Fox News contributors Juan Williams and Karl Rove exchanged blows over President Joe Biden’s popularity ahead of the 2024 presidential election during a segment of “Fox News Sunday.”
Williams, a supporter of Biden, expressed some hope for the president by arguing the polls are not an accurate interpretation of how swing voters intend to vote in next year’s election. He added that past presidents were behind in their races early on in the election, meaning Biden has time to earn more support.
Rove cited several polls showing voters’ concerns regarding the president’s age and mental capacity. The president’s approval ratings have remained low, seemingly dropping below former President Donald Trump in a potential 2024 general election.
“Three-quarters of the American people think he’s too old, including 69% of Democrats,” Rove said. “Now, he can go out there and speak, but he’s not gonna make himself younger. He’s not gonna get more cogent, he’s not gonna get more articulate, he’s not gonna look more energetic and that’s a problem for the Democrats. He better wake up and recognize it.”
“But Karl, if he looks as he did this past week, giving a brilliant speech, out traveling to Israel, going into a war zone, putting himself at risk for the good of America and the world, his age becomes secondary,” Williams pushed back. “It’s like, oh, no way, this is an experienced man, with connections to—” (RELATED: Newt Gingrich, Juan Williams Spar Over Hunter Biden’s Alleged Crimes)
“No, no,” Rove interrupted.
“To foreign leaders and able to lead America in a critical point,” Williams finished.
“Do we have an EMS unit arrive around, because I’m gonna agree mildly with my friend, which was it was a good speech, but one speech does not turn these numbers around,” Rove said. “This is the reality the American people are dealing with. They like that his speechwriter put together a good speech, but he looked old in that. He said the right things, but he was too old.”
Numerous polls have repeatedly shown that the majority of voters, including Democrats, believe 80-year-old Biden is too old to run for a second term. The president would be 86 years old by the end of his second term. Many Democrats prefer a different candidate for the next election, notably citing his age and job performance.
The president has brushed off these concerns by touting what he calls “overwhelmingly positive results” regarding his job performance.