James Carville tells Biden to stop complaining about coverage of age: The 'issue is suffocating him'

Democratic strategist James Carville said Monday that the age issue was "suffocating" President Biden and told the president to stop griping about negative media coverage of the issue. 

"I do think the president has to deal, the age issue is suffocating him. He needs to bring up that he is only four years older than Trump," Carville told MSNBC's Jen Psaki in response to a question about how Biden and former President Trump could possibly be tied in the polls. 

Carville told the president to quit "complaining" about the New York Times' coverage of his age and his bad poll numbers, which he said was a "waste of time."

Biden, the oldest president to hold office at the age of 81-years-old, and his team have reportedly been "upset" by the paper's coverage throughout his first term in office.

Democratic strategist James Carville said Monday during an interview with MSNBC's Jen Psaki that the "age issue" was suffocating President Biden. (Screenshot/MSNBC)

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The media outlet issued a statement on the president's lack of media access in late April. Biden has refused to sit down for an interview with The New York Times, something every modern president has done while in office. 

"For anyone who understands the role of the free press in a democracy, it should be troubling that President Biden has so actively and effectively avoided questions from independent journalists during his term," the outlet said. "Mr. Biden has granted far fewer press conferences and sit-down interviews with independent journalists than virtually all of his predecessors."

The paper said Biden was setting a "dangerous precedent" for future presidents in avoiding the media. 

Biden recently sat down for an interview with CNN's Erin Burnett, during which he claimed the polls were "wrong, all along." 

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President Joe Biden speaks at a campaign event at Pullman Yards on March 9, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Megan Varner/Getty Images)

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Carville suggested Biden talk about his record and about how he plans to "change people’s lives" during the interview.

"It's pedestrian, but it's the stuff that wins elections," he said. 

Carville also said that Biden does better when he talks about the Supreme Court "taking rights away," the cost of prescription drugs, the minimum wage and raising taxes. 

Carville called on President Biden to focus on the future, adding, "It's pedestrian, but it's the stuff that wins elections."  (Raul E. Diego/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

Carville has repeatedly sounded the alarm on the Democratic coalition's lack of support among younger Black and Latino voters. 

"It's horrifying our numbers among younger voters, particularly younger Blacks, younger Latinos… younger people of color. Particularly males," he said. "We're not shedding them, they're leaving in droves."

Hanna Panreck is an associate editor at Fox News.