and his allies
believe that
he has a strong record to run on
and that ultimately,
ultimately, voters
will side with him
when compared
to the Republican alternatives.
All that signs
for us at the White House,
our lead, as you point out,
very interesting on the campaign video,
you see scenes from January six,
even before you see Joe
Biden himself there.
You can tell where he's going with that.
All right.
And with Biden's announcement
this morning,
the 2020
presidential race
is entering a new phase,
the field beginning to take shape.
Let's take stock of who's in
and who's out
and who still has yet
to potentially declare.
Here are the candidates
we know are running now.
On the Republican side, former President
Donald Trump,
former governor and Ambassador
Nikki Haley,
former governor Asa Hutchinson,
conservative radio host Larry
Elder, and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy,
former Swami excuse me
on the Democratic side,
the declared are
obviously the frontrunner,
President Biden.
Then there is
Robert Kennedy
JR and Marianne Williamson.
Here are the potential candidates.
We are tracking,
all of them Republicans,
Mike Pence, Liz Cheney,
Chris Christie,
and yes, Ron DeSantis
still has not declared
there is Christie Norm,
Tim Scott,
Chris Sununu and Glenn Youngkin.
So when are they going to end this
guessing game one way or the other?
Here's Ron DeSantis on that question.
We got a legislative
session that we're working on.
We've got a few more weeks
to go with that.
We're going to be putting up
a lot of wins on the board.
And so I'm not going to be
making any announcements before
that's concluded.
Okay.
Are you leaning one way or another?
Stay tuned.
All right.
So if you pull out your calendar, here's
what he's saying.
The Florida legislative session
ends on May 5th.
So he said stay tuned.
That might end shortly thereafter.
On DeSantis,
Mike Pence says he'll decide, quote,
well before late June.
And in the meantime,
has been making multiple visits
to critical primary states.
And Chris Sununu says
he will be announcing his decision
before the 4th of July.
Kate,
joining us
now for more on this,
a CNN political commentator,
former Obama
administration official, Van Jones.
It's good to see you, Van.
So we saw that video announcement
from President Biden this morning
rolling out
officially the his reelection campaign
themes.
First word that you hear from him.
Freedom themes that you see throughout
fighting for abortion
rights, threats
to democracy
through that January 6th imagery,
gay rights,
voting rights, less check my record more.
The fight is isn't over.
What did you think of it?
Well, you know,
one thing
about Joe Biden,
he has always been underestimated.
He was considered a lightweight
in the Senate.
But, you know, he is a winner.
And I think it's hard when you
when you've won vice president twice.
When you've won the presidency twice.
I once did not want to do it again.
And so I'm not
I think anybody is surprised
that he's running.
I think the themes that
he's talking about are interesting
because this battle about freedom,
you hear both sides saying the other side
wants to take away
your freedom,
your freedom
to speak, your freedom
for your Second Amendment rights.
You know,
we're saying that the other side
is trying to take away democracy itself.
So this I do think he's right on target
with where a lot of concerns
for Americans are.
We're concerned about the economy
and about our democracy.
I think he's like he's
lining up his forces for this fight.
Do you think it's possible
with when he's been in politics
as long as he has
when he's been president
then for four years
that he can run on something that it's
you know, it's not a referendum.
It's the fight yet to
yet to be to be fought?
Look, I think all
elections are about tomorrow.
More than yesterday.
I mean, he
you know,
he has done an extraordinary job.
I was also very pleased to see
how prominent
Kamala Harris was in that 32nd Yeah.
I mean I mean,
there were people
who were
wanting him to back away from her,
wanting him to throw her overboard, etc..
I think he's doing a very clear message.
They are team, they got there together.
They're going to stay together
and they want to win again together.
And by doing that,
I think he expands the playing field.
He can be at the White House
doing what he does.
She can be out in the community
doing what she does.
And together they can.
I think they're a double threat, a
double threat
already.
Whereas the other people
on the Republican side
and they've got to do it
all by themselves.
We can put it for our viewers.
Some of the recent polling, though,
that shows the challenges
that he does face
in some way, shape or form,
which is very clear
that even Democrats
aren't entirely jazzed about him
running for reelection again.
What do you think his biggest challenges
are, though, Van
Well, I mean, he's just he's old
or you know, he's he's
you just can't get away from the fact
that he's
the oldest president we've ever had.
People,
unfortunately, for him,
people remember him
when he was a young guy.
He's been around for a long time.
But people
have you know, they can compare him
to where we was 20 years ago, you know.
And so
but that said
when he announced four years ago
it was a yawn.
When he announced four years
ago, people said, so what?
He's too old.
He's too out of touch
with the progressives.
He's too conservative.
He's he's yesterday's man.
They said that four years ago.
And then he destroyed
the field,
became the nominee and beat Donald Trump.
So I just think you know,
four years later,
I think we should remember
we didn't think he could pull it off
four years ago and look what he's done.
So when you know that he needs to hold
independent voters like he did in 2020
just to remind folks
what the exit polls from from 2020
in order to win election and reelection
this time.
What then do progressives
want to hear from him.
So they as well are motivated
to turn out for Joe Biden once again
I think the
progressives are in a good position
because he gave so much
to the progressives
in the first two years
when it comes to just
you know
historic legislation everything from,
you know climate to the CHIPS Act
marriage equality people
forget about that
he did a lot for the progressives
in the first two years.
Going forward,
I think the progressives
are going to be
answering the call to defend democracy.
And I think that's going to be appealing
to both progressives and independents.
So I listen,
people always say
the same things about Joe Biden.
I often say those things
and then I have to eat my words
because later on,
it turns out
he was good to the progressives.
I think he will be able
to hold onto the moderates going forward
because the Republicans
are going to be so extreme
and he can probably pull this off.
But right now, his numbers are terrible.
People are whispering that he's too old.
In other words, he's right where he was
four years ago, being underestimated.
That's why I always love having you on.
Van, it's always good to see you.
Next time in studio, please.
Rather than one of our very wonderful,
very large walls.
I'll take you however I can get it.
It's good to see you. Thank you.