He is the oldest president in US history and is still contemplating another term. Joe Biden celebrates his 80th birthday.
It was actually an innocuous performance for Joe Biden. A conference on nutrition and hunger in Washington. The President of the United States wanted to greet some parliamentarians present. “Jackie, are you there? Where are you?” the 79-year-old called in the lobby. That meant Republican Congressman Jackie Walorski. But she had died in a car accident eight weeks earlier.
Shortly thereafter, Biden’s spokesperson awkwardly tried to claim that the president was praising the “incredible work” of lawmakers on food. Mockery and malice could not stop him.
Biden’s misstep at the end of September is one of many. The most powerful man alive regularly gets confused during shows, looks for words, confuses numbers, confuses places and people. At the World Climate Conference in Scotland last year, his eyes closed several times as he listened to the opening event. At the climate conference in Egypt this year, he stumbled heavily during his speech.
The oldest US president in US history
Slips and small mistakes happen to everyone, but with Biden they pile up, not only because he’s had a stuttering problem since childhood and sometimes difficult words just can’t get out of his lips. Even in terms of content, the White House often has to collect a statement from the boss afterwards. During an appearance in May, Biden joked about himself: “Every now and then I make a mistake (…) – well, once per speech.”
Biden is the oldest US president to date. He turns 80 this Sunday and faces the decision of whether or not to run for a second term. With his regular missteps, the Democrat consistently provides fodder for Republicans to publicly question his mental fitness for the highest office in the United States. But there are also some in their own party who, due to Biden’s age, aren’t sure he’s the right candidate to run again in the 2024 presidential election.
Democrat David Trone: ‘I wish he was 30 years younger’
Biden would be 81 at the election, 82 at the start of his second term and 86 at the end of his presidency. Democratic deputy David Trone (67) told CNN a few days ago: “I wish he was 30 years younger, 20 years old”. years younger, 10 years younger. But it is what it is. When asked if Biden was the right candidate for 2024, Trone said, “I think it would be best if we had someone with a little more momentum.” But if Biden runs again, he will support it.
This is the language that can currently be heard by all high-ranking Democrats: Biden must make the decision himself. And if he wants to run for a second term, then stand behind him. Enthusiasm sounds different.
One of the youngest senators and the oldest president in history
Biden was elected to the US Senate at 29 and moved in at 30, which is the minimum age. He was one of the youngest senators in US history, now he’s the oldest president the country has ever had. Thanks to his long political career, the former US vice president has more experience than most of his party colleagues.
And he also has a lot to show for his tenure: Biden has pushed through several huge investment packages to steer the country through the coronavirus crisis, to modernize aging US infrastructure and fight the climate crisis. After four chaotic years in the government of his predecessor, Donald Trump, Biden has repaired much of the damage done to relations with allies around the world.
