President Joe Biden's age "can be a serious difficulty" if he runs for reelection in 2024, stated Democratic strategist David Axelrod in a New York Instances interview printed Saturday.

The election is greater than two years away, however hypothesis about whether or not Biden plans to run for reelection has already begun as he faces low approval numbers, challenges to key elements of his agenda and excessive inflation.

Axelrod, a strategist who helped propel former President Barack Obama to victory in 2008, warned Biden's age may very well be a attainable setback to his 2024 marketing campaign. Biden, 79, turned the oldest elected president in United States historical past when he received in 2020.

All through his tenure, Republicans have sought to weaponize his age to color him as unfit for workplace, although his doctor Kevin O'Connor maintained final 12 months in a letter that Biden was "wholesome," "vigorous," and "match to efficiently execute the duties of the Presidency."

Joe Biden's "major issue" for reelection: Axelrod
Democratic strategist David Axelrod warned President Joe Biden’s age can be a “main difficulty” if he runs for reelection in a New York Instances interview printed Saturday. Above, Biden leaves the White Home final Wednesday.Win McNamee/Getty Pictures

Biden 'Appears His Age'

Axelrod pointed to his age as "a part of the rationale" some voters are hesitant to present him credit score for his achievements, which supporters say embody the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, passing a wide-reaching infrastructure plan, and rallying assist for Ukraine amid Russia's invasion.

"He seems his age and is not as agile in entrance of a digital camera as he as soon as was, and this has fed a story about competence that is not rooted in actuality," the Democratic strategist defined. "The presidency is a monstrously taxing job and the stark actuality is the president can be nearer to 90 than 80 on the finish of a second time period, and that might be a serious difficulty."

The president has stated a number of instances that he plans to hunt reelection, regardless of considerations about his age. Nonetheless, polls have discovered that he could also be in for a detailed election.

A Yahoo! Information/YouGov ballot launched in late Might discovered that Biden holds a slender three level lead over former President Donald Trump, who has hinted he plans to problem Biden once more, in a rematch of 2020. Biden secured 42 % of respondents, whereas Trump obtained 39 %.

A 'New Crop' of Presidential Candidates?

Biden shall be 81 and Trump shall be 78 on Election Day in 2024—that means assaults on their ages could show to be futile towards one another. In the meantime, many citizens have known as for brisker candidates from each events.

Reacting to Axelrod's remarks, Alyssa Farah Griffin, a former White Home aide throughout the Trump administration, tweeted Saturday that it's "time for a brand new crop" of presidential candidates.

Vice President Kamala Harris leads in Democratic major polls that exclude Biden, whereas Republicans have pointed to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as a probable various to Trump. However with the election two years away, many different politicians additionally hope to run.

Newsweek reached out to the White Home for remark.