A South Carolina Democrat candidate for governor is the latest Dem to say Joe Biden shouldn’t run for a second term as president. During an interview with CNN’s “New Day” former Rep. Joe Cunningham was asked about the future of the Democrat Party and where Biden fits in.
The Hill reports:
“Yeah, I think we need to have a new generation of leadership emerge. And this isn’t, you know, as the video said, judges in South Carolina have to retire at age 72. Democrats have a very deep bench, and it’s time to allow a new generation to emerge and new talent,” Cunningham replied, referring to a campaign ad released on Wednesday calling for age limits.
“…I think we need to have a new vision, new leadership. And this isn’t about, personal about Biden, but he’d be 82 [by the] time of the next election. If he served out a second term, he would be 86 years old. I’m not sure if any of us know any 86-year-olds who should be running the entire country,” he added later.
CNN then showed a tweet from 2018 in which Cunningham touted then-Vice President Biden’s endorsement in his race, an election he later won, flipping a seat that had been red for decades.
“You’re really proud of the endorsement in that picture. You know, how do you think he’s gonna feel about you coming out this morning and saying he shouldn’t run for reelection?” anchor John Berman asked him.
“Well look, this isn’t about where we are right now, this is looking to the future. And we’re, you know, like I said, he himself said he wants to be a bridge to the future. And again, we’re in this car, we’re driving across this bridge, and no one knows what’s on the other side. And that’s the conversation we need to be having right now,” Cunningham said in defense of his stance.