A Democrat strategist said that President Joe Biden’s age is a “problem” for Democrats that could hinder their chances in the 2024 presidential election, according to The Hill.
“Look, it’s a problem,” an anonymous Democratic strategist told The Hill in an article published Wednesday. “He’s f*cking old, and everyone knows it, but no one wants to talk about it for fear of offending him or anyone around him.”
Biden, already the oldest president in American history, will be 81 in 2024. (RELATED: Over 70% Of Independents Think Biden Is Too Old For Office)
When David Axelrod says Biden “looks his age and isn’t as agile in front of a camera as he once was,” he’s saying what everyone knows to be true. That’s why these stories pivot to who else the Democrats could run in 2024 if Biden doesn’t seek reelection https://t.co/V8eex44fvv
— HowardKurtz (@HowardKurtz) June 15, 2022
It’s not just Biden’s age but also his stamina that is of concern to Democrats, an unnamed Biden ally reportedly told the Hill.
“[Biden] looks old and seems old, and that’s not a great look for the White House,” the Biden ally told the Hill. “It all comes back to endurance and can he handle the job. I still think that the answer is yes. But ask me how I feel a couple of years from now.”
Biden and members of his White House have repeatedly dispelled the notion that Biden isn’t mentally or physically fit to run for reelection. However, Democratic strategist and former Obama adviser David Axelrod said that Biden’s age would undoubtedly be a disadvantage to the party in 2024.
“The presidency is a monstrously taxing job, and the stark reality is the president would be closer to 90 than 80 at the end of a second term, and that would be a major issue,” Axelrod told The New York Times.
Axelrod told the outlet that Biden’s constant feeble fumbles add to the speculations that he isn’t mentally fit enough to hold office again. He said Biden should step down to preserve his legacy.
“Biden doesn’t get the credit he deserves for steering the country through the worst of the pandemic, passing historic legislation, putting the NATO alliance together against Russian aggression, and restoring decency and decorum to the White House,” Axelrod told the NY Times.
“And part of the reason he doesn’t is performative,” he added. “[Biden] looks his age and isn’t as agile in front of a camera as he once was, and this has fed a narrative about competence that isn’t rooted in reality.”
A May Harvard-Harris CAP poll reported that registered voters doubt Biden’s mental ability to be president for another four years. The poll surveyed 1,963 registered voters from May 18-19.
While only 19% of registered Democrats doubt Biden’s mental fitness, 83% of Republicans and 61% of Independents fear Biden can no longer lead, according to the poll.