President Joe Biden is “too old” to seek a second term, and Vice President Kamala Harris is unlikely to be elected, a former Democratic senator who served with Biden said.
“Democrats just don’t have any choice and it’s so difficult,” 86-year-old Dennis DeConcini, a former Arizona senator, told NBC in an article published Tuesday.
“He’s too old. So am I. What I tell people is in comparison to Trump, he’s a decent guy. He may be too old and stumble a little bit. The problem, in my opinion, is the Democrats really have a problem if he didn’t run because [Vice President] Kamala Harris — I don’t think she could be elected,” DeConcini continued.
“We’re kind of stuck with Biden because of that,” he added.
Biden, the oldest president in U.S. history, would be 86 at the end of a second term.
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 24: Former Sen. Dennis DeConcini, testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill April 24, 2012 in Washington, DC. The committee held a hearing entitled “Examining the Constitutionality and Prudence of State and Local Governments Enforcing Immigration Law” prior to the U.S. Supreme Court hearing arguments on the legislation tomorrow. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images,)
Polls show Biden’s age has been a concern for a majority of Americans. Seventy-seven percent believe he is too old to govern effectively, according to an Associated Press/NORC poll. 61% say he likely wouldn’t make it through another term in office, according to a poll by Harvard Caps/Harris.
WASHINGTON, DC – SEPTEMBER 04: U.S. President Joe Biden walks on the south lawn of the White House on September 04, 2023 in Washington, DC. President Joe Bide spent Labor Day with American workers, at an event in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
Biden has defended his age throughout his administration, most recently framing it as a means of “wisdom.”
“Someone said, ‘You know, that Biden, he’s getting old,’” Biden said Monday during his Labor Day remarks.
“Well guess what. Guess what … the only thing that comes with age is a little bit of wisdom,” he continued. “I’ve been doing this longer than anybody, and guess what, I’m going to continue to do it, with your help.” (RELATED: ‘We Need A Younger Guy’: Senior Citizens Say Biden Is Too Old To Run Again)
He also asked Americans to determine his abilities when casting their votes.
“With regard to age, I can’t even say, I guess how old I am. I can’t even say the number,” Biden said in April. “It doesn’t register with me. But the only thing I can say is that one of the things that people are going to find out is, they’re going to see a race, and they’re going to judge, whether or not I have it or don’t have it. I respect them taking a hard look at it. I’d take a hard look at it as well. I took a hard look at it before I decided to run.”