Hillary Clinton admits ‘age is an issue’ for Biden in 2024
By Josh Christenson
May 22, 2023
Clinton, 75, expressed mild skepticism about the 80-year-old president’s fitness for office at the Financial Times Weekend Festival in Washington, saying “his age is an issue, and people have every right to consider” it, according to Fox News.
The former secretary of state and senator from New York was responding to a question from FT editor Edward Luce about Biden nearly tumbling down the stairs during last week’s G-7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan.
“There was that heart-stopping moment when he almost fell over coming down the stairs a day or two ago,” Luce said.
“Every time that happens, your heart is in your mouth because these things could be consequential. Is that a concern?”
Former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton admitted last weekend that President Biden’s age remains an issue for his electability
“It’s a concern for anyone. We’ve had presidents who had fallen before who were a lot younger, and people didn’t go into heart palpitations,” Clinton replied.
“But, you know, he has this great saying — and I think he’s right — don’t judge him for running against the Almighty but against the alternative. I am of the camp that I think he’s determined to run.”
Clinton also said Biden rarely gets the credit he deserves “in terms of jobs and growth and planning for the future with CHIPS and other stuff.”
“So, I obviously hope he stays very focused and able to compete in the election because I think he can be re-elected, and that’s what we should all hope for.”White House aides have downplayed concerns over the oldest-ever president’s age and mental acuity, with press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre telling CNN’s Don Lemon last summer: “That is not a question that we should be even asking.”
“Oh, my gosh, he’s the president of the United States, you know, he … I can’t even keep up with him,” she added.
“We just got back from New Mexico, we just got back from California … just look at the work that he does, and look what he’s, how he’s delivering for the American public.”
According to a recent Washington Post-ABC News poll, 63% of Americans say Biden is not mentally sharp enough to govern effectively and 62% say he is not in good physical shape.Nearly 60% of Democrats polled by Reuters/Ipsos the same month agreed with the phrase “Joe Biden is too old to work in government.”
The president passed his annual physical in February, but his physician did not address his cognitive state and the White House did not made the doctor available to take questions from the press.