Analysis of How Biden’s Age is Evident in Tonight’s Debate

From the earliest moments of the night, President Joe Biden’s biggest political weakness — his age and perceived frailty — became a clear liability on the debate stage Thursday. In a particularly low point for the president, Biden seemingly lost his train of thought while responding to a question about the national debt, pausing and trailing off into a comment about finally “beat[ing] Medicare.” Donald Trump jumped on this flub when the CNN moderators turned to him, quipping that Biden had “beat Medicare to death.”

While Biden, 81, gained steam as the debate went on, and was clearly well-prepared to respond to both the questions and Trump’s claims on the stage — backing up his answers with stats and fact-checking the former president on the spot — his hoarse voice and quiet demeanor (which his campaign chalked up to a previously undisclosed cold) play into the concerns many Americans have about his age.

Though Trump is also no spring chicken at 78, he appeared much more lively and spry on the debate stage, and voters typically report feeling less concerned about his age. To wit: in a poll from The New York Times and Siena College from June 20 to 25, just 16% of registered voters said that Trump’s age “is such a problem that he is not capable of handling the job of president,” while a whopping 45% said the same about Biden, including 15% of Democrats.

Trump, meanwhile, began the night with a calmer demeanor than we’ve seen from him in the past, and he was largely respectful of the debate rules around time limits and interruptions. Though he didn’t shy away from Trumpy turns of phrase or well-worn spin, his clear but calm speaking style was in stark contrast to Biden’s rasp.

Trump did his best to tackle one of his biggest weaknesses: an unpopular Republican party position on abortion. When asked about the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade two years ago, Trump said that the three justices he appointed who decided the Dobbs case “just so happened” to vote against existing precedent. He took the more moderate conservative stance that abortion policy should be left up to the states — which Biden countered would open the door for further rollback of reproductive rights. Trump repeated false claims that Democratic leaders systematically favor late-term abortions and “aborting” babies after they are born.

(Trump claimed that Democrats “support abortion up to and even beyond the ninth month,” and contended that some Democratic states have had such a stance. Democrats have never advocated for killing a baby after it is born as this would be murder, which is illegal in every state.)

A Washington Post/George Mason University Schar School poll of young swing-state “deciding” voters published this week found that 38% of adults said they thought Biden would to a better job of handling abortion, versus 31% who said they thought Trump would do a better job.

But monitoring of live voter responses to the debate (something campaigns call “the dials,” since live respondents get to pick whether they think a candidate is doing well or poorly) showed Trump doing poorly when he attacked Biden too aggressively. That was also a liability for him in the first debate in 2020, after which polls moved toward Biden by 2.6 percentage points. That may cap his upside from Thursday’s debate.

Overall, the substance of Biden’s responses outpaced his style. He attacked Trump for previous comments he had made about there being “very fine people on both sides” of the deadly Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017; for his role in organizing the rally that preceded the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. He also noted Trump’s recent felony conviction, another political weakness for the former president. But his delivery lacked the energy we’ve come to expect from Biden on a debate stage, and made many of these solid attacks fall flat.

Ultimately, Biden won the debate on policy but lost it on presentation, and failed to reassure voters he is up for another four years.

As the 2020 presidential election approaches, one of the key factors that has been heavily scrutinized is the age of the two candidates, Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Both men are in their 70s, with Biden being 77 years old and Trump being 74. Tonight’s debate between the two candidates provided a platform to analyze how Biden’s age is evident in his performance and demeanor.

One of the most noticeable ways in which Biden’s age is evident in tonight’s debate is through his speaking style and delivery. Throughout the debate, Biden often appeared to struggle to find the right words and at times stumbled over his sentences. This is a common characteristic of older individuals, as cognitive decline can affect language abilities and processing speed. Additionally, Biden’s voice sounded more strained and tired compared to Trump’s, which could be attributed to the natural aging process affecting vocal cords and lung capacity.

Another aspect of Biden’s age that was evident in tonight’s debate was his physical appearance and body language. Biden appeared more hunched over and less energetic compared to Trump, who stood tall and exuded confidence. This could be a result of age-related changes in posture and muscle strength, as well as the toll that the rigors of campaigning and debating can take on an older individual’s body.

Furthermore, Biden’s age was evident in his policy proposals and responses to questions during the debate. While Biden has a wealth of experience in politics, his age may impact his ability to adapt to new ideas and technologies. This was apparent in some of his answers, which seemed outdated or lacking in depth compared to Trump’s more dynamic and forward-thinking approach.

Overall, while Biden’s age was evident in tonight’s debate in various ways, it is important to remember that age does not necessarily equate to incompetence. Biden’s decades of experience in politics and public service have undoubtedly shaped his perspectives and policies, and his age should not be a sole determining factor in evaluating his candidacy. As voters continue to assess the two candidates, it will be crucial to consider a wide range of factors beyond just age in making an informed decision come Election Day.