As the 2024 Presidential Election picks up steam, voters—particularly those from the Democratic party—overly concerned about Biden’s age, and the cognitive and physical decline that come with it. President Joe Biden, who is 81 years old, faced renewed scrutiny on Thursday (February 8) after a special counsel’s report revealed that he had mishandled classified documents. The report painted a bleak picture of Biden’s memory, calling it ‘poor’, ‘faulty’, ‘fuzzy, ‘hazy’, and ‘significantly limited’.
It also stated that Biden could not remember important events in his own life, such as the death of his son Beau or his tenure as vice president. Biden, however, dismissed the report as ‘nonsense’ and insisted that his memory was fine. He said, “I remember everything. I remember when my son died. I remember when I was vice president. How can you forget that?” He then lashed out at the reporters, accusing them of being ‘biased’ and ‘unfair’.
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In response to reporters’ questions about his memory, Biden disputed the report’s statements and said he’s the most qualified person in this country to be president. Biden’s personal lawyer and White House officials also strongly denied the report’s claims about his memory, saying they were wrong and unfair. They pointed out that the interview happened right after the October 7 attack on Israel, which might have distracted him.
The special counsel’s report on Biden’s handling of classified documents may not lead to any charges, but it could damage his credibility as a leader who can run the country and protect its interests. Many voters are already doubtful about Biden’s fitness for office, as they have witnessed his frequent mistakes, his persistent cough, his slow pace, and even a fall from the stairs.
How Biden’s Blunders Could Cost Him the 2024 Election
Biden, however, did not help his case when he made another blunder while talking about the Israel-Hamas War and called Egypt’s president Abdel Fattah El-Sissi ‘the president of Mexico’. He said, “I want to thank the president of Mexico for his efforts to broker a ceasefire. He’s been very helpful and cooperative.” He later corrected himself and apologized for the mix-up.
This was not the only time Biden confused the names of world leaders. He also mentioned two deceased European leaders – François Mitterrand and Helmut Kohl – as if they were still alive and in power. He said, “I had a good conversation with Mitterrand yesterday. He’s a great friend of mine. And I also spoke with Kohl. He’s doing a fine job in Germany.” These embarrassing gaffes raised more questions about Biden’s mental acuity, which is the main worry of his loyal supporters.
Republicans and the US rightwing media have tried hard to paint Biden as too old and incompetent for the presidency, by exposing and exaggerating his every blunder. Biden has been prone to making verbal slips throughout his career and has also dealt with a stutter.
According to a January 2024 NBC poll of 1,000 registered voters, Biden’s physical or mental health was a concern for 75% of all voters and 50% of Democrats. His rival for the Democratic nomination, Rep. Dean Phillips, has exploited Biden’s mistakes by sharing clips of his speeches from 2020 and beyond on X. He has challenged Biden’s mental sharpness and leadership skills. Nikki Haley, the ex-governor of South Carolina and UN ambassador, who is running for the Republican ticket, has also attacked Biden for being too old and unfit for the presidency.
Biden is too Old to Rule
Biden’s mental capacity has been a long-standing issue for voters. A September poll by ABC News/Washington Post showed that 75% of Americans thought Biden was too old for another term as president.
A similar sentiment was expressed in an August poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs, where 77% of U.S. adults said Biden was too old to be effective for four more years. This was one of the few things that Republicans and Democrats agreed on in a politically divided era, with 89% of Republicans and 69% of Democrats saying Biden’s age was a problem.
Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota, who is the most serious challenger to Biden in the Democratic primaries this year, wrote on X this week that he was being “criticized for telling the truth and speaking out loud what everyone is thinking”. He shared clips of the president making mistakes in his recent speeches.
“I respect our President,” Phillips wrote. “But shame on you all for acting like everything is fine. You are leading us – and him – to a catastrophe, and you know it very well.”
Biden’s mental sharpness is a hot topic at a critical time in the political calendar. The nomination process is in full swing, with deadlines for ballots approaching fast and with Biden dominating. He got 96% of the vote in South Carolina and 89% in Nevada, against Phillips and other lesser-known opponents, and even won a write-in contest in New Hampshire, where no delegates were at stake.
Trump, on the other hand, is sailing to the Republican nomination, despite the legal troubles that could jeopardize his campaign in many ways. Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina and UN ambassador, who is the only Republican left against Trump, is challenging the age and competence of both Trump and Biden in an attempt to get back in the race.
“We all know 80-year-olds who are more energetic than us,” Haley wrote on X on Tuesday, “and then we know Trump and Biden.” Trump’s legal troubles are different from Biden’s age concerns. But both are political issues, especially in a split country that is not keen on a rematch of the 2020 candidates.
Biden will be the Democratic nominee unless he quits, something he has shown no inclination to do. But his old reply to his critics – “watch me” – has backfired. Now that he is being watched, many voters and observers are not impressed by what they see. Biden, born in 1942, has outlived the average American male by 10 years, according to the Social Security Administration of the USA. This shows that he has some advantages and strength over his peers who have died. But that’s not enough for most voters. Various polls indicate that young American voters want to know if the President can do the job physically and mentally.
