During his speech at the White House Correspondents’ Association’s annual dinner on Saturday, President Biden made several digs at his age, inadvertently addressing a problem that will likely surface during his 2024 campaign.
Why it matters: Despite Biden’s lighthearted remarks to the crowd, many voters are concerned about his advanced age, which has been cited as a reason some would prefer the president not seek re-election.
If elected to a second term, Biden—who is currently 80 and the oldest president in history—would turn 82 on the day of his inauguration.
At the conclusion of a second term, he would be 86.
What he’s saying: “I get that age is a completely reasonable issue. It’s on everyone’s mind, by everyone I mean The New York Times.”
Biden also honed in on Fox News’ 93-year-old owner Rupert Murdoch, asking how he could “dislike a guy who makes me look like Harry Styles?” in reference to their respective age differences.
“You say I’m over the hill,” Biden added. “Don Lemon would say that’s a man in his prime.”
Lemon, an ex-CNN news anchor previously insulted 51-year-old GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley by calling her a woman past her prime after she announced her candidacy.
“Call me old, I call it being seasoned. You say I am ancient, I say I’m wise,” Biden said.
Context: Biden and Trump are the oldest to have held the presidency and both are currently campaigning for re-election to the White House.
Multiple polls have indicated that voters from both political parties, as well as independent voters, want new candidates.
