President Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump to win the 2020 presidential election and become the 46th president of the United States.
Biden reflects on why he's optimistic about the future of the United States despite several major world challenges in a new interview.
What Happened: Biden is the frontrunner among Democratic presidential candidates for the 2024 election.
The president told Conan O'Brien on the Sirius XM Holdings Inc podcast "Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend" that he almost didn't run in the election.
Biden said he planned not to run for president and was going to write a book on the reflection in American history. Instead, seeing the importance of the next three or four years shaping future history, Biden decided to run.
The president said what is done in the next four years is "going to determine the course of the country and the world for the next five to six decades."
"I've never been more optimistic about America's chances in my whole life," Biden told O'Brien.
The president said he was once told he was a "congenital optimist" by a doctor.
Biden said it's important to win the 2024 election to prevent Ukraine from collapsing, holding NATO together and changing the dynamic in Europe for future generations.
"Who leads the world if the United States doesn't? No one else can."
Biden said America has an obligation and opportunity to help the world.
"Nothing is beyond our capacity when we work together."
Related Link: 5 Things You Might Not Know About Joe Biden
The Other Guy: While speaking about international relations and helping Ukraine, Biden referenced that it's important to help Ukraine prevail.
Biden criticized his 2024 presidential opponent and former president Donald Trump during the interview without naming him.
"The other guy says, ‘We can work with (Vladimir) Putin. He's smart,'" Biden said of Trump.
O'Brien had a laugh and said he likes that Trump is the other guy.
"He's like Voldemort now: His name shall not be mentioned," O'Brien said.
The two enjoyed a good laugh, with the reference to the Harry Potter villain Voldemort, whose name isn't said out of fear and a curse.
"Good point, I plead guilty," Biden replied.
The reference to Voldemort comes after Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie made a reference to the Harry Potter villain during the fourth primary debate.
"He's not Voldemort from the Harry Potter books. He's not he who shall not be named," Christie said.
The presidential candidate criticized other Republicans on stage for failing to say Trump's name.
Photo via Shutterstock
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.
