President Joe Biden’s age will be one of the most consequential plot points as we head into the 2024 presidential election.
Why?
Because Biden is already, today, the oldest president ever at 80-years-old.
And frankly, Joe Biden is starting to look and sound his age – a fact that the opposition has, for good reason, reveled in.
When Biden fell on stage last month during commencement at the US Air Force Academy, it shouldn’t have been a big deal.
It was a guy falling, it happens all the time.
But the fall became a big deal because in falling, Biden looked quite old, and the GOP is currently on alert for any stumble or any mumble that can be spun to suggest that Biden is physically incapable of serving a second term.
Joe Biden Making GOP’s Job Easier
The truth is, the GOP doesn’t have to look hard for examples of Biden looking and sounding his age.
Granted, the GOP takes moments that aren’t significant, or aren’t telling, and blows them out of proportion. But there are plenty of moments where Biden just doesn’t look like he’s tracking, or where he doesn’t quite sound like he knows what he’s talking about.
My feeling is that Biden is too old, and that Biden is in cognitive and physical decline.
The decline is what is especially concerning because it suggests we have not reached the nadir yet. Biden seems to be on a downward trajectory, meaning he’s probably never going to be sharper or more vigorous than he is right now, today.
Biden’s Opponent Likely to be Old
Biden is most likely to face another old candidate in the 2024 general election: Donald Trump. Trump is already 77. If Trump were to win in 2024, his second term would extend well past his eightieth birthday. So, it’s not like Trump is a young guy.
But Trump appears young, much younger than Biden. Trump, to his credit, is still running around and yelling and posting to social media and hosting dinner. He has the energy of a much younger man. He’s not articulate or sharp by any means but he is vigorous.
And Trump’s vigor is going to stand in contrast to Biden’s lack thereof – especially on a campaign trail, where candidates often run 18-hour days, with thousands of miles of travel, and rallies in front of thousands of people, and debates televised in front of millions more.
Trump is not the picture of health, but he’s going to make Biden look even older than he is.
Questions About Biden’s Health Come Back to Kamala
The questions about Biden’s ability to finish his term have resulted in increased scrutiny towards Vice President Kamala Harris, who will be joining the 2024 ticket with Biden.
Harris is, statistically speaking, more likely to ascend to the presidency than perhaps any other vice president ever.
Every vice president is prepared to step in for their boss. But Biden has already exceeded the life expectancy for a US male, meaning Harris is especially likely to get tapped.
The problem with all that is that Harris is not especially popular. If Harris were popular, it could probably deflect attention away from Biden’s age. People would say ‘Biden’s old, but Harris is a great alternative.’ But that doesn’t seem to be what’s happening.
So, given Harris’s lack of popularity, Trump’s vitality, and Joe Biden’s decline, expect Biden’s age to be a major plot point throughout the 2024 election.
Harrison Kass is the Senior Editor and opinion writer at 19FortyFive. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.
From 19FortyFive
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