President Joe Biden got snippy with a reporter who asked him about how his age might affect his prospects for seeking re-election in 2...
President Joe Biden got snippy with a reporter who asked him about how his age might affect his prospects for seeking re-election in 2024.
The exchange took place over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, just days after Biden celebrated his 81st birthday amid concerns about his fitness to serve a second term.
“Mr. President, are you too old to be running for re-election?” the journalist asked Biden while he was shopping in Nantucket, Massachusetts, on Saturday.
“That’s stupid,” Biden shot back with a smirk, as shown in a clip aired on “Fox News Sunday.”
Already the oldest person to be president, Biden would be 86 at the end of a second term. Biden’s tendency to lose his train of thought while speaking, along with moments caught on camera where he has tripped or fallen over, have spurred concerns about his ability to lead effectively.
Recent polling reflects concerns about the president being too old and some Democrats, including former Obama adviser David Axelrod, have openly pondered the wisdom of Biden running for a second term.
Former President Donald Trump, the GOP frontrunner in the 2024 presidential race, is 77, but polls don’t reflect as much concern about his age as they do with Biden. Trump even released a doctor’s note touting a clean bill of health as Biden turned 81 last week.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre recently insisted there was “no alarm behind the scenes” when pressed about how issues related to Biden’s age and health could affect his electability.
And the White House released a health summary from Biden’s physician in February that claimed the president remained “healthy,” “vigorous,” and “fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency” even as the president receives treatment for a number of ailments.
Some Republicans have noted there was no indication that Biden has taken a cognitive test during his presidency and called on him to take one or drop out of the 2024 race.
During a Fox News interview that aired on Sunday, Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX), a former White House physician during the Trump and other prior administrations, opined that Biden has proven he “can’t do the job” as president.
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