In a time marked by intense political divisions, there is a surprising consensus among Americans: many believe that Joe Biden is too old to effectively serve a second term as president. Even though Donald Trump is only slightly younger, concerns about his age are notably less prominent. While Trump has his own set of issues, his age isn't a primary concern for most.
A recent poll conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research highlights this shared sentiment among the public, emphasizing that age is a trait Biden cannot change. In fact, President Biden himself has jokingly addressed his age, perhaps in an attempt to ease concerns about his fitness for office at 80 years old.
The poll results reveal that a significant 77% of respondents believe Biden is too old to serve another four years as president. Strikingly, this view is held not only by a resounding 89% of Republicans but also by 69% of Democrats. This perspective cuts across different age groups, not solely driven by younger people, although older Democrats tend to be more supportive of Biden's potential 2024 bid.
In contrast, about half of all U.S. adults believe Trump is too old for the presidency. However, this opinion is heavily influenced by political affiliation, with Democrats more inclined to disqualify Trump due to his age than Republicans.
The poll underscores a broader desire for generational change in American politics, with Democrats, Republicans, and independents alike supporting age limits for presidential, congressional, and Supreme Court candidates.
Roughly two-thirds of U.S. adults favor the idea of setting an age limit for Supreme Court justices, placing age caps on candidates for the House and Senate, and implementing age restrictions for presidential candidates.
Despite this sentiment, practical obstacles, such as the Constitution's provisions and the predominantly older leadership in power, make it unlikely that such changes will occur soon.
Nevertheless, the survey suggests that many Americans, regardless of their political leanings, are open to the idea of seeing younger and fresher faces in the political arena, capturing the public's imagination.
One such individual is Noah Burden, a 28-year-old communications consultant from Alexandria, Virginia. Although he leans towards Biden over Trump, he wishes that the leading presidential contenders were closer to his own generation in age.
These opinions reflect a growing sentiment among Americans that both Biden and Trump are too old for the presidency. For instance, Noah Burden, a 28-year-old communications consultant from Alexandria, Virginia, believes that the older generation in politics doesn't accurately represent the values and realities of today's world. He finds this perspective potentially dangerous.
Similarly, Greg Pack, a 62-year-old registered nurse from Ardmore, Oklahoma, thinks it's evident that Biden has experienced a decline in his abilities, while Trump, although sharper, may also face age-related challenges by the end of a potential term in 2029. Pack is eager for younger leadership and has grown weary of what he perceives as self-centered behavior and legal troubles, although he's willing to support Trump if that's what it takes to defeat Biden.
The survey also conducted a word association exercise, revealing that perceptions of age significantly affect how people view these leaders. Many respondents mentioned Biden's age, slowness, or confusion when describing him, even without prompts. On the other hand, Trump, while not immune to criticism, wasn't primarily associated with age-related issues. People used terms like "corrupt" or "crooked" more frequently when describing him.
Experts, like Eric Dezenhall, a corporate scandal-management consultant, believe that Biden appears compromised by age-related conditions, which affects how people perceive him, even if they like his policies. Trump, in contrast, is seen as more energetic and resilient, even though he faces criticism on other fronts.
Younger voters like Diego Saldana, a 31-year-old, are concerned when they observe Biden's struggles with speech and movement, drawing parallels with elderly family members. Despite these concerns, Saldana supports Trump, albeit with reservations regarding his legal issues.
Eric Colwell, a 34-year-old audit manager from Sacramento, California, sees optics as crucial in leadership. He views Trump as more visually energetic due to his animated personality, but he's dissatisfied with the current choices and hopes for younger leadership in the future.
Alyssa Baggio, a 32-year-old Democratic-leaning independent from Vancouver, Washington, thinks Biden is too old for the presidency and values his ability to surround himself with experienced advisors. However, she doesn't see experience as a virtue, especially in Washington, where she views experience as a detriment.
Jose Tapia, a 33-year-old tech-company videographer from Raleigh, North Carolina, believes there must be qualified younger candidates available and laments the lack of fresh faces in politics.
While younger Democrats are less enthusiastic about Biden running for reelection, older Democrats are more supportive. However, many younger Democrats are willing to back him if he becomes the nominee.
Overall, these opinions trouble S. Jay Olshansky, a public-health professor and aging expert, who sees age as an irrelevant factor in evaluating presidential candidates. He believes that ageism persists and that wisdom and experience should be valued over the number of years lived. He regards both Biden and Trump as "super agers" and believes that age shouldn't be the primary factor in evaluating their suitability for office; rather, it should be their policies and ideas that are the focus of scrutiny.