United in Aging

A majority of Americans think Joe Biden is too old. Republicans are trying to use this to their advantage, but they, too, have a gerontological problem.

What does a poll even mean? It can buzz around politicians’ heads like an annoying fly or flutter around them like a butterfly, but either way it’s only fleeting. A poll is just a snapshot of the people’s opinion at a specific moment in time, while good politicians keep an eye on the bigger picture. Right?

Take Joe Biden, current U.S. president. He wants to run again in next year’s election to save democracy, Ukraine and the climate. So he has the big picture in mind. IN a recent speech, he said, “Folks, it’s time to finish the job.” But to accomplish this, he needs to be reelected.

Undoubtedly, the world today would look different if Biden had lost to Donald Trump back in 2020. Had Trump been reelected, the trans-Atlantic alliance would have crumbled, leaving Europe standing alone. A man would sit in the White House who emulates the authoritarians of the world. Ukraine would have had no chance defending itself against the Russian invasion. And there would no longer be even a vague prospect of something like international climate protection.

Unpopular but Effective

Regardless of his meager approval rating, Biden is a thoroughly effective president. He has pushed through major legislative proposals: expanding the U.S. infrastructure, improving health care and strengthening climate protection. During Biden’s first term, unemployment sank to a historically low level.

Biden’s opponent in 2024 will likely be Trump once again, even though he is currently entangled in multiple time-consuming court proceedings. Not a bad starting point for Biden. If it weren’t for the polls.

Repeatedly, even as recently as last week, Americans warned the president that they believe his renewed candidacy is a mistake. In a poll by the Wall Street Journal, 73% of registered voters say Biden is too old for a second term in office. Just as many are “seriously concerned” that his age is affecting his mental and physical competency, according to a CNN poll. Even among supporters in Biden’s own Democratic Party, 67% want a different candidate in the 2024 election.

Outdated, Retiring, Senile Dementia

The Associated Press and the research organization NORC asked people what words instantly come to mind when they think about Biden. They most commonly respond “old, outdated, retiring, aging, senile and dementia.’ Respondents also had nothing flattering to say about Trump, describing him as corrupt, criminal, mean, an impostor, liar, traitor, and puppet.

The statistical life expectancy for men in the U.S. is 75.5 years. Both politicians are older; Biden is almost 81, and Trump is 77. But why is it that only 47% of voters see Trump as too old for the Oval Office?

In Trump’s Case, Other Worries Outweigh Age

Susan Glasser, a keenly observant writer for The New Yorker, tried to explain. “It’s not that they aren’t worried about Trump’s age, but more that there are many other reasons to worry,” she said.*

Either way, another poll result remains persistently stable: Biden and Trump are neck and neck. It’s uncertain whether the elderly president can defeat his scandal-hardened predecessor a second time. Nevertheless, Biden can only hope that no younger Republican snatches the nomination away from Trump. It is rather unlikely, but not impossible — and it would make Biden look even older on the campaign trail.

Democrats haven’t dared talk their commendable, old president out of running for a second term. Now they watch with bated breath to see whether he trips and falls again while walking, falls asleep in front of running cameras, or has to think long and hard over how many grandchildren he has.

Mitch McConnell’s Glitch

Republicans were looking forward to exploiting Biden’s age, but now they also have a senior citizen problem. Mitch McConnell, the 81-year-old leader of the Republican Party in the Senate, froze at a recent press conference and couldn’t speak — of all things, when he was asked whether he wanted to run for reelection. It was the second time this had happened, and it raised concerns that McConnell was no longer fit to do his job. This is similar to Dianne Feinstein, the 90-year-old Democratic senator from California, who seems increasingly confused in public appearances but is fighting to stay in office with all her might.

In another recent poll: about three-quarters of Americans want age restrictions in politics. Senators and members of Congress should be no older than 66 years old — which is younger than almost half of the Senate. Also, the president should be no older than 67 years old.

Joe Biden, with a swarm of troublesome polls buzzing around him, wants to save democracy. However, to do this he must recognize whether he himself is putting democracy in danger.

*Editor’s Note: This quote, accurately translated, could not be independently verified.