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Former President Joe Biden, 83, said in an interview promoting his forthcoming book that he would have 'resigned' - or bowed out of the 2024 race - had he known he had cancer.
asserted
he → sign → cancer
Both Biden and former First Lady Dr Jill Biden sat down with People magazine for what is being billed as the only on-camera interview ahead of
Biden announced that he had stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer in May 2025, four months after leaving office, and called it a 'cynical twist' that some commentators peddled that he had kept the diagnosis a secret.
uncertain
he → sit → diagnosis
'If I had known that I was feeling lousy because I had cancer, I would have resigned - I would have not gone forward,' Biden said in the interview with People.
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Biden → know → People
The interviewer had specifically asked whether he would have done anything differently regarding the 2024 campaign.
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he → ask → campaign
'I don't think an 80-year-old man with cancer should be running for, you know, but that wasn't the case,' he added.
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he → think → cancer
Biden was well on his way to running for reelection when a disastrous debate against President Donald Trump in June 2024 changed the trajectory of the race.
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debate → run → race
The former President remained surprised by the blowback.
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President → remain → blowback
Former President Joe Biden spoke to People magazine for an interview released Wednesday ahead of the publication of his White House memoir.
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Biden → speak → memoir
When asked about the 2024 race, Biden said he would have 'resigned' or bowed out had he known he had cancer
President Joe Biden (left) stands onstage with First Lady Jill Biden (right) at the conclusion of his June 2024 disastrous debate against President Donald Trump.
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Biden → ask → Trump
In the interview, Biden expressed dismay that the debate ended his political career
'
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debate → express → career
I don't know anybody who hadn't made a mistake in a debate,' Biden said.
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Biden → know → debate
First of all, I thought there was going to be another debate, which there wasn't.
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I → think → all
But notwithstanding the fact that there wasn't another debate, it didn't disturb me because it wasn't consequential.'
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it → be → me
Members of his own party started calling on the then 81-year-old to abandon his reelection bid, which he did on July 21, handing the reins to Vice President Kamala Harris.
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he → start → Harris
Biden told People that he was in a place 'where I thought I had the capacity.'
'I think I did,' he protested.
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he → tell → capacity
'To bring a wider array of support for the United States and our positions around the world,' he continued.
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he → bring → world
'I had very good relationships with all the major leaders in the world, and so I believed that on an objective basis, I was the best-equipped person to do the job.'
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I → have → job
Over the course of the interview, Biden isn't asked about - or doesn't voluntarily - bring up Harris.
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Biden → ask → Harris
In her campaign memoir, 107 Days, Harris called out Biden for 'recklessness' in his decision to run for a second term at his advanced age, especially knowing that Trump would again be on the ballot.
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Trump → call → ballot
Biden does talk candidly about his decision to pardon his son, Hunter, a controversial choice he made in December 2024, after Harris lost the election.
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Harris → talk → election
Former President Joe Biden (right) and his son Hunter Biden (left) are photographed on Tuesday on a trip to Dublin, Ireland.
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Biden → photograph → Dublin
The former President sat down for an interview with People ahead of the release of his memoir next Tuesday
Hunter, who has entered the public fray and appeared on many podcasts since his father's cancer diagnosis, previously said the pardon wasn't good for the Constitution or his father's legacy.
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pardon → sit → Constitution
'I disagree,' the elder Biden told People.
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Biden → disagree → People
'I watched the modus operandi of Trump.
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I → watch → Trump
He goes after people without any basis, whether they're viewed as an enemy.
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they → go → enemy
I knew what he would do.
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he → know → what
'
Since returning to office, Trump has sought prosecutions for several of his political enemies, including his former National Security Advisor John Bolton and FBI Director James Comey.
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Trump → return → Advisor
'If I hadn't pardoned - not just some of my family members, anyone who's dealt with me - he would go back and try to do harm to them, as I've observed,' the former President said.
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President → pardon → them
Biden's memoir hits bookshelves Tuesday.
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memoir → hit → bookshelves
The Aporia
