Most Americans believe President Joe Biden’s age and health would “severely” limit his ability to fulfill his duties as commander-in-chief if he is reelected in 2024, a February survey from the Economist/YouGov found.
The survey asked respondents, “How much of an effect do you think Joe Biden’s health and age would have on his ability to fulfill his duties as president if he were reelected in 2024?”
Overall, most, 54 percent, said it would “severely limit his ability to do the job.” Only 12 percent said it would have “no effect at all,” and 27 percent said it would have “little effect.” Another eight percent remain unsure. Those figures remain relatively unchanged among registered voters, specifically, as 54 percent maintain Biden’s age and health would severely affect his abilities.
A majority of Republicans and independents, 80 percent and 65 percent, respectively, believe Biden’s age and health would severely limit his ability to serve as president if reelected. One in five Democrats, 21 percent, agree. Less than a quarter of Democrats, 23 percent, believe it would have “no effect at all,” while a plurality, 47 percent, think it would have “little effect.”
In comparison, just 24 percent overall believe former President Donald Trump’s age and health would severely limit his ability to do the job as president if elected in 2024, and just 22 percent of independents and six percent of Republicans share that sentiment. Most Republicans, 57 percent, said it would have no effect at all.
The survey was taken February 11-13, 2024, among 1,671 U.S. citizens. It follows a revealing report from Special Counsel Robert Hur, which details his decision not to prosecute Biden in his documents scandal. While the FBI found that Biden “willfully retained” classified materials, Hur repeatedly pointed to his poor memory, essentially concluding that Biden, 81, is simply too mentally feeble to prosecute.
This image, contained in the report from Special Counsel Robert Hur and marked with the number one, shows a damaged box where classified documents were found in the garage of President Joe Biden in Wilmington, Delaware, during a search by the FBI on December 21, 2022. (Justice Department via AP)
“We have also considered that, at trial, Mr. Biden would likely present himself to a jury, as he did during our interview of him, as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory,” the report states, in part.
“Based on our direct interactions with and observations of him, he is someone for whom many jurors will want to identify reasonable doubt,” it continues, noting that Biden forgot basic information, such as when he was vice president or when his son Beau died.
In his interview with our office, Mr. Biden’s memory was worse. He did not remember when he was vice president, forgetting on the first day of the interview when his term ended (“If it was 2013 – when did I stop being Vice President?”), and forgetting on the second day of the interview when his term began (“In 2009, am I still Vice President?”).
“He did not remember, even within several years, when his son Beau died,” the report added.
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