CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- Experts said the 2017 deadly Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, and President Donald Trump's reaction to it, sparked President Joe Biden's run for office.

And those same experts think it will affect his decision to run for re-election.

Journalists Bob Woodward of the Washington Post and Robert Costa of CBS Network were in Charlottesville on Friday discussing their book "Peril" with Larry Sabato from the University of Virginia Center for Politics.

“Peril” is about the transition between the Trump and Biden administrations. The first chapter is on Biden’s reaction to the 2017 rally, which the men referred to as "Charlottesville."

"He was just outraged that Trump was dismissive 'oh you know that's just Charlottesville.' Biden was very upset, and it was Biden's aid, Mike Donilan, who really came up with the idea that, 'the soul of America is on the line,'" Woodward said.

Costa said politics now is a reaction to Trump's presidency, and Biden sees himself as the person who has to save democracy from Trump.

So with Trump running in 2024, Biden probably will too.