President Joe Biden’s age “would be a major issue” if he is running for re-election in 2024, Democratic strategist David Axelrod said in a statement. New York Times interview published on Saturday.
The election is more than two years away, but speculation about whether Biden plans to run for re-election has already begun as he faces low approval numbers, challenges to key parts of his agenda and high inflation.
Axelrod, a strategist who helped propel former President Barack Obama to victory in 2008, warned that Biden’s age could be a potential setback for his 2024 campaign. Biden, 79, became the oldest president-elect in American history when he won in 2020.
Throughout his term, Republicans have tried to weaponize his age to paint him as unfit for office, though his doctor Kevin O’Connor maintained in a letter last year that Biden was “healthy,” “vigorous.” and “fit to successfully execute the functions of the Presidency”.
Biden ‘looks his age’
Axelrod pointed to his age as “part of the reason” some voters are hesitant to give him credit for his achievements, which his supporters say include launching the COVID-19 vaccine, passing a far-reaching infrastructure plan and gaining support for Ukraine. in the midst of the Russian invasion.
“He looks his age and isn’t as agile in front of a camera as he used to be, and this has fueled a narrative about the competition that isn’t rooted in reality,” the Democratic strategist explained. “The presidency is a monstrously demanding job and the stark reality is that the president would be closer to 90 than 80 by the end of a second term, and that would be a major problem.”
The president has said multiple times that he plans to seek re-election, despite concerns about his age. However, polls have found that he may be in for a close election.
A Globe Live Media! The News/YouGov poll released in late May found Biden holding a narrow three-point lead over former President Donald Trump, who has hinted he plans to challenge Biden again, in a 2020 rematch. Biden secured 42 percent of the respondents, while Trump received 39 percent.
A ‘new crop’ of presidential candidates?
Biden will be 81 and Trump will be 78 on Election Day 2024, meaning attacks on their ages may prove pointless against each other. Meanwhile, many voters have called for new candidates from both parties.
“The presidency is a monstrously demanding job and the stark reality is that the president would be closer to 90 than 80 by the end of a second term, and that would be a major problem.” –@davidaxelrod
He is right. &Trump will be approaching 80. It is time for a new harvest. https://t.co/PicX5o8pWX
— Alyssa Farah Griffin 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@Alyssafarah) June 11, 2022
Reacting to Axelrod’s comments, Alyssa Farah Griffin, a former White House aide during the Trump administration, tweeted Saturday that it’s “time for a new crop” of presidential candidates.
Vice President Kamala Harris leads Democratic primary polls that exclude Biden, while Republicans have pointed to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as a possible alternative to Trump. But two years from the election, many other politicians also hope to run.