President Joe Biden turns 81 as worries about his age hang over 2024 election

 President Joe Biden turns 81 as worries about his age hang over 2024 election

WASHINGTON − President Joe Biden turned eighty one on Monday as concerns about his age proceed to dominate his 2024 reelection campaign.

There wasn't a big birthday bash.

Instead, Biden marked the day "pardoning" two turkeys, carrying out the longtime White House tradition beforehand of Thanksgiving.

"It's my birthday today," Biden said, kicking off the turkey ceremony on the White House South Lawn. "I simply choose you to know, it is hard turning 60," he joked.

Biden, already the oldest president in U.S. history, would be 86 when he completed a 2d time period if reelected.

Biden stated Steve Lykken, chairman of the National Turkey Federation, and Lykken's family sang "Happy Birthday" to him internal the White House before the event.

Biden has regularly made light of his octogenarian fame − "I recognize I'm 198 years old," the president joked in June − as poll after poll suggests it stays one of his largest election liabilities.

A poll by way of Monmouth University in October observed 76% of voters accept as true with Biden is too ancient to correctly serve a 2d term, in contrast with 48% who stated the same about Republican front-runner Donald Trump, who is 77.

An NBC News poll released Sunday observed Biden is trailing in a hypothetical rematch towards Trump with voters a long time 18 to 34, a team that is traditionally section of the Democratic base. Trump is backed by way of 46% of younger voters,; Biden is supported through 42%.

The poll discovered that Biden's approval ranking has dropped to 40%, an all-time low for the poll, and that Trump, notwithstanding his a couple of indictments and prison troubles, leads nationally in a hypothetical matchup 46%-44%.

Concerns about Biden's age has brought about a Democratic main project from Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., who has argued for a new generation of Democratic leadership in the White House.

Some Republican candidates have overtly puzzled whether or not Biden will finish a 2d time period if he is reelected, warning voters that a vote for Biden is a vote for Vice President Kamala Harris as president.

Biden has addressed questions about his age mechanically considering announcing his reelection bid.

"I admire them taking a challenging seem to be at it," Biden stated in April, referring to voters who worry about his age. "I'd take a hard seem to be at it as well. I took a tough appear at it earlier than I determined to run, and I sense good."