Here’s the thing: I don’t give a you-know-what about how old President Biden is. His opponent is a man who wants to end democracy in this country. I don’t get beyond that fact.
Rs in Congress are stupid, but not stupid enough to think they have grounds or votes to impeach Biden. That’s not the point. Their effort is the same as the nonsense they pulled on Bengazi. It’s all about trying to help Trump win by slandering Biden
Chris, I love your work, but again, you have made a comment that sets my teeth on edge. You wrote: "People are unhappy with Biden’s handling of the economy, the border, foreign policy and on and on. In looking for a way to explain that unhappiness, I think they land on his age as the key problem." All that unhappy talk makes me unhappy. I don't sense a country mired in despair; instead I read and hear the MSM banking on gloomy stories to sell clicks and papers. On the whole, most Americans are not struggling or unhappy right now, unless they are maga and following a script. Biden is as Biden does, and he has done a great job and continues to perform at A+ level in a complex and difficult world. He succeeds not in spite of his age but because he has the wisdom of an old guy who has seen and done it all. C'mon Chris! Don't be such a sad sack! Biden's gonna win! -Ron
I figured this guy out a long time ago. He is a cheerleader for Trump but telling everyone he is objective. Where is the honesty and objectivity here in him saying the economy is bad under Biden. This guy is journalist and he knows how great the economy is doing and yet he is parroting the Republicans' talking point that the economy is bad . Common man. Anyone is allowed to support whoever he/she wants but please be honest and transparent about it.
Not only is the Biden age issue not important, the more we (that is the media, because no one I know actually talks about it except because the media does) talk about It the more irrelevant it is. It like constantly saying trump is a rapist and pays porn stars...we know and we don’t care. Voters are going to choose between two people and two visions for the country. Not who is younger. If Biden loses votes it will be because of differences over Gaza and other issues, not his age. Boring.
Like I’m going to consider Nikki Haley because she’s younger than Biden? No way. Lots of people might be shallow and easily manipulated, but age will not be a factor in an election where a traitor, fascist, rapist, shoe salesman is one of the candidates,
First off, Chris, very glad to see you, maybe, “re-thinking” the horse race canard that “Biden’s too old”! I would have preferred that it was original thinking on your part, as opposed to someone else’s article, but the willingness to be open is definitely appreciated!
I will reiterate another comment here: the index on consumer confidence has changed DRAMATICALLY since November, moving positively in Biden’s favor ie at a 2 year high, and I definitely see that trending even more so (other than the “narrative” of the MAGA Cult, the majority of which are in the lower quartile of socio-economic groups and have lower, mostly legacy and lower paying, skill sets). As you very well know, consumer sentiment is a moving target but it’s definitely moving in Biden’s direction!
Other than some sort of catastrophic health event, Joe will make the occasional gaffe and the media will make it the ONLY thing of importance for 24 to 72 hours, and then they’ll move on. As people start to PERCEIVE that the economy is getting better, it will become even more clear that Biden will continue to do a very good job, and that Trump doesn’t deserve to be ANYWHERE near the Oval Office, as he never should have been in the first place (gee, thanks, Director Comey…)
You remember when Trump wants to make s point he will say some people are saying blah blah blah. Well it is the same thing . He's routing someone else to illustrate his point. There are many articles out there, why does he prefer this and not the one that Philip Bum of the WP post wrote this week about Biden's age
I really don’t think most of us care how old he is…
I think the press made it a big deal. Sure, he talks slow, but he doesn’t say insane things like half the GOP and he actually makes sense, while Donald Trump absolutely does not.
You know who is going to beat Trump in this election? Trump.
Biden just needs to keep doing his job. (And somehow get rid of Netanyahu)
Here we go again Chris Cilliza wants us to discuss Biden's age and o know some people will fall for it.
From now on Iam going to start keeping a log of each time Chris writes or talks about Biden's age. This is because by the time Biden wins in November, Chris Cilliza would have written or talked about Biden's age more than the 50 times he wrote disparaging articles in the WP about Hilary Clinton's e mail in 2016. I start my count today.
"But that’s not the world we are living in. People are unhappy with Biden’s handling of the economy, the border, foreign policy and on and on. In looking for a way to explain that unhappiness, I think they land on his age as the key problem."
Gosh, have you ever considered that maybe Dems aren't aggressive enough about talking up their achievements? People are unhappy about Biden's handling of foreign policy and the economy because they have no idea how things are. Dumpy tells them every day that gas costs $8 a gallon and inflation is the highest this country's ever seen, and that NATO is made up of a bunch of slacker countries that we shouldn't support, and he's so loud and obnoxious about it that people believe him instead of Pres Biden.
You are correct, but the incorrect world view is not solely a function of Trump's lies. The alternative universe of "facts" is shared daily by right wing "news " outlets and social media. Folks in that universe never consume objective sources . They think the GDP is shrinking, when it is growing; the market is down, when it is at record highs; inflation is accelerating , when it is lessening ; wages are shrinking , when they are growing; unemployment is high, when it is at record lows; and energy production is down, when we are producing more oil and natural gas than at any time in history. In short, they live in a right wing bubble of misinformation.
I agree. If you haven’t , read The New American Nihilism in The Atlantic. It explains a lot about some of these folks, who crave chaos above all else. Others are just trapped in right wing info bubbles. It’s all maddening.
Here in NC, rents are off the wall and grocery prices haven’t come down very much courtesy of corporate greed mostly. But people living on the edge only see what they can’t afford after they pay the rent. Things are better just doesn’t match their real experience. I just got notified by one credit card holder that there is now no max APR on my credit card. As of next month interest is 21.9% regardless of credit rating and interest on cash advances is 34.9%. I pay in full every month. What about the folks who can’t? That’s all they see.
Those of us who see the good Joe has done aren’t everyone. We need to see the other side.
Another really good column (is that what we call these?). A slight bone to pick, however. You write “unhappy with Biden’s handling of the economy, the border, foreign policy and on and on.” I grant you unhappiness over border and foreign affairs (although it can’t all be laid at Biden’s feet). But the economy? Didn’t a report just come out saying the US was the only first world country not to fall into recession re Covid? Also, not sure what you mean by “and on and on.” (I’m guessing you would take issue with that ambiguity if one of your students included that in a paper.)
Nonetheless, you continue to write really great stuff and I really appreciate it!
Yes, Biden’s age is a major issue. Prior precedent comes from a less complicated environment. The press never reported on FDR’s struggles and there was no social media. Now, there are endless posts on social media showing Biden’s speech being less than clear and his gait being less than vigorous. If he were younger, he’d be way ahead , as his performance merits. Is he better than Trump? Of course he is --it’s not close for any informed and reasonable voter. But day-to-day interaction with people who worry about Biden’s age , the right wing’s relentless beating on the issue, and polling tell me this issue will remain. It’s up to Biden and his team to do the best possible to show he’s up to the task. Denying the issue exists is foolhardy
Denying that the public is being beaten over the head with the sorry canard of “Biden is old” is indeed foolhardy. However, to think that’s the end of it is not correct and I would suggest that you use your language skills and the power of your ability to convince others to make the Herculean effort to attempt to change minds.
As I’ve said in response to another post (I *think* it was on Chris’ column), I was at a Super Bowl party at my niece’s and her husband’s home, where most attendees were in the 28 to 36 year old range, most with very young families, and the whole bizarre “Taylor Swift is part of a psy-op to ‘fix’ the Super Bowl and endorse Biden” meme was an easy way to engage in a political conversation. I *definitely* heard the “but Biden’s so old” line, but what I found was that taking a very reasonable and non-confrontational tone and saying “yes, he is, and that concerns me too, but this election is about the future of our democracy, and a vote for anyone but Joe, or sitting this election out, will put Trump back in power and we KNOW he will NEVER give it up again!” seemed to “connect” with them.
I can only hope I’ve made a little bit of a difference. But then, I’m in Southern California and we’re as blue as blue can be, where our vote, thanks to the minority-bias of the Electoral College, means our vote is worth 25% of the voter in a swing state, if even that much…
Even if no one wrote another story about the issue, the right wing social media machine would continue with the types of posts I mentioned. I agree that part of the answer is to make the case about Trump. But I repeat my view that Biden & his team must do a better job of showing he is up to another 4 years. After the Hur report, we saw surrogates talking about how decisive Joe is in meetings. How about showcasing Joe is such a meeting with the cameras running? Or giving him more opportunities to address the Nation with forceful prepared remarks? These are the sorts of things Joe will need to do if we are to avoid the disaster that would be another Trump term.
You know those who are obsessed with his age will always find one tging or the other to say regardless. But I agree with you Biden and his team need to do the things or at least some of the things you enumerated above to convince the truly object and Independent part of the electorate not necessarily the talking and writing heads
You’re never going to see him in meetings. That is totally off limits to cameras. That is where the job is done, and often that includes classified or sensitive info. Not to mention it would give people who shouldn’t get it, a heads up. Suggest you check out Lawrence O’Donnell’s very good take on that for his MSNBC show. He has a podcast of his show.
You may be right that it won't occur, but it can. Obama met before the cameras in meetings with Rs re the healthcare bill and in roundtables with business leaders. Trump met before the cameras repeatedly in bogus sessions with bogus commissions and even in meetings with Schumer and Pelosi. Not all meetings involve classified or sensitive info. And he can certainly make a few speeches of note. This issue isn't going to be solved by maintaining the status quo. Biden needs to change tactics if he wants to combat the current impression.
Todd, totally agree that we can’t maintain the status quo. And he definitely needs to be seen out more and talking to people. And addressing issues. And letting those who are struggling he hears them and gets it.
Todd David, nobody is denying the fact that Trump and Biden is old. Can you tell me something Biden would or should have done but hos age. There is this obsession with Biden's age by the right wing because the don't have anything negative about him period.
As always, I admire your passionate defense of Joe. But the question raised by the column was whether his age is an issue. It is. Your question is clever, but off point. I haven't heard or read anyone suggest that Joe has made an error b/c of his age. The concerns relate to whether he is up to another 4 years.
You've asked this question repeatedly but don't seem to like the twofold answer: 1) Trump has an unwavering base of support that is unconcerned with any of his many faults; 2) Trump appears less diminished by age than Biden.. I hate Trump and all he stands for, but he shows remarkable energy flying around the country and holding his stupid rallies. Yes, he makes no sense and the lies are plentiful , but no objective observer can deny he displays uncommon reserves of energy .
Oh, I thought DeSantis got bitten by a gator after crawling home. He could have stuck with those issues rather than getting in bed with Moms 4 Liberty and the Zieglers if those were his issues. Appointing various white nationalists and an incompetent surgeon general didn't help. Kick the bum out. Nobody outside Florida wants to hear a word out of him again… ever.
A fifty- fifty chance of an impeachment of Biden. With less than zero evidence. Pure buffoonery.
Also- Bidens age is a huge issue because it is so obvious that the poor guy is disintegrating right in front of our eyes! He is also lagging in the polls, which makes his age an even bigger problem, since he can't do anything to fix that one. If Trump wins the election because stubborn Joe and the Democrats failed to see what is so obvious to the American people they will deserve their fate. Tragically, we will all be sentenced to living with that reality.
On the age issue: When it comes down to it, between Trump and Biden, where will normal folk fall? Those who don't read the paper much but mostly get their news from CNN or perhaps NBC Nightly News and are not into the punditry. Do they see much of a difference? I'll give that Biden appears more frail and his voice is not as strong. Biden gaffes like he always has. But right now, Trump is out there mangling my native language like I've never seen. He always has, but some of his takes are incoherent or nearly so.
Forget about the base. It wouldn't matter if Trump were alive, they would vote in his memory. This is about Haley Republicans and whoever the hell is still actually a Republican. Trump's speech and how he actually sounds will affect people's voting on the age issue.
Here’s the thing: I don’t give a you-know-what about how old President Biden is. His opponent is a man who wants to end democracy in this country. I don’t get beyond that fact.
Rs in Congress are stupid, but not stupid enough to think they have grounds or votes to impeach Biden. That’s not the point. Their effort is the same as the nonsense they pulled on Bengazi. It’s all about trying to help Trump win by slandering Biden
Chris, I love your work, but again, you have made a comment that sets my teeth on edge. You wrote: "People are unhappy with Biden’s handling of the economy, the border, foreign policy and on and on. In looking for a way to explain that unhappiness, I think they land on his age as the key problem." All that unhappy talk makes me unhappy. I don't sense a country mired in despair; instead I read and hear the MSM banking on gloomy stories to sell clicks and papers. On the whole, most Americans are not struggling or unhappy right now, unless they are maga and following a script. Biden is as Biden does, and he has done a great job and continues to perform at A+ level in a complex and difficult world. He succeeds not in spite of his age but because he has the wisdom of an old guy who has seen and done it all. C'mon Chris! Don't be such a sad sack! Biden's gonna win! -Ron
Thank you Ronald Keefer.
I figured this guy out a long time ago. He is a cheerleader for Trump but telling everyone he is objective. Where is the honesty and objectivity here in him saying the economy is bad under Biden. This guy is journalist and he knows how great the economy is doing and yet he is parroting the Republicans' talking point that the economy is bad . Common man. Anyone is allowed to support whoever he/she wants but please be honest and transparent about it.
Not only is the Biden age issue not important, the more we (that is the media, because no one I know actually talks about it except because the media does) talk about It the more irrelevant it is. It like constantly saying trump is a rapist and pays porn stars...we know and we don’t care. Voters are going to choose between two people and two visions for the country. Not who is younger. If Biden loses votes it will be because of differences over Gaza and other issues, not his age. Boring.
Like I’m going to consider Nikki Haley because she’s younger than Biden? No way. Lots of people might be shallow and easily manipulated, but age will not be a factor in an election where a traitor, fascist, rapist, shoe salesman is one of the candidates,
Yes, now we can add “shoe salesman” to the list...🤭
First off, Chris, very glad to see you, maybe, “re-thinking” the horse race canard that “Biden’s too old”! I would have preferred that it was original thinking on your part, as opposed to someone else’s article, but the willingness to be open is definitely appreciated!
I will reiterate another comment here: the index on consumer confidence has changed DRAMATICALLY since November, moving positively in Biden’s favor ie at a 2 year high, and I definitely see that trending even more so (other than the “narrative” of the MAGA Cult, the majority of which are in the lower quartile of socio-economic groups and have lower, mostly legacy and lower paying, skill sets). As you very well know, consumer sentiment is a moving target but it’s definitely moving in Biden’s direction!
https://www.conference-board.org/topics/consumer-confidence/press/CCI-Jan-2024#:~:text=Index%20Hits%20Two%2DYear%20High,the%20third%20straight%20monthly%20increase
Other than some sort of catastrophic health event, Joe will make the occasional gaffe and the media will make it the ONLY thing of importance for 24 to 72 hours, and then they’ll move on. As people start to PERCEIVE that the economy is getting better, it will become even more clear that Biden will continue to do a very good job, and that Trump doesn’t deserve to be ANYWHERE near the Oval Office, as he never should have been in the first place (gee, thanks, Director Comey…)
You remember when Trump wants to make s point he will say some people are saying blah blah blah. Well it is the same thing . He's routing someone else to illustrate his point. There are many articles out there, why does he prefer this and not the one that Philip Bum of the WP post wrote this week about Biden's age
I really don’t think most of us care how old he is…
I think the press made it a big deal. Sure, he talks slow, but he doesn’t say insane things like half the GOP and he actually makes sense, while Donald Trump absolutely does not.
You know who is going to beat Trump in this election? Trump.
Biden just needs to keep doing his job. (And somehow get rid of Netanyahu)
Here we go again Chris Cilliza wants us to discuss Biden's age and o know some people will fall for it.
From now on Iam going to start keeping a log of each time Chris writes or talks about Biden's age. This is because by the time Biden wins in November, Chris Cilliza would have written or talked about Biden's age more than the 50 times he wrote disparaging articles in the WP about Hilary Clinton's e mail in 2016. I start my count today.
"But that’s not the world we are living in. People are unhappy with Biden’s handling of the economy, the border, foreign policy and on and on. In looking for a way to explain that unhappiness, I think they land on his age as the key problem."
Gosh, have you ever considered that maybe Dems aren't aggressive enough about talking up their achievements? People are unhappy about Biden's handling of foreign policy and the economy because they have no idea how things are. Dumpy tells them every day that gas costs $8 a gallon and inflation is the highest this country's ever seen, and that NATO is made up of a bunch of slacker countries that we shouldn't support, and he's so loud and obnoxious about it that people believe him instead of Pres Biden.
You are correct, but the incorrect world view is not solely a function of Trump's lies. The alternative universe of "facts" is shared daily by right wing "news " outlets and social media. Folks in that universe never consume objective sources . They think the GDP is shrinking, when it is growing; the market is down, when it is at record highs; inflation is accelerating , when it is lessening ; wages are shrinking , when they are growing; unemployment is high, when it is at record lows; and energy production is down, when we are producing more oil and natural gas than at any time in history. In short, they live in a right wing bubble of misinformation.
It’s hard to believe that millions of people believe these millions of lies, but they proudly do.😣
I agree. If you haven’t , read The New American Nihilism in The Atlantic. It explains a lot about some of these folks, who crave chaos above all else. Others are just trapped in right wing info bubbles. It’s all maddening.
Thanks for the referral!
Here in NC, rents are off the wall and grocery prices haven’t come down very much courtesy of corporate greed mostly. But people living on the edge only see what they can’t afford after they pay the rent. Things are better just doesn’t match their real experience. I just got notified by one credit card holder that there is now no max APR on my credit card. As of next month interest is 21.9% regardless of credit rating and interest on cash advances is 34.9%. I pay in full every month. What about the folks who can’t? That’s all they see.
Those of us who see the good Joe has done aren’t everyone. We need to see the other side.
Yes.
Just because Chris say so does not make it true though
Another really good column (is that what we call these?). A slight bone to pick, however. You write “unhappy with Biden’s handling of the economy, the border, foreign policy and on and on.” I grant you unhappiness over border and foreign affairs (although it can’t all be laid at Biden’s feet). But the economy? Didn’t a report just come out saying the US was the only first world country not to fall into recession re Covid? Also, not sure what you mean by “and on and on.” (I’m guessing you would take issue with that ambiguity if one of your students included that in a paper.)
Nonetheless, you continue to write really great stuff and I really appreciate it!
Yes, Biden’s age is a major issue. Prior precedent comes from a less complicated environment. The press never reported on FDR’s struggles and there was no social media. Now, there are endless posts on social media showing Biden’s speech being less than clear and his gait being less than vigorous. If he were younger, he’d be way ahead , as his performance merits. Is he better than Trump? Of course he is --it’s not close for any informed and reasonable voter. But day-to-day interaction with people who worry about Biden’s age , the right wing’s relentless beating on the issue, and polling tell me this issue will remain. It’s up to Biden and his team to do the best possible to show he’s up to the task. Denying the issue exists is foolhardy
Denying that the public is being beaten over the head with the sorry canard of “Biden is old” is indeed foolhardy. However, to think that’s the end of it is not correct and I would suggest that you use your language skills and the power of your ability to convince others to make the Herculean effort to attempt to change minds.
As I’ve said in response to another post (I *think* it was on Chris’ column), I was at a Super Bowl party at my niece’s and her husband’s home, where most attendees were in the 28 to 36 year old range, most with very young families, and the whole bizarre “Taylor Swift is part of a psy-op to ‘fix’ the Super Bowl and endorse Biden” meme was an easy way to engage in a political conversation. I *definitely* heard the “but Biden’s so old” line, but what I found was that taking a very reasonable and non-confrontational tone and saying “yes, he is, and that concerns me too, but this election is about the future of our democracy, and a vote for anyone but Joe, or sitting this election out, will put Trump back in power and we KNOW he will NEVER give it up again!” seemed to “connect” with them.
I can only hope I’ve made a little bit of a difference. But then, I’m in Southern California and we’re as blue as blue can be, where our vote, thanks to the minority-bias of the Electoral College, means our vote is worth 25% of the voter in a swing state, if even that much…
Even if no one wrote another story about the issue, the right wing social media machine would continue with the types of posts I mentioned. I agree that part of the answer is to make the case about Trump. But I repeat my view that Biden & his team must do a better job of showing he is up to another 4 years. After the Hur report, we saw surrogates talking about how decisive Joe is in meetings. How about showcasing Joe is such a meeting with the cameras running? Or giving him more opportunities to address the Nation with forceful prepared remarks? These are the sorts of things Joe will need to do if we are to avoid the disaster that would be another Trump term.
You know those who are obsessed with his age will always find one tging or the other to say regardless. But I agree with you Biden and his team need to do the things or at least some of the things you enumerated above to convince the truly object and Independent part of the electorate not necessarily the talking and writing heads
You’re never going to see him in meetings. That is totally off limits to cameras. That is where the job is done, and often that includes classified or sensitive info. Not to mention it would give people who shouldn’t get it, a heads up. Suggest you check out Lawrence O’Donnell’s very good take on that for his MSNBC show. He has a podcast of his show.
You may be right that it won't occur, but it can. Obama met before the cameras in meetings with Rs re the healthcare bill and in roundtables with business leaders. Trump met before the cameras repeatedly in bogus sessions with bogus commissions and even in meetings with Schumer and Pelosi. Not all meetings involve classified or sensitive info. And he can certainly make a few speeches of note. This issue isn't going to be solved by maintaining the status quo. Biden needs to change tactics if he wants to combat the current impression.
Todd, totally agree that we can’t maintain the status quo. And he definitely needs to be seen out more and talking to people. And addressing issues. And letting those who are struggling he hears them and gets it.
I live in So. Cal. too. The Electoral College is antiquated, unfair and needs to be abolished!
Todd David, nobody is denying the fact that Trump and Biden is old. Can you tell me something Biden would or should have done but hos age. There is this obsession with Biden's age by the right wing because the don't have anything negative about him period.
As always, I admire your passionate defense of Joe. But the question raised by the column was whether his age is an issue. It is. Your question is clever, but off point. I haven't heard or read anyone suggest that Joe has made an error b/c of his age. The concerns relate to whether he is up to another 4 years.
So is Trump up to the job fir 4 years when he too will be in his 80s? Why are tye people obsessed with Biden's age not concerned about Trump's age ?
You've asked this question repeatedly but don't seem to like the twofold answer: 1) Trump has an unwavering base of support that is unconcerned with any of his many faults; 2) Trump appears less diminished by age than Biden.. I hate Trump and all he stands for, but he shows remarkable energy flying around the country and holding his stupid rallies. Yes, he makes no sense and the lies are plentiful , but no objective observer can deny he displays uncommon reserves of energy .
Oh, I thought DeSantis got bitten by a gator after crawling home. He could have stuck with those issues rather than getting in bed with Moms 4 Liberty and the Zieglers if those were his issues. Appointing various white nationalists and an incompetent surgeon general didn't help. Kick the bum out. Nobody outside Florida wants to hear a word out of him again… ever.
Cue the gators.
🤣
Biden is going to win in November and he is not going to die in office(morbid thought..um).
There is no way on God's green earth that Biden will get impeached. Next story, please...
A fifty- fifty chance of an impeachment of Biden. With less than zero evidence. Pure buffoonery.
Also- Bidens age is a huge issue because it is so obvious that the poor guy is disintegrating right in front of our eyes! He is also lagging in the polls, which makes his age an even bigger problem, since he can't do anything to fix that one. If Trump wins the election because stubborn Joe and the Democrats failed to see what is so obvious to the American people they will deserve their fate. Tragically, we will all be sentenced to living with that reality.
On the age issue: When it comes down to it, between Trump and Biden, where will normal folk fall? Those who don't read the paper much but mostly get their news from CNN or perhaps NBC Nightly News and are not into the punditry. Do they see much of a difference? I'll give that Biden appears more frail and his voice is not as strong. Biden gaffes like he always has. But right now, Trump is out there mangling my native language like I've never seen. He always has, but some of his takes are incoherent or nearly so.
Forget about the base. It wouldn't matter if Trump were alive, they would vote in his memory. This is about Haley Republicans and whoever the hell is still actually a Republican. Trump's speech and how he actually sounds will affect people's voting on the age issue.
Good to see you're starting to smell the coffee out in the real world, rather than filtered through Hudson Yards.