New Poll Shows Majority of Voters Believe President Biden is Too Old for a Second Term
In a startling revelation, a recent poll conducted by ABC News/Ipsos has shown that a whopping 86% of US adults believe that President Joe Biden, at 81 years old, is too old to serve another term in office. This alarming data adds to the growing concerns about the commander in chief’s advanced age and raises questions about his ability to effectively govern the nation.
The poll also revealed that among those voters who believe Biden is too old, 59% felt that both Biden and his potential rival, former President Donald Trump, are unfit for another term due to their age. Only 27% believed that Biden alone is too old, while an additional 3% thought that Trump, at 77 years old, is too old to serve as commander in chief again. This brings the total percentage of those concerned about Trump’s age to 62%.
Interestingly, when broken down along party lines, it was found that 73% of Democrats feel Biden is too old, while only 35% of Republicans shared the same sentiment about Trump. Among independents, a staggering 91% believed Biden is too old, while 71% expressed the same concerns about Trump.
The issue of Biden’s age was further amplified by special counsel Robert Hur’s report, which highlighted apparent memory issues for the president. The report documented instances where Biden allegedly struggled to recall key information during his interview with Hur. These lapses included forgetting when his term as vice president ended and when it began. However, Hur declined to press charges against Biden, citing his cooperation, legal precedent, and concerns about how a jury would perceive him as a well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory.
This is not the first time age has become a topic of discussion in politics. In 1972, Joe Biden himself targeted then-incumbent Senator Cale Boggs for his age, who was 63 at the time. The irony of this situation is not lost on observers.
Critics argue that Biden’s age, coupled with his alleged memory issues, raises legitimate concerns about his ability to effectively govern the country. At 81 years old, Biden already holds the title of the oldest US president in history. If re-elected and serving out a full term, he would be 86 by the end of his second term. This would make him even older than Trump, who, at 77 years old, would narrowly surpass Biden as the oldest president in history by a few months if he were to win in November.
However, supporters of President Biden, including First Lady Jill Biden, have come to his defense, emphasizing his experience and expertise as valuable assets. Mrs. Biden stated, “Joe is 81, that’s true, but he’s 81 doing more in an hour than most people do in a day.” Nevertheless, both the Biden and Trump campaigns have taken turns highlighting each other’s verbal gaffes and mental lapses on the campaign trail, attempting to portray their opponent as being in a state of cognitive decline.
When asked about whether Biden should have been charged over the classified document ordeal, the poll revealed that 38% believed he should have been charged, while 34% opposed the idea, and 28% remained undecided.
Despite these concerns, allies of President Biden point to his accomplishments in office and dismiss the grumbling about his mental acuity. They argue that his age should not overshadow his achievements.
The survey was conducted from February 9-10 among 528 adults, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points. The results of this poll shed light on the deep-seated concerns among voters regarding President Biden’s age and potential cognitive decline. As the oldest US president in history, Biden’s ability to effectively lead the nation remains a topic of debate and speculation. Only time will tell how these concerns will shape the political landscape moving forward.
