Joe Biden, the 46th President of the United States, is approaching 80 years old. As he grows older, concerns about his age and health have come to the forefront. However, Biden remains resilient and determined, openly acknowledging the concerns and stating, “I could get a disease, I could drop dead tomorrow.” Despite these concerns, he plans to run for a second term in 2024, potentially making him 86 at the end of it.

Critics argue that age has become a convenient target for those who have different objections to Biden. On the other hand, his supporters highlight his active engagement with the public, often spending extensive time interacting with crowds. It is clear that Biden possesses a unique ability to connect with people and make an impact.

While Biden’s public appearances may demonstrate his vigor, behind the scenes, concerns about his age are growing. Staffers express reservations about his energy levels and the feasibility of scheduling long international trips. These concerns are not unfounded, as age can bring challenges that require careful attention.

Recent polls suggest that Biden’s age could be a significant factor in the upcoming 2024 election. Approximately 64% of surveyed Democratic voters believe that the party should nominate a different candidate, primarily due to concerns about his age. The prospect of two elderly candidates, as former President Donald Trump, also 76, criticizes Biden’s performance and age, looms for the 2024 election.

Age should not be the sole determinant of a candidate’s capabilities. It is crucial to evaluate their experience, policies, and ability to lead effectively. Let us remember that wisdom and experience are often valuable traits that come with age.

Biden’s age and fitness top the list of voters’ concerns, poll finds

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.]]

The findings are essentially unchanged from September, when the NBC News poll first asked about those concerns — and when more voters said they had concerns about Biden’s age (now 81) than those with concerns about Trump’s legal challenges. Trump is 77 years old.

On the question of whether Trump had the necessary mental and physical health to be president for a second term, 48% said they had concerns.

“Four more months of attention to Trump’s legal issues have not budged these numbers, with more focus on President Biden’s mental and physical health,” said Republican pollster Bill McInturff, who conducted the survey with Democratic pollster Jeff Horwitt.

In the new poll, a combined 76% of voters say they have major concerns (62%) or moderate concerns (14%) about Biden’s not having the necessary mental and physical health to be president for a second term, compared with 24% who have either minor concerns (13%) or no concerns at all (11%).

By party, 95% of Republican voters, 81% of independents and 54% of Democrats say they have major or moderate concerns about Biden’s fitness for a second term.

By comparison, a combined 61% of all voters say they have major concerns (51%) or moderate concerns (10%) about Trump’s facing multiple criminal and civil trials over allegations of wrongdoing, including felony charges of attempting to overturn the 2020 election. Thirty-nine percent say they have either minor concerns (11%) or no concerns at all (28%).

On that question, 95% of Democrats, 65% of independents and 27% of Republicans say they have major or moderate concerns about Trump’s felony charges and legal challenges.

Horwitt, the Democratic pollster, said that because more Democrats have concerns about Biden’s age than Republicans have concerns about Trump’s legal challenges, the worries about Biden don’t appear to be driving vote choice to the same degree as worries about Trump.

“Yes, voters are more concerned about Biden’s age than Trump’s trials,” Horwitt said. “But Biden is still getting 17% among voters who have major concerns about his age, while just 10% of voters who have major concerns about Trump’s trials are voting for him.”

In addition, the NBC News poll found a combined 59% of voters who have concerns about Biden’s possible awareness of or involvement in the business dealings of his son Hunter Biden.

The NBC News poll of 1,000 registered voters — 867 contacted via cellphone — was conducted Jan. 26-30 and has an overall margin of error of plus-minus 3.1 percentage points.