Over the final three a long time, Americans have chosen presidents who felt their ache and channeled their anger, who shattered historic obstacles or appeared like pleasant beer-drinking companions.
But if voters typically need leaders who mirror themselves and their struggles, President Biden’s potential bid for a second time period, which he would conclude on the age of 86, is prompting exceptionally sophisticated emotions amongst one extremely engaged constituency: his generational friends.
Three years after older voters helped propel Mr. Biden to the Democratic presidential nomination, embracing his deep expertise and perceived general-election enchantment, his age is his largest political legal responsibility as he strikes towards one other presidential run, which he might announce as quickly as Tuesday. It is a supply of mockery and typically misinformation on the fitting — although the now-indicted Donald J. Trump, the Republican presidential ballot chief who faces a morass of authorized troubles, is just some years youthful — and considered one of widespread anxiousness amongst Democrats.
The concern is especially private, nevertheless, for older voters who’re inclined to love Mr. Biden, however typically view his age by means of the prism of their very own experiences.
They are getting old. He is getting old. They should not the president of the United States.
In interviews with about three dozen voters, political veterans and outstanding Americans between 67 and 98 years previous, broaching Mr. Biden’s age prompted not solely electoral evaluation, but in addition wide-ranging discussions of their very own talents and changes to their lives. Some bluntly wrestled with questions of mortality, and others veered into grandparent mode, admonishing the president to maintain himself.
“I’m 72 and I’m a young whippersnapper here in The Villages,” mentioned Diane Foley, the president of The Villages Democratic Club on the Republican-tilted mega-retirement group in Florida, who inspired Mr. Biden to run once more. “There are incredibly energetic, active people well into their 80s, and some 90s.”
“One has to know one’s limitations,” suggested Dr. Ruth Okay. Westheimer, 94, the famed intercourse therapist. She retains busy today with a challenge on the grandparent-grandchild relationship, however prefers to take conferences from house.
“I would say the president should run again, but he should also not run up to a podium,” she added. “I don’t want him to fall.”
And former Representative Charles B. Rangel of New York, who at 92 has a darkish humorousness about his future — “at my age, I don’t buy green bananas” — signaled that he would help a Biden run. But he’s anticipating a brand new technology of leaders.
“Maybe I’m feeling so strongly because I’m leaving relatively soon and I want to see what’s going to follow,” Mr. Rangel mentioned in an interview. “I truly believe that we should have more candidates, more than two old white men.”
Party leaders overwhelmingly plan to help Mr. Biden if he runs. But latest polling has proven that whereas many Democratic voters price him favorably, additionally they have reservations about one other bid. An Associated Press/NORC ballot launched Friday discovered that ballot respondents had been involved about his age.
Other surveys discovered that older Democratic voters had been extra prone to favor one other Biden run than youthful Democrats, whilst roughly 30 to 50 p.c of Democrats over 60 most well-liked that he step apart.
“I can’t go on television and say, ‘Let’s not talk about this, let’s pivot to the real issues,’ because people think age is a real issue,” James Carville, 78, the Democratic strategist, mentioned final month.
It was prime of thoughts for a number of individuals who milled round a group middle not too long ago as a canasta sport led to Plantation, Fla.
Doreen W., 78, a Democrat who declined to share her final title on the document, citing concern of inflicting issues for her husband at work, mentioned she hoped Mr. Biden would run once more. But she anxious about whether or not he was as much as it.
“I know how tiring it is for me, and I’m not doing anything but retire,” she mentioned. “I’m aware of his age and I’m concerned about that.”
Informed that Mr. Biden was not 78, as she had thought, however 80, she groaned, “Oh, God.”
“If I could just keep him at age 80 and active the way he is, I’d be more than happy,” she mentioned.
Nursing a canasta defeat close by, Jacque Deuser, 67, mentioned the way in which Mr. Biden typically walked reminded her of her late husband, who had dementia.
“It kind of looks like he’s going to fall down,” mentioned Ms. Deuser, who voted for Mr. Trump in 2016, backed Mr. Biden in 2020 and is inclined to help him once more if Mr. Trump or Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida win the Republican nomination.
Mr. Biden’s physician not too long ago reported that he was a “healthy, vigorous 80-year-old” match to serve, whereas acknowledging that Mr. Biden had a “stiffened gait,” citing components together with arthritis. But the physician mentioned there have been no findings “consistent with any cerebellar or other central neurological disorder.”
Mr. Biden works out no less than 5 days every week and doesn’t drink or smoke, and his latest journey, together with a covert journey to Ukraine, impressed a few of his friends.
“I don’t know if I could have been on my feet going to Ukraine and taking a 10-hour train ride,” mentioned Peggy Grove, 80, the vice chair of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party.
But his public appearances have been uneven. While Mr. Biden has lengthy been gaffe-prone, he has made a number of putting misstatements as president, and he can sound halting. Moments like a discover a stairway or a fall off a motorbike have attracted consideration.
“I enjoyed working with him. I watch him from a distance now and I get concerned,” mentioned former Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, a 76-year-old self-described “not a Trumpian” Republican. “He’s lost a little of his sharpness.”
The White House didn’t straight reply to Mr. Gregg.
Several voters mentioned Mr. Biden’s working mate could be vital — and plenty of Democrats have privately expressed issues about Vice President Kamala Harris.
But whereas well being is unpredictable, some getting old specialists have mentioned there are indicators Mr. Biden may very well be a “super-ager.”
Dr. John W. Rowe, a former president of the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics and a professor of well being coverage and getting old at Columbia, mentioned “super-agers” are inclined to reside extra of their lives with out purposeful impairment.
Dr. Rowe additionally mentioned age might convey surprising advantages.
Older folks, he mentioned, are sometimes higher at resolving disputes, and “are less likely to do something imprudent.”
“If you have, on the one hand, a super-ager, with no obvious evidence of something bad happening right now, and they bring along these other characteristics, I would feel pretty comfortable for the next four years,” he mentioned, including that he didn’t know Mr. Biden.
Dr. Rowe, 78, a former head of Aetna, mentioned he, too, had encountered occasional questions on retirement.
“I do not feel that I’m functioning any less well than I was a couple years ago,” he mentioned.
He harassed that not like 30-year-olds, older folks range drastically of their talents.
Some Democrats pointed to the variations in getting old between Presidents Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter.
Mr. Reagan, who introduced in 1994 that he had Alzheimer’s illness and died a decade later at 93, lengthy confronted questions on his cognitive functioning. Mr. Carter — now in hospice care at 98 — remained lively till not too long ago.
“I just try to always look at the individual, factor in age as one of many considerations,” mentioned Gloria Steinem, the ladies’s rights activist, 89. “For myself, retrieval time is longer, but the choice of what to retrieve is richer.”
As for Mr. Biden, she mentioned, “I feel fine about re-electing President Biden, depending on both the alternatives and his health.”
Mr. Biden and his allies stress his legislative accomplishments, together with on points affecting older Americans.
Andrew Bates, a White House spokesman, mentioned Mr. Biden had inherited and helped the nation overcome “the worst crises in decades,” and was “now bringing manufacturing back from overseas, rebuilding our infrastructure, empowering Medicare to lower drug prices and standing up for the rights and dignity of every American.” He emphasised Mr. Biden’s expertise, judgment and values in workplace.
At a latest gathering of the Broward Democratic Senior Caucus at a pub in Plantation, attendees dismissed issues about Mr. Biden’s age.
“If his head is working, he’s fine,” Muriel Kirschner, 94, pointedly instructed a reporter. “My head is still working, honey.”
Patti Lynn, who will flip 80 this yr, retired after having a coronary heart assault, deciding it was “time to have some fun.” But Ms. Lynn, whose telephone background was an image of herself with Mr. Biden, didn’t assume he ought to do the identical simply but.
“Does he stumble and forget and have to get his words? I understand that perfectly,” she laughed. “Been there, done that. Oh well, I’m having a senior moment. But he’s respected worldwide, he is stable.”
“How do you put him down — because he is old?” she added. “He worked hard to get that old. Me too. I worked hard to get this old.”
Source: www.nytimes.com