Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, asked if Biden should run again, says 'I'm gonna duck that question'

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When asked whether President Biden should run for a second term, Rhode Island's Democratic junior senator asked to "duck the question."

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse appeared on the "Rhode Island Report" podcast to discuss the political climate of his state and the nation in the run-up to the midterm elections this November.

When asked if Biden should throw his hat back in the ring for a second term, Whitehouse demurred.

"I think it's gonna be something to watch as we go through this election," Whitehouse said. "Obviously Biden is not on the ballot. He doesn't need to make a decision now about 2024. 

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Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., questions Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson during a Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on March 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

"But I do think that from now through November is a really important period for the Biden administration to set the mark for how they're going to campaign for 2024 and to establish the narrative." 

He added that the message from the Biden campaign, should he run, should be akin to "this is a guy who's fighting for you, and this is a guy who gets things done."

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As he was pressed further for a concrete answer, Whitehouse refused, citing the lack of an official 2024 candidate pool yet.

"I'm gonna duck that question, if you don't mind," Whitehouse said with a nervous laugh. "We don't have any candidates yet for 2024,and I'm not picking amongst them."

Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., left, and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore. (Tyler Olson/Fox News)

Earlier this year, Whitehouse — alongside Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore. — said it was time for Biden to take massive, unilateral executive actions on climate change, even if it is likely the Supreme Court will strike down at least some of them as unconstitutional.

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"President Biden is an optimist and a trusting soul and a very patient man," Whitehouse said. "That trust has not been rewarded. I believe, I hope, that that patience is exhausted."