With Biden out, why Obama can’t make a comeback in 2024

With President Joe Biden’s recent decision to end his bid for reelection, speculation has arisen about candidates who could replace him. One name that might come up in such discussions is former President Barack Obama. But the question remains: Can Obama run for president again?

The answer is no. Obama can’t run for president again because of the 22nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. This Amendment was ratified in 1951 in response to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s unprecedented four-term presidency, which raised concerns about the potential for excessive executive power.

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The 22nd Amendment states that “no person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President or acted as President for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once.”

This provision ensures that if someone has served two terms as president, they are constitutionally barred from seeking the presidency again, even after a break.

The Democratic nominee to replace Biden will be decided during the Democratic National Convention, which takes place in Chicago from August 19 to August 22. Since Biden cannot appoint a replacement, his delegates will determine the nominee at the DNC.

Following his decision to withdraw from the race, Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his potential successor.

Jeremy Yurow is a politics reporting fellow based in Hawaii for the USA TODAY Network. You can reach him at JYurow@gannett.com or on X, formerly Twitter @JeremyYurow

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: With Biden out, why Obama can’t make a comeback in 2024