The Japan Times - Joking Biden teases 2024 run at arts awards ceremony

Presenting a National Humanities Medal to "Underground Railroad" author Colson Whitehead, Biden noted that the writer also had the rare distinction of winning two Pulitzer prizes in a row.

The Democrat then sparked laughter in the packed White House hall by adding: "I'm kinda looking for back-to-back myself."

Biden has previously made clear, without formally announcing, that he intends to run for a second term in 2024 when he'll be just under 82 years old on election day.

He dropped another hint when awarding the National Medal of Arts to rock legend Bruce Springsteen, riffing on one of his most famous hit songs by saying: "Bruce, some people are just born to run."

Some of the loudest cheers of the day came when Biden awarded the arts medal -- the highest American honor for artists -- to actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus, best known for portraying vice president and later president Selina Meyer in "Veep."

Her character bumbles through the TV series as a frustrated, ignored vice president who finally gets the main job, throwing the White House into ever more hilarious crises.

Opening the ceremony, Biden welcomed her as "former president Selina Meyer."

Among those also given the arts awards were fashion designer Vera Wang and veteran blues, gospel and pop singer Gladys Knight.

Writers Walter Isaacson and Ann Patchett were among those who, like Whitehead, were awarded the National Humanities Medal.

K.Tanaka--JT