You all know by now that Joe Biden’s advanced age makes him look feeble.
Whether it is saying inexplicable things, tripping over a sandbag, falling down on his bike, or being unable to walk in a straight line, America is painfully aware of the president’s shortfalls regarding his overall health due to his 80 years old.
Surely this gets a lot of Americans nervous and even a little scared. However, this may or may not affect how people vote.
Respondents often say in polls that they wish someone else would run in his place. It remains to be seen how they will vote in the primary and general election, but many Americans are still worried about Biden.
Alarming Polling Numbers for Joe Biden
An ABC News/ Washington Post poll conducted in May found that 68 percent of those asked said Biden is too old to serve as president.
Biden’s overall approval rating was only 36 percent in the poll. However, 44 percent believe that Donald Trump, 76, is also of too advanced of an age to be commander-in-chief.
Could His Democrat Competition Undo His Re-election Bid?
There are two other choices for the Democrat nomination. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an environmental lawyer, is the son of RFK. Kennedy Jr. is 69.
Lifestyle guru Marianne Williamson is 70, so these candidates are no spring chickens. Both are polling respectably. Kennedy Jr. scored 20 percent support among Democrats in a CNN poll conducted in late May. Williamson has eight percent of those surveyed favoring her for the White House. Another 8 percent said they will support someone else. Only 60 percent of respondents said they back Biden.
In an NBC poll released in April, 70 percent of Americans surveyed said Biden should not run for a second term.
Kennedy Jr. and Williamson may have difficulty rising above their current numbers. One way they could garner additional support would be by delivering successful debate performances. But the Democratic National Committee has already determined that there will be no debates in the Democratic primary. The first voting will be in South Carolina, where Biden has ample support. He could dominate the vote in the Palmetto State and clear the field by the time other primaries in New Hampshire, Nevada, and Iowa come around.
Republicans Are Youthful By Comparison
On the Republican side, besides Trump, are candidates who are much younger than Biden, Kennedy Jr., and Williamson. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is only 44. Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley is 51. Senator Tim Scott is 57. Biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy is just 37. Former Vice President Mike Pence is the most senior of the bunch at 64.
Haley has called for a presidential candidate representing a new generation (she’s Generation X). She famously called for a mental acuity test for candidates over the age of 75. I’m a former staffer for Scott and I know he is super health-conscious and works out at the gym regularly. Other candidates seem to be active although the Republicans have not been seen doing anything taxing during their campaigns.
The White House tried to put Biden in a situation where he would look spry and younger. The president rode a bicycle in one appearance only to fall over when he stopped to talk to a voter. Don’t look for the campaign to put Biden in such a situation again.
Joe Biden: What Do the Doctors Say?
Biden’s medical physicals haven’t been that bad. He did test positive for Covid-19 in July 2022. He only experienced mild symptoms. His heart is stable. Biden’s cholesterol is in good shape. It is below 200, which is normal. His triglycerides could be better, but this elevated measure is nothing to be worried about. His doctors were concerned about his “stiff gait” while walking. They attributed this to the natural “wear and tear” of his spine. The spinal arthritis condition could explain Biden’s difficulty sometimes walking in a straight line. I also have spinal arthritis from my military service, and it does not affect my bodily movement. Biden has neuropathy of the feet which can sometimes mean numbness or tingling and pain. Again, a sign of Biden’s difficulty getting around.
He does not drink alcohol and is in no danger of developing diabetes. His blood pressure is 128 over 76, which is slightly elevated but still on the “high normal side,” but no cause for concern. That is my blood pressure reading too in many instances.
Overall, his physician in February 2023 determined that Biden is “a healthy, vigorous 80-year-old male who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the presidency.”
If this exam is considered accurate, Biden really has nothing seriously wrong with him physically. But in politics perception is everything. Many people across the country see a dawdling old man. This can sometimes achieve a “sympathy vote” as voters who are also of advanced age and those who experience the downturn associated with getting older, could see him as a relatable person.
That leaves his mental acuity that was not reported on in the physical described above. Biden does not always seem to be “with it” mentally. He says strange things, appears lost at times, his memory fails him, and he has tried to shake hands at times when no-one is there. There are numerous examples of him making statements that are egregiously wrong to the extent that one just expects him to say embarrassing things regularly.
So, it appears that Biden’s physical health is decent but that he has lost a step mentally. He has not taken a mental acuity test, even though scores of Republican lawmakers have demanded that he do so.
Many voters are worried he could be incapacitated and be forced to be replaced by Vice President Kamala Harris, who is only 58 but has her own communication problems.
Despite all of this, some voters may still shrug their shoulders and vote for Joe Biden anyway – despite their long-term fears or nerves.
Author Expertise and Experience
Serving as 19FortyFive’s Defense and National Security Editor, Dr. Brent M. Eastwood is the author of Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare. He is an Emerging Threats expert and former U.S. Army Infantry officer. You can follow him on Twitter @BMEastwood. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science and Foreign Policy/ International Relations.
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