We're Not Being Cruel, President Biden. Just Careful.

[Zorro]

Messages don’t come any more mixed.

An overwhelming majority of Democrats and independents who lean Democratic believe that President Biden has done a good job — 81 and 78 percent, respectively, according to a recent Washington Post/ABC News poll. They can see what an increasingly ungovernable country we’ve become, how much he has accomplished despite that, how admirably he has kept his cool (for the most part) and how well he has honored his overarching promise: to put the puerile and corrosive drama of the Trump administration behind us. For Donald Trump, we needed noise-canceling headphones. For Biden, hearing aids.

The silence is golden.

Regardless, 58 percent of those same Democrats and independents said that they want a Democratic presidential candidate other than Biden in 2024. They seem to like him. They’re apparently grateful for him. Yet they’re ready to kick him to the curb.

It doesn’t add up. And the person to whom the arithmetic must feel strangest — and coldest — is Biden.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/09/opinion/biden-age-trump-.html?unlocked_article_code=LURLhTW4oFm7Ri2PXsEwggZy1oCfddCt-8oPBPOGx6IAcq2NYLO4hYeXvqbv0rMsIYF1bNhx2ZEVKQnW7WMXabhc-CrtFeg_7km2NDq7UhnCdb5rSD8Gu9nx4BPM6uAfZOujs4ruyDL5J1wDkDKYJJjoAiP5RrzlQsS-BSEidFNKbcs8-ZSplmaEtczzOpZbb7lumdV7fJ6i-cbveZj5P4Vpij3O3qULxKBm7p9-yUobRLRLjxVCq5xDJDfg5vSJdQt8-JsMBh9c2wWsTxvriMaObocZOG7z6CbXgssh_1xbXbiIM7PJSb9bWmzD5ATvsPqYg2HK8LIDjA&smid=share-url

[elias7]

1. Polls are bullshit when most who are polled are not informed enough to answer intelligently

Pulls out about the biggest disservice that mainstream media is doing to us, reporting uninformed opinions as news is utterly absurd.

Why not do a realistic poll, such as why do we have inflation? How much has Biden contributed to the national debt? How much did trump contribute to the national debt? Do you think you will rely on Social Security and Medicare when you are over 65? Or do you think you’ll be independently wealthy by then.

I see a man with decades of political experience playing the political game in a way that has never been played before, and it is my opinion that he has been the most effective president we have had since I’ve been alive.

BTW, how old and functional is our 39th president?

[Wingus Dingus]

2. I reject the insistence that a second term is the only way to mark

the first term of a presidency as successful, and the only way to reward that success. Why can't an elderly public figure do a good job for a full term and then bow out and leave the stage to someone else--why is that seen as a repudiation or a failure?

[Brenda]

12. +1

That's exactly what the polls are showing. He's great! But we need someone younger to appeal to more voters and be able to take on the next 9 years which are going to be Hell On Earth due to climate chaos.

[Skittles]

13. agreed

[Hugh_Lebowski]

3. Could be a few reasons ... ageism, fear he won't win next time, some other candidate they'd prefer

are the first that come to mind.

Most importantly, this statistic doesn't mean they won't come out to vote for Joe in 2024.

[CrispyQ]

4. We need a marketing department, stat!

Our side doesn't seem to get that perception is more important than substance in America when it comes to winning. Some pundit put it best when he said Democrats are great at policy but suck at politics.

[genxlib]

5. You are looking at the wrong math

Trying to discern whether Joe disserves the job from his support is not the issue.

Trying to discern whether he can do the job at an advanced age is the question.

So here is the math for that problem: 80 +2 +4 = 86

If you are asking me whether I am buying into an 80 year old Joe, then I am.

If you are asking me to feel good about another 6 years, then I am very hesitant.

My dad is 86 and he has suffered a noticeable decline since 80. Not everyone does but it is too high of a percentage to ignore.

In the end, it doesn't matter what you or I think. We need about 80 million other voters to agree.

You can call it ageism if you want to. But it happens to all of us. There is a time when we start losing the abilities we once had. The main difference here is we have to be practical enough to project out to the end of the job being offered.

[Zorro]

10. Biden's age will definitely be a big issue if he runs in 24

Democrats have an abundance of younger political talent on deck, and I think he should consider following Nancy Pelosi's example and step aside.

This is no criticism of Biden's performance -- which has been extraordinary, given the political environment -- but a recognition and acknowledgement that one's abilities do decline inevitably in one's senior years.

[BlueSky3]

11. I have a friend who is 88

and is sharper than most people I know who are far younger. There are people in their 50s who have early dementia, but this man is always on top of things.

The only fair thing to do is to look at the individual. Does he want to run? Does his doctor think he's capable of doing the job? Then vote for him and consider us lucky to have him.

[DonCoquixote]

6. gee

if people want young canddiates, they can pck Marco, Ivanaka or even Kyle Rittehouse

I do not care what the president looks like, I worry about what he does, and Biden has sone..more so tha even his former boss.

[lees1975]

7. First things first.

If Trump is the threat, then indict him, hold him for trial, get him convicted and get a judge to rule that he is forever ineligible for elected office. And frankly, with the demetia that Trump has exhibited, at four years younger than Biden, if someone should not be elected because of their age, it's him.

Now we can talk about Biden's age. I understand the risks. I won't vote for anyone but a Democrat, but I know there are people out there that run along different margins. We cannot have a Republican president with the extremism, anti-democracy fascism and craziness that they're involved in.

Who can we run, besides Biden, who can win? And realistically, at 82, will he be able to win?

I love our Vice-President. She is one of the most astute, intelligent, capable leaders in the Democratic party. But I haven't heard her name mentioned much in association with making a run at the Presidency. I have two personal preferences, Amy Klobuchar and Eric Swalwell. But I think the time and consideration needs to be given to Biden first. No question about it, he's earned it.

[Xoan]

8. The Red Gravy train.

[republianmushroom]

9. like it