An Associated Press/NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll shows something that's been a constant throughout Joe Biden's presidential term: a lot of people, roughly three out of four surveyed, don't want him to run for a second term.
That includes a majority of Democratic voters. The reason isn't because they disagree with Biden's policies (they do) or that they won't support him if he's the nominee (they will).
It's because of his age. At 80, Biden is already the oldest man to be president. He's also among the oldest national leaders in the world. And that doesn't sit well with many Democrats, who are concerned Mr. Biden, if elected to a second term, wouldn't be up to the demands of the job.
So pronounced are the concerns that the New York Times advises Biden that he needs have an honest, open, and transparent discussion about his age and his health:
…as Mr. Biden nears his actuarial life expectancy, concerns about his ability to handle the demands of campaigning and a potential second term are unlikely to disappear. Only a combination of performance and complete candor will change the minds of skeptical voters. Old age remains a sensitive topic, and many people, particularly men, are reluctant to discuss personal infirmities for fear of demonstrating weakness or being pushed aside by impatient younger generations. There is good reason for the federal government's prohibition of age discrimination in employment — a protection that begins at age 40. Ageism is real.
That law, however, doesn't apply to people who are running for office. Voters have every right to ask questions about the medical condition of a candidate who wants their support.
Indeed they do. But they should not expect candor, openness or demonstrated competence form Team Biden. That's not how politicians roll these days – openness is a sign of weakness and failure…and pols can never admit to either one.
And just in case we needed a firmer demonstration of how age is a very sensitive issue, consider 76-year-old Donald Trump's take on it:
Trump also levied criticisms at President Joe Biden, saying he could not see Biden running for president in 2024 — but made clear that he did not think what was “wrong” with Biden had anything to do with him being 80 years old.
“I think they do the age thing because I'm 4-5 years behind. They say ‘this is a way of getting Trump,'” he said.
No, it's not. What the questions are about is capacity – the ability to effectively handle the most demanding job in the world. Not surprisingly, voters tend to favor age limits for presidents:
While the specific preferred cutoff age varied, the majority of respondents — 59%, to be exact — across all demographics, political ideologies, and importantly, ages agreed: The president of the United States should not be older than 70.
If the current polling data hold, we're likely to have a 2024 general election between a septuagenarian and an octogenarian. That might help explain why so many people just aren't into the next election.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.
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