Veteran actor Michael Douglas has defended President Biden’s cognitive ability and said his age shouldn’t matter because he is “sharp as a tack.” The 79-year-old star furthermore told CNN’s Fareed Zakaria that, unlike President Trump, Biden’s cabinet would work with him again in a second White House term. “We all have an issue with memory as we get older,” Douglas said. The Oscar-winner noted that he considers the 2024 Presidential election the most important of his lifetime.
President Biden’s age is a significant factor among voters, and polls show that most Americans are worried about it. For example, in February, a Quinnipiac University poll revealed that 70% think he is too old for a second term. At 81, President Biden is the oldest Commander-in-Chief in US history and would be 86 at the end of another Oval Office stint. Donald Trump is 77, and some voters have likewise expressed unease about his ability to effectively see out another four years in the nation’s highest office.
In an Ipsos survey earlier this year, the majority of voters – 59% – said they believe both Trump and Biden are too old for the Presidency. Only 11% believe neither are too old, and 27% think Biden is too old but Trump is not.
Commentators note that despite just a few years between them, Biden’s age is scrutinized more than Trump’s. A group of voters recently explained why that might be. “Trump just comes off as a much younger person,” said Renee King, who is undecided about who to vote for this year.
Likewise, Trump supporter Jane Story said the former President has “moved with the times,” but Biden has not. Independent New Hampshire voter Dawn Brockett compared Donald Trump to 80-year-old rock star Mick Jagger and said, “he’ll be young forever.”
Mary Miller from Ohio noted that Biden looks and sounds older, and despite voting for him, she holds her breath when she hears him speak, fearful of a verbal gaffe.
