Jill Biden is ready to go! The New York Times is reporting that Jill told French President Macron that she’s absolutely ready for the re-election campaign. There was never really any doubt, was there?

Macron and his wife, Brigitte, were honored during the Biden administration’s first state dinner on Thursday night. Macron asked Jill if she and Joe are ready for a re-election campaign and, according to the Times, she answered with an emphatic “absolutely.” Macron then made a toast to Biden’s 2024 campaign.

The conversation on Thursday evening began as Dr. Biden held court at the head table, which included Mr. Macron; his wife, Brigitte; several French officials; Democratic activists; and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The first lady, an exercise devotee, told the group that fitness helps clear her head, especially when she’s on the campaign trail.

Her disclosure caught Mr. Macron’s ear.

Mr. Macron asked her whether she was ready for another campaign. Absolutely, was Dr. Biden’s emphatic reply. Mr. Macron, who is as eager as the rest of the world for a firm answer about Mr. Biden’s plans, turned to the president and said that apparently congratulations were in order.

Then Mr. Macron led the table in a toast to Mr. Biden’s 2024 campaign. Mr. Macron raised a glass of wine, and Mr. Biden raised his glass of Coca-Cola. When asked about the toast, a spokesman for the Élysée Palace, who insisted on anonymity, said he had no clue about the exchange. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Naturally the White House is keeping quiet on this. Biden isn’t jumping in yet, officially, because then he’ll be subject to FEC rules. He’s going to coast for as long as he can. Meanwhile, that leaves any other Democrat hoping to run in 2024 – looking at you, Kamala and Buttigieg – cooling their heels until that official notice comes. Biden will continue to play coy and say it is his intention to run.

It’s convenient that this story comes out with an update today, though, isn’t it? It happened last week, almost a full week ago. The French delegation has left town and the White House gave it a few days to leak it to the Times, right? This is a signal from the mouth of the president’s wife that re-election is likely a go. It’s common knowledge that Jill makes the decision as to whether or not he runs, as reported in stories meant to spotlight how wonderful she is, and it’s clear she enjoys the spotlight.

We are meant to understand that Macron is pleased with the decision. The official story is that the Biden family will discuss and make a decision over the holidays. Don’t believe that malarkey. Jill’s decided. She wanted Macron to know it. And, the New York Times.

The speculation was whether or not his family would be concerned about his age but that hasn’t been the case in the past. When he announced in 2019, Biden was already 77-years-old at that time. If age is a main consideration, why wasn’t it then? Biden has only deteriorated in his cognitive issues and his physical agility. Have you seen him walk across the White House lawn from Marine One lately? The man is old and tired. That’s not being mean, that’s just stating what is apparent to everyone, including world leaders.

Under other circumstances, what the Biden family does by encouraging Joe Biden to run is elder abuse. They are all living large and enjoying the perks – Hunter is back and a regular presence at the White House – and a big motivation seems to be that Biden wants to run again because Trump has declared his candidacy. Don’t we deserve better than a re-match by these two men?

Biden is reinvigorated by the red wave that failed to happen. He thinks his agenda has a mandate now and nothing is going to stop him. The truth is that most Democrat candidates ran away from him and very few asked him to show up on the campaign trail. He’s deeply unpopular across the country. Opinions of those outside the White House and those inside the White House are mixed.

Mr. Biden’s age remains a concern for voters and prominent Democrats, as does the possibility that the midterm afterglow could be fleeting. David Axelrod, a former chief strategist for President Barack Obama, told The New York Times last week that the results were “a little giddy up” for Mr. Biden, but that the prospects for a second term could be complicated by the president’s age. Mr. Biden would be 86 at the end of a second term, should he run and win in 2024.

“If he were 60 and not 80, there would be absolutely no doubt,” Mr. Axelrod said.

Still, within both wings of the White House, discussions of “the re-elect” are commonplace, and the president’s top aides are discussing what a run would look like. Those officials include Mr. Klain and Mr. Biden’s longtime circle of trusted advisers, including Anita Dunn, Mike Donilon, Steven J. Ricchetti and Jennifer O’Malley Dillon.

He’s running. He wants world leaders to know it. He’s an arrogant career politician who doesn’t know when his time has passed. Stock up on popcorn, it’s going to be a long two years.