IS BIDEN TOO OLD?

 Dear George, 

If you ask the average voter if Joe Biden is too old to serve a second term as president, you’ll get a resounding “yes”. A recent poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 77% believed Biden to be too old to be effective for four more years. 89% of Republicans said that, as did 74% of Independents and 69% of Democrats. And the view held across age groups, though older Democrats were more supportive of his 2024 bid. In a word association exercise, 28% of Democrats mentioned Biden’s age and preferred words like “slow” or “confused” over “president,” “leader,” “strong,” or “capable.” 

We all carry around stereotypes about age. My own views were shaken up when I attended my 50th high school class reunion some years ago. All of my classmates were about the same age (68). Some appeared to be extremely frail, including a grade school friend who was hooked up to an oxygen tank. At the opposite extreme, everyone was astonished by one of our classmates who looked exactly as he had in his senior yearbook photo. Chronological age didn’t seem to mean much, given the vast differences in how individuals had responded to the aging process. 

There are many examples of prominent people who have remained active and productive in their eighties and beyond. At age 92 multi-billionaire Warren Buffett continues to run Berkshire Hathaway. British broadcaster David Attenborough is still producing wildlife documentaries at age 96. Nancy Pelosi, regarded as the most successful house speaker of all times, was in her eighties during her second term. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg served on the Supreme Court until she was 87. Seven U.S. senators are in their eighties, including Bernie Sanders and Mitch McConnell. Octagenarian musicians who are still touring and recording include: Willie Nelson, 87; Dionne Warwick, 82; Paul McCartney, 80; Ringo Starr, 82; Yoko Ono, 87; Bob Dylan, 81; and Barbra Streisand, 80. 

There are also a number of heads of state who are currently serving and who are older than Biden. These include the President of Italy (age 82), the President of Cameroon (90), the President of the Palestinian Authority (87), the King of Norway (86), the King of Saudi Arabia (87), Pope Francis (86), the Queen of Denmark (83), the President of Ireland (82), and one of the oldest leaders of all time, Queen Elizabeth II who died in 2022 at age 96. 

Gerontologists do not jump to judgment as rapidly as the American public. A team of gerontologists at Washington University suggest that important qualities for effectiveness as President include honesty, integrity, experience in the processes of democracy, knowledge of history and science, and respect from other world leaders. None of these factors is particularly correlated with chronological age. To the extent that age is relevant, it’s because it gives more opportunities for experience and well-developed relationships. The authors note: “Our country doesn’t need a president who is physically strong or fast. They’re not going to have to win a foot race or lug heavy things around.” A team of longevity researchers at the University of Illinois examined the available medical records of Biden and Trump and concluded that both “are likely to be ‘super-agers’,” a subgroup of people that maintain their mental and physical functioning and tend to live longer than average for their age. 

Biden has had a very successful first term. He signed into law the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, providing $1 trillion for infrastructure projects. He rejoined the Paris Agreement on climate change and made significant investments in clean energy and energy efficiency. Biden signed executive orders to reopen enrollment on the Affordable Care Act exchanges and to lower prescription drug costs. He has appointed more women and people of color to the federal courts than any president in history, including Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. Perhaps most notably Biden has worked to repair alliances with allies and partners around the world. 

On most dimensions the economy has been doing very well during Biden’s administration. Over 13 million jobs have been added, and the unemployment rate of 3.6% is the lowest since 1969. Gross Domestic Product growth has exceeded 6% in three of the last four quarters, and the stock market is at record highs. The main downside is that inflation (8.2%) is at its highest rate since 1981. Biden has taken steps to address inflation, such as releasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and working to pass legislation for lower prescription drug costs. Predicting the future, of course, is an iffy business. 

Dr. Karl Pillemer, a prominent gerontologist at Cornell University, sums it up this way: "There is no one answer to the question of whether or not President Biden is too old to be president. It depends on a number of factors, including his health, his cognitive abilities, and his energy level. It is important to note that there is a great deal of variation in aging, and some people remain sharp and healthy well into their eighties and nineties.” 

Biden’s own response to the question is probably the best answer: “Watch me.” 

Love, 

Dave 

SOURCES: (1) apnews.com, “Biden is widely seen as too old for office.” Aug. 28, 2023; (2) brookings.edu, “Is Biden too old to be president? Is Trump?” May 19, 2023; (3) publichealth.wustl.edu, “Too old to be president? A view from some gerontologists,. Aug. 8, 2023; (4) whitehouse.gov, “The Biden-Harris Record,” accessed Nov. 6, 2023.