CNN’s Michael Smerconish said Friday the thing that ails President Joe Biden the most – his age – will not be an easy issue to overcome.

CNN’s Phil Mattingly noted the recent CNN poll that spelled bad news for Biden, including voters worries about his age and the economy. “When you look through the numbers, what stood out to you?” Mattingly asked.

“But that which ails the president most according to that poll and every other poll, and by the way that’s of significant, the CNN poll is not an outlier. It’s consistent with so much other data. What ails him the most can’t be fixed. It’s the age issue. If there are considerations or concerns about his age at 80, he’s going to have to sell his ability to be 86 when he leaves and still in command. I don’t know how he can can get around that,” Smerconish said. (RELATED: Biden Admits To Feeling ‘Tired’ In Private Amid Speculation About His Physical Abilities, New Book Claims)

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“So I maintain he needs a competitive Democratic nomination process. The best thing for him is to have competition, get on a debate stage, and I don’t just mean with RFK Jr., but including RFK Jr., but Gavin Newsom, let them all come and let them fight for it. Because only then will he be able to convince that he really can go the distance.”

Concerns about Biden’s age have made their way into the polls, with a new CNN poll finding 49% of Democrats are concerned about Biden’s age.

An Associated Press/NORC poll from August also found similar concerns among voters, with 69% of Democrats are concerned about Biden’s age while 89% of Republicans are.

Vice President Kamala Harris said in an interview she would be prepared to take over should Biden not be able to govern.

“Joe Biden is going to be fine, so that is not going to come to fruition,” Harris said, adding, however, she understands she may need to take the oath one day.

Others have also sounded the alarm on Biden’s age, with former Democratic Sen. Dennis DeConcini saying “Democrats just don’t have any choice” and that Biden is “too old.”

Biden has defended his age and concerns, saying that “with age is a little bit of wisdom.”