Five reasons Democrats are worried about Biden and rightfully so

Democrats have expressed concerns in private that President Biden’s flaws may impact his reelection campaign, despite his successful legislative achievements over the past couple of years. Although they are hesitant to voice these worries publicly, some Democrats are worried about Biden’s ability to secure another victory in the 2024 election. According to a Democratic consultant, every Democrat is apprehensive, and they are in uncharted territory. Democrats have cited five concerns about Biden’s candidacy.

His age is a big concern

As the oldest president in U.S. history, President Joe Biden’s age is a growing concern among Democrats, with strategists worried about his ability to compete effectively in the 2024 presidential race. At 81 years old, and with a potential age of 86 at the end of a second term, the president’s age is seen as the main reason for a contradiction in polling, where most Democrats approve of Biden’s first term, but more than half of those surveyed say the president shouldn’t run again.

Biden’s age has also become a source of attacks from his would-be rivals, with Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley predicting this week that Biden wouldn’t live until the end of his second term if elected. Former President Trump, who is 76, has also frequently criticized Biden over his age.

While Biden has acknowledged that he “took a hard look” at his age when he considered running for reelection, he insists that he feels good and excited about the prospects. However, some Democratic strategists still wonder whether Biden can compete effectively, with one operative acknowledging that “campaigns aren’t made for 81-year-olds.”

In the 2020 presidential campaign, Biden largely stayed off the campaign trail due to the COVID-19 pandemic, choosing to build a television studio in his Wilmington, Delaware home to speak directly to the public. However, in this cycle, he’ll need to crisscross the country, traveling from swing state to swing state, which is “not for the faint of heart,” as one strategist noted.

Fewer interviews, where has he been?

President Joe Biden’s limited engagement with the media and voters has raised concerns among Democrats, with some seeing it as a sign that the White House wants to keep him out of situations where he might make an unforced public error. While Biden held a press conference this week to welcome South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to the White House, he has had fewer news conferences than any of his recent predecessors. According to Mark Knoller, a veteran journalist who covered the White House for decades, Biden has held 24 news conferences since taking office, 12 of which were joint news conferences with foreign leaders. By comparison, former President Bill Clinton did 83 news conferences in his first two years in office.

Biden has also done the fewest number of interviews with journalists, having only done 38 since taking office, with no interviews given to Fox News. Communications professor emeritus Tobe Berkovitz noted that the few interviews Biden has done with news anchors have been a “festival of softball questions with no follow-up to elicit substantive answers.”

Biden’s reluctance to engage with voters is also a concern, as he has done few town halls since taking office. Strategists believe that he needs to spend more time interacting with regular folks, something that is a “Biden staple,” as he performs at his best when engaging with voters. However, the strategist predicted that Biden would have smaller, more controlled events throughout the campaign, something that ultimately doesn’t behoove him.

While the limited engagement with the media and voters may be a strategy to avoid public errors, it also raises questions about transparency and accountability. As the leader of the country, the president should be willing and able to engage with the media and voters, answering tough questions and addressing concerns.

Lack of flexibility

Flexibility is a key attribute for a presidential candidate to win a modern-day campaign, according to strategists. While some Democrats feel that the Biden campaign is too slow and methodical, the president has shown that he can respond quickly and off-the-cuff when needed. In contrast, during the 2016 election cycle, then-candidate Donald Trump frequently called in to radio and television shows to do impromptu interviews while Hillary Clinton and her team deliberated for hours over a tweet.

Some Democrats feel that the Biden campaign is too slow to respond and too methodical in its decision-making process, which could pose a challenge in a fast-paced campaign. “They can be really slow and too methodical,” one Democratic consultant said. In today’s age of social media and 24-hour news cycles, candidates need to be agile and adaptable to changing circumstances. It remains to be seen if Biden’s team can strike the right balance between being deliberate and being responsive in the upcoming presidential race.

He’s a gaffe machine

President Joe Biden has largely been a stick-to-the-script kind of leader, a significant departure from his time as a senator when he regularly spoke off-the-cuff. His aides have been particularly stringent about keeping him on message throughout his presidency, with the president joking that he’s going to “be in trouble” with his aides for veering off-message and speaking his mind.

However, the campaign trail can be prime for unscripted moments, and even the staunchest Biden supporters worry about his ability to step in it. “My biggest fear is that he’ll say something and it’ll be tough for him to recover,” said one donor.

Biden’s tendency to make gaffes has been a long-standing concern, with communications professor emeritus Tobe Berkovitz stating that “Biden’s weakest link is his tradition of placing his foot in his mouth. He has always been a gaffe machine, and his diminishing cognitive abilities have exacerbated this problem.”

How he manages the economy

Despite the best jobs numbers in decades and robust consumer spending, Democrats are worried that President Joe Biden’s handling of the economy could be his biggest flaw. While the president has touted the strength of the economy, many economists suggest otherwise as the Federal Reserve continues to raise interest rates and major corporations slash jobs, leading some to hint that a recession is looming.

While the Biden administration has implemented policies aimed at boosting the economy, including the recently passed American Jobs Plan, the potential for an economic downturn remains a concern as the recent report of a sluggish economy and inflation continue to rise. A recession or significant economic downturn could hurt the president’s approval ratings and his chances for re-election. As the economy remains a top issue for voters, Biden will need to stay vigilant and proactive in his approach to economic policy to avoid any missteps that could cost him in the long run.

The republicans are energized and ready to come at him, he’s going to need to bring his A-game, which is very doubtful at this point given his recent history of sluggishness and gaffes.