Even if you were highly enthused about one of the two candidates in the 2020 presidential election, you might not have been crazy about the fact that your only options were both well into their 70s.
But that contest might wind up looking like an episode of Euphoria compared to the Battle of the Octogenarians that’s coming up in ’24!
Yes, when Joe Biden was elected president (and despite what the January 6 gang thinks, he was elected!), many assumed that he would only serve one term because of his advanced age.
Now, however, it looks like the 79-year-old is gearing up to fight for re-election.
According to a new report from The Hill, Biden has told his longtime bestie Barack Obama that he is planning to run for a second term in the White House.
“[Biden] wants to run and he’s clearly letting everyone know,” a source told the outlet this week.
“I believe he thinks he’s the only one who can beat Trump. I don’t think he thinks there’s anyone in the Democratic party who can beat Trump and that’s the biggest factor,” the insider added.
The news is surprising for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that there’s an inverse relationship between Biden’s age and his approval ratings.
According to last week’s CNBC poll, just 38 percent of Americans approve of the job that Biden is doing as president, while 53 percent disapprove.
Combine that with the fact that the president would be 82 at the start of his second term, and you can see why Amtrak Joe might not be the Dems’ ideal candidate.
However, the party faithful might be feeling that they’re light on options these days.
Vice President Kamala Harris’ approval ratings are just about as low as Biden’s, and hopes that a young up-and-comer like Pete Buttigieg will distinguish themself in a meaningful way in time for the ’24 primary season are beginning to wane.
And so, many prominent Democrats are expressing optimism that Biden will find a way to woo leftists who are currently looking at him the way a toddler eyes a plate of Brussels sprouts.
“He can recover,” says Democratic strategist Basil Smikle.
“A lot will depend on the outcome of the midterms. If Democrats don’t fare very well, he’ll be going into 2024 from a position of weakness, if you will.”
Speaking with ABC’s David Muir in December, Biden was cagey about the prospect of running again.
“I’m a great respecter of fate,” the president said.
“Fate has intervened in my life many, many times. If I’m in the health I am in now, if I’m in good health, then in fact I would run again.”
Asked how he feels about the possibility of running against Trump a second time, Biden seemed optimistic.
“You’re trying to tempt me now,” he joked, adding:
“Sure. Why would I not run against Donald Trump if he were the nominee? That would increase the prospect of running.”
Trump is not as popular with Republicans as he was in 2020, but the desire to witness a rematch of the 2020 race might actually give 45 a boost heading into primary season.
According to pollster John Anzalone, such a rematch would likely end in disaster for the GOP.
“You go head-to-head and Joe Biden’s always ahead of him. Not by a lot — 1 or 2 points. People don’t want the chaos,” Anzalone recently told Politico.
“Even at his lowest approval rating, he still beats Donald Trump.”
At 75, Trump is younger than Biden, but still not exactly a spring chicken.
Recent events in the American political landscape have raised important questions about what the Founding Fathers had in mind when they signed the Declaration of Independence.
That’s a question that’s always likely to spark debate, but we think everyone can agree that Thomas Jefferson and company would be surprised to see their powder-wigged peers still running for office 250 years later.
We kid, Boomers!
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