President Joe Biden celebrated his 80th birthday Sunday and became the first U.S. president to reach that milestone while still in the White House. Biden was the oldest American president the moment he took the oath of office in 2021 at 78.
The previous record-holder, Ronald Reagan, was 77 at the end of his second term.
If Biden chooses to run for reelection in 2024, which he has indicated he intends to do, he would be 86 at the end of his presidency. This concerns many, especially considering his numerous verbal slippages and even physical mishaps.
More and more as his presidency progressed, the administration finds itself backtracking gaffes and misstatements uttered by Biden. Some, such as misrepresenting the U.S. military commitment to defend Taiwan from Chinese military attack, were not so easily retracted.
His supporters say that’s just Biden being Biden and that he has wandered off-script for decades. And he told “60 Minutes” in September that “there’s not things I don’t do now that I did before, whether it’s physical, mental, or anything else.”
As Biden Turns 80, Some Democrats See Age as Issue for Potential 2024 Bid – The Wall Street Journal. As Biden Turns 80, Some Democrats See Age as Issue for Potential 2024 Bid https://t.co/C6lxKN4fOn
— Dean Greb (@greb_dean) November 20, 2022
Still, that may not be enough to convince the American public — or even his own party.
In a new Reuters/Ipsos poll, 46% of Democrats already say Biden may not be able to endure the rigors of running in 2024. Without regard to political affiliation, a full 68% of those polled said he might not be up to the challenge of pursuing a second term.
Also, a staggering 86% of respondents said they believe that 75 should be the cutoff age for an American president.
And midterm exit polls showed two-thirds of American voters do not want him running for reelection, age notwithstanding.
Biden himself recently hedged on a 100% declaration on his 2024 intentions.
The president said ultimately it will come down to a family decision, likely over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays while spending time with family. He added that his best guess was that he would make the final judgment early next year.
