First Lady says Biden successful 'because of' his age
‘The Story’ panelists discuss President Biden gaining ground with older voters while former President Trump is gaining with young voters.
First Lady Jill Biden kicked off the Seniors for Biden-Harris campaign push by arguing that President Biden’s age is an asset rather than a liability Thursday.
"This election is most certainly not about age," the first lady said at a campaign stop in Green Bay, Wisconsin, amid an effort to use pickleball and bingo nights to activate older voters.
"Joe and that other guy are essentially the same age. Let’s not be fooled," she added. "Joe isn't one of the most effective presidents of our lives in spite of his age, but because of it."
With President Biden 81 and former President Trump just turning 78, the age of both presidential candidates has been a subject of national conversation. Biden’s history of gaffes and his purported memory lapses have put his age mental acuity in a harsher spotlight, however, especially after Special Counsel Robert Hur described the president as a "sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory."
First Lady Jill Biden gave a speech arguing that Joe Biden's advanced age is an asset for the president, not a liability. (Fox News/Screencap)
Jill Biden has previously argued that her husband's age is an asset.
"This election is not about age. I mean Donald Trump is going to be 78 and Joe's 81. They're basically the same age," she told the co-hosts of "The View" last month. "But, it's about character. This election is about character."
"So you have two choices: You have my husband Joe, who you all know, who has integrity, he’s strong, he’s steady, he’s a leader. He’s smart. He’s energetic — or you have chaos," the first lady said.
President Joe Biden speaks to Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund's "Gun Sense University," at the Washington Hilton, Tuesday, June 11, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
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In January, Jill Biden said, "His age is an asset."
"I see Joe every day. I see him out, you know, traveling around this country. I see his vigor. I see his energy. I see his passion every single day," she said.
"He’s wise. He has wisdom. He has experience. He knows every leader on the world stage. He’s lived history. He knows history. He’s thoughtful in his decisions. He is the right man, the right person for the job at this moment in history," the first lady said.
In a February ABC News/Ipsos poll, 86% of Americans said Biden is too old to serve another term as president, while 62% said the same of Trump.
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