The Speaker of the House is 82 years old.
The Senate Majority Leader is 71 years old.
The American public doesn’t quite agree, but we do agree on this one.
a
New CBS News poll Nearly three in four Americans (73%) indicate that they believe there should be some upper age limit for elected officials. Such age limit support is consistent across partisanship. Seven in 10 Democrats (71%) are on board, as are his three-quarters of Republicans and independents. The approval ratings are also surprisingly consistent across age groups. Interestingly, the youngest group in the survey, between her 18 and her 29, were the most opposed to the maximum age limit (68%), a quarter of all other age groups. 3 agree.
What is the age limit to hold office? Among the options presented in the CBS poll, the most common answer is 70, with 4 in 10 Americans I chose an option. One in four (26%) said he should be able to hold an elected office by age 60, and 18% said she should be capped at 80. I was.
Of course, this is not a hypothetical discussion.
As mentioned above, President Joe Biden is 79 years old. He will be 82 years old shortly after his 2024 election. He is already the oldest person to be elected president.
It leads to skepticism.
member of my partythat he should ask for a second term.
“My hunch is that we need new leadership across the board,” said Tim Ryan, the Democratic Ohio Senate candidate.
recently said When asked if Biden should run for re-election.
A number of polls conducted over the summer also cast doubt on Mr. Biden’s prospects for the next term, with some respondents citing his age.
“The presidency is too physically demanding for anyone out there,” said 87-year-old Gene Davis of Iowa.
told the Des Moines Register Biden’s July. “He may have it mentally. But physically, I don’t think he’s capable of it.”
“I’m just going to say it out loud: I want young blood,” said Nicole Farrier, 38, of Michigan.
told the New York Times in July. “I’m so sick of all the old people running the country. I don’t want someone knocking on death’s door.”
as the Times said In another story:
“Biden looks older than he did just a few years ago, but his political responsibilities cannot be resolved with the White House’s traditional strategies of reorganizing staff and new communications plans. It’s impressive for a man, but it’s not.Several aides quietly look out for him. He stumbles over a word during a public event and holds his breath to see if he does it.
Former President Donald Trump tried to question Biden’s age and mental strength in the 2020 election campaign, and he continues to do so even after losing that election.
trump said Ahead of the first debate of 2020. “He doesn’t know where he is. is to be
Biden has responded strongly to this kind of attack. “Look at me, Mr. President. Look at me.”
Biden said in August 2020“Look at both of us. Look at both of us. What we say, what we do, what we control, what we know, what state we are in.” See if there is one.
For what it’s worth, following Biden’s annual physical activity last fall, his
the doctor said The President “will remain fit for duty and will discharge all responsibilities fully without waivers or facilitation.”
Even below the presidential level, the question of age has come to the fore in recent months.
long piece Details the alleged mental decline of 89-year-old California Democratic Senator Diane Feinstein. This article contained the line:
“Four U.S. senators, including three Democrats, three former Feinstein staffers, and a California Democrat, told The Chronicle in a recent interview that her memory was deteriorating rapidly. The staff does much of the work necessary to represent California’s nearly 40 million people.”
Feinstein after that
told the Chronicle editorial board She said she was “baffled” by the report and said:
(Sidebar: Feinstein previously
got off From her position as top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2020, following liberal criticism of her treatment of Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court nomination hearing.
Feinstein’s current term ends in 2025.
Age is a difficult issue to report and talk about, whether at the presidential, senate, or congressional level. We all know that age is invincible and that at some point it could be them who are quietly ushered out of the public stage.
At the same time, as these CBS poll figures reveal, the public is fed up with so many old politicians and ready for change.
