As the 2024 presidential election draws close, there have been concerns regarding President Joe Biden’s age and cognitive abilities. Biden is the oldest President in American history. Because of this fact, many have been questioning his stamina and mental ability since his campaign days. These concerns have intensified due to his advanced age and occasional verbal mistakes.
At 81 years old, President Biden entered office, having served as Vice President under Barack Obama for two terms. He also spent decades in the Senate. Yet, despite his extensive political background, many still doubt his ability to lead the nation effectively.
Biden has had to defend himself over claims about his mental state from a special counsel’s report on his handling of classified documents. The report didn’t suggest charging Biden, but it pointed out times when the President struggled to remember important dates, like when his son died. The special counsel described Biden as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”
Now, President Biden is meeting with his advisors at Camp David this weekend to fine-tune his State of the Union speech. This comes after his successful preparation routine before last year’s address, where he handled hecklers, negotiated with Republicans, and avoided major mistakes.
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The President will address the House and Senate on Thursday, March 7. On that day, many voters will closely watch, analyzing his performance for any signs of decline from the 81-year-old President. “Rarely, if ever have words mattered less when it comes to the State of the Union than this one,” says Jim Manley, a Democratic strategist and former senior aide to the late Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
Manley pointed out that all eyes will be on how Biden navigates a potentially hostile audience in the House chamber. Rather than expecting a policy blueprint, voters will be more interested in Biden’s demeanor and ability to handle the situation. According to him. “It’s more about signaling to everyone that he’s got another four years in him.”
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Republican strategist and pollster Whit Ayres suggested that Biden’s Thursday address would be a massive opportunity for him to reach a vast audience. Ayres mentioned that Biden’s ability to connect with viewers will be crucial for his bid to secure another term in office.
“It is an august moment for most Presidents, and it will be particularly important for an aging President who is well behind in the presidential race,” Ayres says. According to a Morning Consult/Bloomberg poll in mid-February, Biden is behind former President Trump in the polls.
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Trump leads in seven key battleground states: Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, and Wisconsin. The poll revealed that 48% of voters in these states favored Trump, while 43% planned to vote for Biden in the general election matchup.
Biden’s age is a major concern among voters, with about 8 in 10 considering him “too old.” On the contrary, fewer than half of voters also believe that Trump, who is four years younger than Biden at 77, is also old. Additionally, approximately 6 in 10 voters see Trump as “dangerous.”
But White House officials say that the President’s accomplishments in office show he’s sharp enough to do the job. On Wednesday, the White House physician found Biden to be “fit for duty” and “healthy, active, robust” and concluded that he “fully executes all of his responsibilities without any exemptions or accommodations.”
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