# President Joe Biden and the runup to the 2024 election **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 15, 2021, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384 "2021-11-15T14:54:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2023, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/281 "2023-11-08T19:56:10Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > What does this mean about Biden and his being behind? IMHO it means one of two things (or a combination of them). > > 1. The polls are wrong. It means that every bad thing- interest rates, inflation, the high cost of gas is blamed on the sitting President. > [@Jas09](#): > > Voters (young ones in particular) don’t like that. So they are saying either they are undecided or that they will vote for Trump. I guess they cant do the math- trump is just about as old. Anyone who is a trumper who thinks Biden is too old is a moron. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2023, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/282 "2023-11-08T21:07:16Z")
[The St. Louis Post-Dispatch hit the panic button today](https://www.stltoday.com/opinion/editorial/editorial-for-the-sake-of-the-nation-mr-president-please-bow-out/article_47586d48-7d9c-11ee-b83f-83bd32f21d0c.html) and urged Biden to drop out of the race because he won’t be getting any younger in the next 12 months. But near the end of the editorial they add this sobering bit of reality. > Even if Biden could gather Democratic luminaries like former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton to quickly elevate a new candidate, the question of who to choose would be an explosive one. Vice President Kamala Harris would likely fare even worse than Biden against Trump. But reaching around her to tap someone more electable, like California Gov. Gavin Newsom or Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, would further divide an already fractious party. So what’s it going to be. Run Harris, the VP less electable than Biden, or pick a well-known mainstream candidate and split the Democrats? ---
**Author:** ![TeroSunbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terosunbear/32/14748_2.png) [@TeroSunbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeroSunbear)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2023, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/283 "2023-11-08T21:22:33Z")
State level polls are fairly easy, as long as they find some voters. The presidential polls are the most unreliable. And, as noted, there is no other “centrist” candidate available. All the popular Democrats are liberals, and speak like liberals at all times. Joe somehow convinced “regular folk” in 2020, so those people will vote again, even if the approval is 40%. Obama was at 45% at this point. But the opponent being Trump, as things stand Democrats will vote Biden. For us, the situation of Biden being replaced by Harris mid term is not great, but not awful. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2023, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/284 "2023-11-08T21:26:09Z")
If Biden were to step aside, picking his successor would be a bloodbath. Kamala Harris would have a claim to being first in line as the elected VP, and yet if the reason to remove Biden is polling, she polls worse than him. But Harris absolutely would not go meekly along with being shunted aside for someone more “electable,” particularly if the Democratic establishment decided that “electable” means “white.” ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2023, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/285 "2023-11-08T21:34:19Z")
Biden isn’t stepping down and I am becoming tired of this obviously orchestrated campaign to convince people that he is too old, a campaign which is purposefully ignoring that his 2-yrs younger, openly-decompensating opponent is in far worse shape. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2023, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/286 "2023-11-08T21:40:38Z")
I mean, Ivanka Trump is half Biden’s age and she apparently can’t remember _shit_. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2023, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/287 "2023-11-08T21:41:34Z")
One may think, as I do, that _both_ are probably too old for such a demanding job, while still seeing Biden as by far the better pick. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2023, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/288 "2023-11-08T23:19:29Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > One may think, as I do, that _both_ are probably too old for such a demanding job, while still seeing Biden as by far the better pick Interestingly, the poll they’ve been talking up on CNN says: [“Just a quarter of Americans (25%) say Biden has the stamina and sharpness to serve effectively as president, while 53% feel Trump does.”](https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/11/07/politics/cnn-poll-trump-biden-matchup/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2023, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/289 "2023-11-09T01:12:47Z")
Perhaps if Biden dyed his hair orange. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2023, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/290 "2023-11-09T01:42:23Z")
One Neat Trick to win 60% of the vote: [![Imgur](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53319634063_943f3af32d_z.jpg "Biden beard") ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/68782016@N08/53319634063/) ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2023, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/291 "2023-11-09T01:43:09Z")
Greg Bidenvich (If you know, you know.) ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2023, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/292 "2023-11-09T01:47:53Z")
He’ll get the Gryffindor demographic for sure. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2023, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/293 "2023-11-09T02:04:58Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > [The St. Louis Post-Dispatch hit the panic button today](https://www.stltoday.com/opinion/editorial/editorial-for-the-sake-of-the-nation-mr-president-please-bow-out/article_47586d48-7d9c-11ee-b83f-83bd32f21d0c.html) and urged Biden to drop out of the race because he won’t be getting any younger in the next 12 months. > > But near the end of the editorial they add this sobering bit of reality. So, first of all they give trump some support, then they admit that there aint no better choice. It trumps dies or drops out, then Biden should consider it. As long as trump is in, Biden is our only choice. > [@JohnT](#): > > Biden isn’t stepping down and I am becoming tired of this obviously orchestrated campaign to convince people that he is too old, a campaign which is purposefully ignoring that his 2-yrs younger, openly-decompensating opponent is in far worse shape. Exactly. This is coming from the GOP and the Kremlin. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2023, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/294 "2023-11-09T07:21:21Z")
This makes me wonder if Biden not being able to run due to medical realities, whatever that may be, would affect the contentiousness of any aftermath. (As opposed to him announcing he won’t run again.) For example, Harris may have an easier time riding public sympathy as his flag bearer. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2023, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/295 "2023-11-09T13:07:43Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > But near the end of the editorial they add this sobering bit of reality. > > > [@](#): > > > > Even if Biden could gather Democratic luminaries like former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton to quickly elevate a new candidate . . . That’s a silly bit of fantasy. Obama, Clinton, and Biden accept the system of caucuses and primaries which select the nominee. They would not upend the democratic process (and, anyway, they don’t have the power to do it). Of course they are free to endorse, but I question that Democrats would fall in line. ---
**Author:** ![TeroSunbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terosunbear/32/14748_2.png) [@TeroSunbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeroSunbear)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2023, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/296 "2023-11-09T13:29:10Z")
I was discussing polls elsewhere. This point came up: We can only compare the success rates of polls. Polls need to reach a good sample of the public. Some of them don’t. Also the questions asked reflect the items in the press at the time. Nobody ever asks “what is important about the candidate to you that we have not asked?” Since you could not sort the answers well from that, it would require a new poll to add the most important “missing” item. The statistics is not the problem. The problem it that the polled people do not understand the question the way the pollsters think they do. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2023, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/297 "2023-11-09T14:45:44Z")
And for a great many respondents, they have no desire to answer truthfully. Or at least their desire to “send a message” or to sound acceptable to their peers (who aren’t even present) will matter more than “the truth, whole truth, and nothing but the truth as I see it now”. ---
**Author:** ![TeroSunbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terosunbear/32/14748_2.png) [@TeroSunbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeroSunbear)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2023, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/298 "2023-11-09T14:49:49Z")
Polling (for the media!) this early before election is mostly because of Trump. Normally the voters are asked during the spring primaries. The independents (over 40%) are confused. Independents are still shopping for someone other than Trump of Biden. Too late. My guess is that the greater part of independents have voted only 2016 later so they have no experience with party practices. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2023, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/299 "2023-11-09T15:05:30Z")
The choice is clear: you can vote for the 82yo Democrat in 2024 and then vote for his much younger successor in 2028, or you can vote for the 79yo Republican in 2024 and never vote again. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2023, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/300 "2023-11-09T16:23:05Z")
Since we like to consider ourselves pretty smart, let’s not fall for obvious propaganda and, instead, educate ourselves and others what Biden has actually accomplished despite “being too old for the job”: 1. Got us out of Afghanistan, airlifting over 120,000 people in a 2 week period. A qualified success in the eyes of many, but a success nonetheless: [1 year after US military left Afghanistan, a look back at public opinion | Pew Research Center](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/08/17/a-year-later-a-look-back-at-public-opinion-about-the-u-s-military-exit-from-afghanistan/) 2. Signed the CHIPS act, which is resulting in a renaissance of the American Superconductor industry: [The CHIPS Act Has Already Sparked $200 Billion in Private Investments for U.S. Semiconductor Production - Semiconductor Industry Association](https://www.semiconductors.org/the-chips-act-has-already-sparked-200-billion-in-private-investments-for-u-s-semiconductor-production/) 3. Medicare is now able to negotiate drug prices, something they were disallowed from doing since Part D came into effect during the Bush 2 admin: [https://www.cms.gov/inflation-reduction-act-and-medicare/medicare-drug-price-negotiation](https://www.cms.gov/inflation-reduction-act-and-medicare/medicare-drug-price-negotiation) 4. To go into more detail on the above, insulin is now capped @ $35 for Medicare recipients. Prior to this, it could be hundreds of dollars _per month_: [https://www.medicare.gov/media/publication/12172-medicare-insulin-costs-facts.pdf](https://www.medicare.gov/media/publication/12172-medicare-insulin-costs-facts.pdf) 5. The Inflation Reduction Act which… since it’s passing… has resulted in reduced inflation: [Senate-Passed Inflation Reduction Act: Estimates of Budgetary and Macroeconomic Effects — Penn Wharton Budget Model](https://budgetmodel.wharton.upenn.edu/issues/2022/8/12/senate-passed-inflation-reduction-act) 6. The best job market in my life (born in 1967) with 33 consecutive months of job growth: [What’s Behind The Greatest Job Market In History?](https://www.forbes.com/sites/eliamdur/2022/12/07/whats-behind-the-greatest-job-market-in-history/?sh=7e5bcaa74d8b) 7. The expansion of NATO: [https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/07/03/biden-makes-what-may-be-legacy-defining-push-expanding-nato/#:~:text=Biden%20successfully%20pushed%20for%20NATO,in%20Ukraine%20in%20February%202022](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/07/03/biden-makes-what-may-be-legacy-defining-push-expanding-nato/#:~:text=Biden%20successfully%20pushed%20for%20NATO,in%20Ukraine%20in%20February%202022). 8. Decriminalizing weed at the Federal level: [Marijuana could soon be downgraded from a Schedule 1 drug : NPR](https://www.npr.org/2023/08/31/1197084320/marijuana-could-soon-be-downgraded-from-a-schedule-1-drug) 9. Support for Ukraine against Russian invasion. (No cite needed) 10. Student debt relief exceeding $100 billion: [Biden-Harris Administration Continues Efforts to Provide Debt Relief for More Student Loan Borrowers | U.S. Department of Education](https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-continues-efforts-provide-debt-relief-more-student-loan-borrowers) 11. Rejoined the Paris Agreement: [https://www.state.gov/the-united-states-officially-rejoins-the-paris-agreement/](https://www.state.gov/the-united-states-officially-rejoins-the-paris-agreement/) I mean, team, the above is a _partial_ list of successes for the Biden administration, and each and every one of us should not just shout these to the rooftops, we should add more to the list (that’s a hint - I have a 10:30 meeting). In conclusion, Biden has had, imho, the most successful and productive presidency since Ronald Reagan (another man thought too old to be President). I should be that productive in my _forties_! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384.md?page=16)