He needs help raising money.
In 1992, Bill Clinton made history by defeating incumbent President George H.W. Bush at the age of 46, a significant 22 years younger than his predecessor. Four years later, at age 50, Clinton secured a second term by overcoming Republican nominee Bob Dole, who was 73 years old at the time. Similarly, in 2008, Barack Obama entered the White House at the age of 47, defeating his Republican opponent John McCain, who was notably 25 years his senior.
Fast forward to the present day, with Clinton at 77 and Obama at 62, the two former presidents are joining forces to support Joe Biden, their successor, who is currently 81 years old. This rare joint appearance for a campaign fundraiser in New York is anticipated to generate over $25 million, making it a landmark event in political fundraising history.
However, the gathering also shines a light on Biden’s main vulnerability: his age. Unlike Obama and Clinton, who ran against significantly older opponents, Biden faces a competitor only a few years younger than himself. Consequently, Biden’s campaign has been actively addressing concerns regarding his age.
During a recent trip to New York, Biden offered a novel response to questions about his age, emphasizing the importance of the freshness of ideas rather than chronological age. This approach echoes Clinton’s tactic during his 1996 presidential debate with Dole, where he challenged the age of Dole’s ideas rather than his age itself.
Dole, like McCain after him, employed humor to deflect attention from his age, making appearances on comedy shows where age became a punchline. Despite age-related challenges, both Dole and McCain campaigned vigorously, with McCain’s team emphasizing his busy schedule and engagement with voters as evidence of his vitality.
In contrast to the generational contrast emphasized in Clinton’s campaigns, Obama’s message of “Change” focused more on challenging the status quo and moving past the policies of the Bush administration.
While there was consideration of a one-term pledge by McCain’s team to align with the “change” narrative, ultimately it was not pursued. McCain remained confident in his ability to serve until his diagnosis with brain cancer in 2017.
The joint fundraiser in New York represents a unique and significant moment in political fundraising, drawing attention to the evolving dynamics of age and experience in American politics.
