Though the 2024 election is still 26 and half months away – which can be both an eternity and just around the corner at the same time – all indications are that we’re heading for a rematch between President Joe Biden and former-President Donald Trump. Biden has been blunt that he’s intent on running, while Trump continues to drop not-so-subtle hints.
Both men would be the oldest candidates to ever run for the highest office in the land, and perhaps that is why an increasing plurality of registered voters are now indicating that it is time for fresh blood. According to a new Yahoo News/YouGov poll, it would be “the worst thing that could happen” if either President Biden (39 percent) or former-President Donald Trump (41 percent) were to win a second term in 2024.
Moreover, just half as many voters – at 22 percent – said Trump’s return to the Oval Office would be “the best thing that could happen,” while a mere 8 percent said the same of a second Biden term.
Ouch!
In fact, other polls tell a very similar story. According to a Politico/Morning Consult survey, 48 percent of voters said Trump should definitely not run again in 2024, while a further 13 percent say he should probably not run. Likewise, 46 percent of voters said that Biden should definitely not run, while 18 percent said he should probably not run.
In addition to being the oldest men to run for president – should the rematch happen – they each have the dubious distinction of having some of the worst poll numbers.
On the Right Track? Nope!
According to recent polls, Biden’s approval rating stands at just 33 percent, as Americans continue to worry that the country is headed for recession. A New York Times/Siena College poll found that just 13 percent of Americans believe the country is on the right track – and the same poll found that 64 percent of Democrats would prefer a different candidate in 2024.
Americans may not agree on many things, but most agree the country needs someone who can bring us together. Simply put, neither Biden nor Trump is a unifier, or even close to one.
Of course, Trump never really promised to be one; yet, Biden campaigned on bringing the country together, famously declaring there are no blue states or red states. Since taking office, however, Biden’s hardly been a unifier – often taking a “my way or the highway” approach to governance. This has been true in his calls for gun control, his withdrawal from Afghanistan, and most recently, his stance on the economy.
Even with Democrat control of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives he’s been unable to get much accomplished and has continuously faced push-back in his own party.
Age still remains an issue, especially for Biden as many Americans don’t see him fit for the job. That hasn’t gotten better this summer. On Thursday, Biden tested positive for the fifth day in a row for Covid, and while he has mild symptoms it is impacting his ability to do his job. He will likely remain in isolation through the weekend.
When Biden took office in 2021, he was 78, and already the oldest president ever – breaking a record previously held by Ronald Reagan. Should he be reelected in 2024, he could be 86 by the end of his second term. Trump is just three years younger than Biden, and concerns linger about whether either man would be able to perform the job while they’re in their 80s.
Perhaps retirement wouldn’t be bad – Trump apparently likes to golf, and Biden could spend his days riding his beloved Amtrak. The country might approve and even unify behind it.
A Senior Editor for 1945, Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer who has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers and websites. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu.
