Biden Reportedly Snapped Over Media Coverage of His Age

If President Biden runs for re-election in 2024, he’ll be the oldest person ever to stand as a presidential candidate. That has many people worried because, despite his best intentions, critics feel Biden may not have remained as mentally sharp as he once was. Recently, he’s reportedly become more sensitive about others perceiving his age as an issue and has even angrily snapped over media coverage regarding how historically old he is to hold office.

On November 11, POLITICO reported on Biden’s upcoming 80th birthday (which he celebrated on November 20) — and predicted that it would be a very low-key event. The nation has never had a sitting president in his 80s before, and it seems the White House preferred not to dwell on the historic fact. Yet while the president’s team avoids the issue of age, critics have highlighted it, especially regarding another potential run for office.

Biden, apparently feeling the pressure, might wish the media and voters would ignore the fact that if he does win a second term, he’ll be 82 by the time he takes the oath. A few months ago, when the subject came up, he ranted, “You think I don’t know how f**king old I am?”

Ever the gaffe machine, critics are still painfully aware of Biden’s oddities and continue to question whether they’ve become more frequent and public because of his age. As the administration aims for another term, is it unreasonable for voters to question whether age influences a candidate’s ability to serve?