Democratic senators say Biden not too old for second term
by Alexander Bolton - 06/16/22 5:29 AM ET
Democratic senators are pushing back on whispers within their party that President Biden, 79, is too old to run for a second term.
Senators say they will strongly support Biden if he opts to run for reelection, despite growing concerns over his low public approval rating and his ability to win a grueling presidential election when he will be 81 years old.
Biden’s viability as a candidate in 2024 is becoming a hot topic of debate even though the next presidential election is more than two years away.
The New York Times reported Sunday that many Democratic lawmakers and party officials increasingly view Biden as “an anchor that should be cut loose in 2024,” citing interviews with 50 Democratic officials.
Former chief Obama political strategist David Axelrod told the Times that Biden’s age “would be a major issue.”
But Democratic senators are trying to stamp out talk of replacing Biden, fearful that the last thing they need heading into the 2022 midterm elections is more intraparty dissension.
“I think it’s too soon to start that speculation. He’s got to complete this year, second year of his presidency. Then of course the speculation will grow. I can’t say at this point what I would recommend,” Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said when asked about party officials who have privately raised misgivings about a second Biden term.
Durbin acknowledged that Biden’s age will be a discussion in the run-up to 2024 but argued that the president is doing well, given the enormous challenges he faces on high inflation and the war in Ukraine.
“Age is a factor for everybody, but I don’t see any evidence that he can’t perform and I think he’s doing so at the highest levels,” Durbin said.
more
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/3525477-democratic-senators-say-biden-should-make-call-on-second-term/
