SHE HAS REJECTED THE POSSIBILITY, and her close aides say chances are slim — but many add that chances would not be zero if Joe Biden chooses not to run and there’s no clear frontrunner for the Democrats.
BIDEN, IT SHOULD BE NOTED, is reportedly angry that pundits are dismissing the likelihood that he will run again. But he can’t deny that the issue simply isn’t his age — his polling numbers are abysmal, especially on the economy. And, of course, it is age; he’s 79 now and would by 86 when leaving the White House after a second term.
WE CAN REPORT THAT NEARLY A DOZEN Democrats are seriously considering a run in 2024, but many are hardly household names. We think, for example, that North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper would be an intriguing candidate, but most voters have never heard of him. Everyone has heard of Hillary Clinton.
ONE REASON WHY CLINTON’S NAME has resurfaced is the growing anxiety in the party over Ron DeSantis, who is increasingly likely to be the GOP nominee — and the possible frontrunner to become the next president.
AS WE WROTE LAST WEEK, June has been a devastating month for Donald Trump, who now faces the very real threat of an criminal indictment stemming from the Jan. 6 hearings. Even Trump supporters tell polltakers they would prefer that he not run again.
CLINTON, 74, COULD MOUNT AN AGGRESSIVE campaign based on abortion and other social issues; she already has blasted Clarence Thomas. But we think she won’t run, certainly not if Biden seeks re-election. What if he doesn’t? Then things could get interesting but we still would put odds of her running at no better than 25%.
BUT THE SPECULATION HAS BEGUN, thrilling Republicans and making Democrats determined to find that elusive fresh face. It could be Gavin Newsom, governor of crime-plagued California, who’s making noise and looking like a candidate.
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HAWKISH FED: The wishful thinking that the Federal Reserve could begin considering a gentler tightening path got a dose of reality yesterday. Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester, a moderate hawk, said that the next move, on July 26-27, probably should be a 75 basis point hike.
MESTER, A VOTING MEMBER of the FOMC, said the debate next month would revolve around a 75 bp hike or a 50 bp hike. If conditions look the same then as they do now, she would support a 75 bp move.
“We’re in this transition right now, and I think that’s going to be a painful one in
some respects and it’s going to be a bumpy ride in some respects, but it’s very
necessary that we do it to get those inflation numbers down,” she told CNBC yesterday.