Today, President Joe Biden announced he will seek another term in the 2024 contest. Some think he can win; others feel he is vulnerable while different people have no idea what will happen, and, over all of it, his age lingers like dark clouds on the horizon.
To begin with, Biden is 80 right now and if he did get re-elected and managed to finish a second term, he would be 86 by the time his successor would be sworn in. Biden is the oldest president the United States has ever had, while John F. Kennedy is the youngest to come into office (he was 43). The median age of incoming United States presidents is around 55 as of this story’s filing, and, while other older presidents have served like Eisenhower (70 when he left office), Reagan (77 at his end) and Trump (74), cognitive decline does usually become apparent once people cross 70. Reagan’s surviving family say he began to exhibit signs of Alzheimer’s disease while in office (though some disagree), so concern of this kind is not unwarranted, especially when it is difficult to remove a president from office due to a diminishing of their capabilities and their health records are relatively secret.
Knowing all this, in the coming contest, those unfamiliar with politics or those who avoid it like the plague should expect to see increased criticism and scrutiny of Vice President Kamala Harris. Former Republican New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has said people will be reminded they may be voting for her, too and given her current unpopularity (which is at times higher than Biden’s), this could prove to be an opening for younger Republican rivals. It certainly tripped up the late John McCain when he picked former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to run against Former President Barack Obama in 2008, and, given Biden was Obama’s vice president, he is likely keenly aware of this, and, as a result, the notion she could be replaced on the ticket is not out of the question.
So, if you wanted a normal and relatively boring contest for the White House, you are going to be disappointed. Anything could happen right now and, while people will talk about Biden’s age, it is also important to note he is not the oldest presidential candidate in American history. Former Minnesota Governor Harold Stassen was when he sought the 1992 Republican nomination at 85, and, while there appears to be no indication his decline before his death in 2001, he obviously did not win. Biden will have to be careful and hope he faces down former President Donald Trump once again if he wants the most realistic victory path.