Despite the rest of the world’s concern over Biden’s age, those on America’s left are unphased. Why?
This is neither a flip question, intended to highlight the left’s hypocrisy, nor an insignificant one. Its answer reveals everything America needs to know about Biden, liberals and this presidency of codependence.
On Nov. 20, President Joe Biden turned 81. Biden is the oldest president in U.S. history, surpassing Reagan — whom the left mercilessly ridiculed for his age — from the moment he was inaugurated in January 2021. Each day he serves, he breaks his own record. He will be 82 next year and would be 86 if he served the remainder of the second term he is seeking.
While many subjective concerns can be raised about his administration’s policies, the objective concern about Biden’s age is one all could seem to be expected to share. And everyone does — everyone, that is, except the left wing. Even the White House noticeably downplayed any mention of his birthday, which would otherwise be a natural soft news story to be pedaled about the president.
So, why isn’t the left discussing their worries about Biden’s age? They should have a host of legitimate concerns. What happens if he is unable to come back for another term? What if he cannot lead in office? Who will be their guiding force?
All these worries should reside with Democrats. The fact that they do not, says everything about the role Biden is filling for them in the administration.
Democrats are not worried because Biden is not leading; they are. The left would be worried about Biden’s age — rightfully and understandably so — if Biden were leading and making the decisions.
The silence about Biden’s age speaks loudly that the left knows he is not calling the shots; they are. Instead, they would be worried if Biden were calling the shots — especially the more moderate version of his first half-century in Washington. What Democrats need — and know they have — is not for Biden to be president, but to have him be presiding: a symbol covering over their substance.
With Biden, the left has its run of the White House. His weakness is their strength. A strong president would not allow them to dictate so much on so many things. But Biden has no choice.
His base has shrunk until it effectively no longer extends beyond the Democratic Party and the left of America’s political spectrum. In Real Clear Politics’ recent average of national head-to-head rematch polling, Biden trails Trump by 2.1 percentage points (44.5 percent to 46.6 percent) and in nine of the 12 polls averaged. Considering that Biden had to rack up a 4.4 percentage point margin in the popular vote to scratch together his electoral vote victory in 2020, Biden is arguably about six percentage points behind where he needs to be to win reelection in 2024.
Meanwhile, his ratings are even lower. Biden’s job approval rating is just 40 percent — 16 percentage points below his 56 percent disapproval rating. And his average favorability rating is no better — 40.2 percent with a 55.2 percent unfavorable rating.
What left-wing Democrats have with Biden is a codependency presidency.
Biden is the giver in his relationship with the left. By making them happy, he remains president. And being president is all he has seemingly ever wanted in over his half-century in Washington.
Three times, it was denied him: In 1988, he stopped by plagiarism; in 2008, he was blocked for his jaw-dropping remarks about Obama; in 2016, despite being vice president, he was benched in favor of Hillary Clinton.
Had things played out the way Democrats expected, Biden would never have gotten back in the game — Hillary would have had two terms and Biden would have been forgotten. Even when Hillary’s unexpected defeat cleared the way for the resurrection of Biden’s presidential hopes in 2020, he nearly flamed out a fourth time: He was few people’s first choice and faced elimination early in the primaries.
The left are the enablers — the takers — in this relationship. They have never had it so good. No one else has ever given them so much. Because no Democrat has ever been so politically weak to be so dependent on them.
Those on the left are not concerned about Biden’s age, because they are not concerned about Biden governing. Their real concern would be if Biden were actually to start governing.
Because the left wing is effectively governing, they are silent. Their silence should tell us all we need to know about this codependency presidency, who is giving in it and who is taking from it.
J.T. Young was a professional staffer in the House and Senate from 1987-2000, served in the Department of Treasury and Office of Management and Budget from 2001-2004, and was director of government relations for a Fortune 20 company from 2004-2023.