Former U.S. President Barack Obama is considered one of the prominent figures in the Democratic circles, especially in recent times due to his strong relationship with his former vice president, Joe Biden. This close relationship has led many to say that only two individuals could convince Biden to withdraw from the election race: his wife Jill and his former boss, Barack Obama.
Some may question the possibility of Obama running in the current elections after Biden announced his withdrawal, and the answer lies in the 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. According to the amendment, no president can serve more than two terms, and Obama served as president for two terms from January 20, 2009, to January 20, 2017, making him the first president of African descent to reach the White House.
Before the ratification of the amendment, presidents were not subject to term limits. In the 1940 and 1944 presidential elections, Franklin D. Roosevelt became the first president to win a third term and later a fourth term, raising concerns about the potential issues of a president serving an unlimited number of terms. Congress approved the 22nd Amendment on March 21, 1947, and it was submitted to the state legislatures for ratification. This process was completed on February 27, 1951, after the amendment was ratified by 36 of the 48 states at the time (as Alaska and Hawaii were not yet states), and its provisions took effect on that date.
Obama chose Biden to be his vice president in the 2008 presidential elections due to his long-standing experience in Congress and his good knowledge of foreign policy and defense issues, and together they achieved victory in the elections, with Biden becoming vice president. On January 12, 2017, President Barack Obama surprised Biden days before leaving the White House by awarding him the highest civilian honor in the country, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, during a ceremony held at the White House.
