President Joe Biden reportedly hit back at criticism over his age as officials and voters mull over his ability to potentially serve for another four years.
“You think I don’t know how f-ing old I am?” Biden, 80, reportedly said to an ally earlier this year while venting about how often his age is mentioned in the press, Politico reported.
Biden snaps over ‘f—ing’ age talk as he mulls re-election run: report https://t.co/o4w7FNTVgp pic.twitter.com/uhih58kDga
— New York Post (@nypost) December 13, 2022
Over two-thirds of Americans believe there should be an age limit for elected officials, according to a CBS News/YouGov released in September. Biden, himself, even conceded in October that age was a “legitimate” issue for voters to consider when voting someone into office, the Associated Press reported.
“I think it’s a legitimate thing to be concerned about anyone’s age, including mine,” Biden stated, according to the New York Post. “And I think the best way to make the judgment is to watch me. Am I slowing up? Do I have the same pace?”
An anonymous Democratic strategist complained in June that “[Biden] looks old and seems old, and that’s not a great look for the White House. 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.”
It’s not just Biden’s age that has people worried. An October poll found that 64% of Americans, including 50% of Democrats, were “concerned” about Biden’s mental health particularly after he appeared to look for deceased Republican Indiana Rep. Jackie Walorski during a White House event, according to the New York Post.
While Biden has not officially announced his intention to seek a second term, some have already voiced their opinion on the matter with 70% of respondents in the All-America Economic Survey saying that Biden should not run for office in 2024, according to CNBC.