(TheRedWire.com) – The 2024 presidential election has proved to have one key issue that the Republicans are hoping to exploit in order to win back the White House: age.
President Biden, 80, who announced his reelection campaign last week is the oldest president in U.S. history running for re-election. His age has frequently become the center of criticism from Republicans who are questioning whether Biden has the mental capacity to act as the President for a second term.
Biden is not the only Democrat to have recently faced ageism. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), 89, who was absent from Congress due to illness has also been called out by members of her own party who want her to step down.
GOP candidate Nikki Haley, 51, who served as the former governor of South Carolina, following her campaign announcement called for mandatory competency tests for all politicians who were over the age of 75. This was seen as a clear attack by Trump and Biden. She has also called for the Montreal Cognitive Assessment to become mandatory for politicians. According to the definition of this test, it is a brief 30-question test that can help healthcare professionals determine whether there are any cognitive impairments. Haley has been one of the members of the GOP who have also called for Feinstein to step down.
Last week she also predicted that Biden would not make it to 86, which is the age he would reach at the end of his second term if he wins his re-election campaign.
Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), who is also expected to join the GOP primary, has also claimed that a Harris presidency is “a scary proposition.” Harris would be called to step up if Biden was deemed to be incapable of handling his duties.
While the GOP is attacking the Democratic party over age, their own party is led by Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and the frontrunner in the GOP primary, former President Trump who is 81 years old.
Copyright 2023, TheRedWire.com
