Joe Biden Pokes Fun at His Age—But His ‘Jokes’ Fall Flat – President Joe Biden may have a history of making statements that earn more than a few laughs, yet, he probably wouldn’t do all that well at an open mic night at a D.C. comedy club. That was notable in his attempt to use humor to dismiss the notion that he is too old to seek reelection.
“I’m 198 years old,” the actual 81-year-old president said in remarks to a crowd of reproductive rights activists at an event in late June, USA Today reported.
That quip came just days after Biden made another self-deprecating remark while boasting about his foreign policy credentials when he said “That’s what I’ve my whole life – for the last 270 years.”
The response to such jokes could be “Don’t quit your day job,” but of course, Joe Biden is actually trying out his comedy routine to convince voters he is fit for that day job — one he apparently spends almost six hours a day doing! (Boom, that’s how you tell a joke!)
The bigger problem isn’t that Joe Biden’s jokes aren’t all that funny, even in a grandfatherly kind of way, it is that they’re not all that original—but of course, Biden has been one to “borrow liberally” from others. (And that’s not a joke!)
Ageism Can Be a Laughing Matter
In 1992, then-Democratic candidate Bill Clinton was being touted as the new Thomas Jefferson, and during the Republican National Convention, former President Ronald Reagan delivered a zinger.
“Let me tell you something,” Reagan said, referencing a rejoinder from Vice President Dan Quayle’s 1988 debate with Lloyd Bentsen. “I knew Thomas Jefferson. He was a friend of mine. And Governor, you’re no Thomas Jefferson.”
As the Washington Post reported at the time, “The crowd almost blew the roof off the Houston Astrodome with laughter and applause.” The Gipper knew how to deliver a joke that was authentic and original in a way Biden couldn’t hope to do.
The late Arizona Senator John McCain also knew how to poke fun at himself, as he did throughout the 2008 presidential campaign.
“I’m older than dirt, more scars than Frankenstein, but I learned a few things along the way,” McCain said in 2007 as he was seeking the Republican nomination. He was just 70 at the time, more than a decade longer than Biden is now.
The maverick lawmaker continued to employ humor to deflect the ageism that he faced. In an August 2008 appearance on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” McCain offered a joke, “My Social Security number is eight.”
More recently, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) proved even at 81 years old he could quickly deliver a near-perfect response to a reporter’s question about whether politicians should face age limits. Leaning forward, and then tugging at his ear as to pretend not to hear the question, Sanders said, “Excuse me, what did you say?
Those were humorous and heartfelt responses – whereas Biden comes off as corny. If he continues, maybe he’ll be forced to call the audience dull once again – as he did during a 2012 fundraiser or during a commencement address to U.S. Coast Guard cadets in 2021.
Clearly, Joe Biden may need to work on some new material.
Author Experience and Expertise
A Senior Editor for 19FortyFive, Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu.
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