As worries about “Slow Joe” Biden’s age mount within the Democratic Party as it looks increasingly likely that Biden, already America’s oldest president, might run again in 2024, at which point he would be 82 years old, people are starting to push back and demand that someone else be allowed to run instead.
And that’s just one of the many issues making him unpopular with even Democrat voters, who worry about his electability, are upset with the nature of many of his policies and his (to them) moderate stances on issues like climate change, and are furious he hasn’t yet rammed through some policies that leftist voters care deeply about, such as gun control.
Biden’s fading popularity with the farther left elements of the Democratic Party was highlighted in a recent ad from a progressive group called RootsAction. In it, the group showed interviews in which people were speaking about why they don’t want Biden to run.
For example, one woman interviewed in the ad said “It’s absolutely critical that we don’t allow a Republican to win the White House in 2024. His low popularity is way too much of a gamble.” Another, expressing a similar concern, said “If he runs, the election is at serious risk.”
Relatedly, another expressed frustration with Joe representing the status quo and worry with his chances of getting reelected, saying “We can’t afford to risk the White House to a Republican who could defeat Status Quo Joe.”
But it wasn’t just Joe’s electability that got brought up. His “moderate” stance on issues that leftists care deeply about did too.
One man in the ad, for example, said “There’s no question that we have a climate emergency. It’s a question of willingness to do something about it.” Another person interviewed said “It’s not the time for half-measures. All Americans need universal health care now.” And, of course, there was the ever-present abortion hand-wringing, with an interviewed woman saying “There is no room to compromise when our abortion rights are on the line.”
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Concluding, the ad said “Don’t run, Joe.”
Norman Solomon, one of the founders of Roots Action, commented on the ad and why Joe shouldn’t run in a Twitter thread, saying:
NEW: ‘Don’t Run Joe’ campaign featured in @thehill today!
Biden represents the “status quo” and slam the president for not pursuing progressive goals, including a greater push to tackle climate change and implement policies such as universal health care. #DontRunJoe
“His public approval ratings remain dismal, as they have been all year. No amount of bravado from the White House can change the severe vulnerabilities that a Biden 2024 campaign would face.” #DontRunJoe
Commenting on the ad, which struck a chord with many leftists who are none too pleased with how Biden’s presidency has gone so far, the New York Post noted that many Americans agree that the aging Biden shouldn’t run again, saying:
A poll released Tuesday found that 58% of Americans agree with RootsAction about Biden, who would be 86 at the end of a second term.
And Biden, whose job approval numbers have been stalled in the middle 30s, has “vented to allies” about all the talk about his age and the election, according to a report.