White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has strongly defended President Joe Biden’s “stamina” on his 81st birthday, addressing the growing concerns surrounding his age. Jean-Pierre made these remarks during a White House press briefing in response to a question about former Obama adviser David Axelrod raising the issue of Biden’s age. The defense comes after Axelrod suggested that it may be “wise” for Biden to drop out of the 2024 presidential race, citing a recent poll that found him losing to former President Donald Trump in five battleground states by up to 10 points.
Axelrod’s criticism of Biden’s age stems from concerns that it could be his “biggest liability” with voters. Despite acknowledging Biden’s accomplishments, Axelrod argued that the country cannot risk losing to Trump in the next election. Even after Biden reportedly called Axelrod “a prick,” the former adviser doubled down on his criticism, stating that he hopes the polls accurately reflect the situation.
In contrast, Jean-Pierre dismissed the concerns about Biden’s age, stating that there is “no alarm” behind the scenes at the White House. She emphasized that it is not her job to comment on everyone’s opinions and that she believes Biden’s experience, rather than his age, is what matters. She pointed out that Biden has used his experience to pass more bipartisan legislation in recent times than any other president, highlighting his track record.
The White House’s perspective is that Biden should be judged based on his accomplishments rather than his numbers. They argue that his experience has been instrumental in achieving bipartisan progress. The press secretary also mentioned that it is not her place to dictate what people should think, whether they are the American people or political analysts like Axelrod.
Overall, the White House remains confident in President Biden’s abilities and believes that his stamina and wisdom surpass those of anyone else. They assert that his experience and track record should be the focus of judgment rather than his age. As the 2024 campaign trail unfolds, it will be interesting to see how these concerns surrounding Biden’s age continue to play out.
