Joe Biden doesn’t seem to mind showing his age.
The presumptive 2020 Democratic presidential nominee has outwardly embraced his 77 years on the campaign trail, routinely referring to himself as an “old guy,” especially when asked about the qualities he’s looking for in a running mate.
“I want to have people around me that have strengths and capacities I don’t,” Biden told donors late Wednesday.
Biden’s age, which some speculate has been masked by plastic surgery, was seen as a weakness during the primary. Voters and reporters pressed him on the issue, including whether he’d seek a second term if he won the White House in November. And polling data indicated it was a turnoff for large swathes of the electorate, with many people yearning for a fresh face and more liberal change instead.
But Biden’s primary rivals struggled to use his age against him. Their attacks, like the one concerning his memory lobbed by Obama administration Housing Secretary Julian Castro during the September debate, often backfired. He was partly shielded by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who’s older than him and suffered a heart attack in October. And Biden opened up about his stutter to explain his public speaking difficulties as well, making it harder for his competitors to exploit his stumbles.
However, President Trump, the two-term vice president and 36-year Delaware senator’s opponent for the White House in November’s general election, isn’t having the same problems.
The fellow septuagenarian, age 73, has tagged Biden as “Sleepy Joe,” and his juggernaut digital operation has quickly jumped on any slip-ups, leaning into claims Biden isn’t “playing with a full deck.” A recent example is Biden’s blunder this week regarding Delaware’s date of independence.
Despite the hits, Biden hasn’t changed his strategy — yet.
Democratic strategist Nathan Ballard said Biden’s emphasis on being “old” was another way of highlighting that he’d “been around for a long time.”
“It reinforces one of Biden’s positive assets: He is seen as a kindly, avuncular figure. It also reminds voters that he is experienced. Because of Trump’s mishandling of the pandemic, Biden is betting that voters are in the mood for somebody wiser and more experienced in the art of governing,” the Press Shop communications specialist told the Washington Examiner.
But for Ballard, there was a downside: Voters may start believing he’s too old for the job.
Former Republican Pennsylvania Rep. Phil English agreed, saying Biden’s age was an obvious liability given the U.S. political landscape was No Country for Old Men.
The natural response would be for Biden to demonstrate his vitality, according to English.
“I don’t really know what the strategy is here, but I think it is a high-risk strategy. Biden needs to reassure people, and I think he needs to demonstrate that he has new ideas, and that he would bring energy to the executive,” he said.
To English, Trump’s high-energy level complicated the situation for Biden, as did perceived efforts by Biden’s team to limit its candidate’s need for spontaneity and exposure to the media.
“Joe Biden’s verbal gaffes and sometimes his uneven presentation are a real existential threat to his campaign,” he said. “He has not performed well under pressure in this campaign cycle.”
Yet Trump still had to tread carefully because this offensive invited counterpunches, English added. He has to be mindful too of the tactic’s effect on seniors, a voting bloc with whom he’s had challenges, particularly in the must-win state of Florida.
“I believe that it needs to be framed as a competency issue,” English said.
