As Biden ages, the public weighs in on ideal presidential age

NEWS AND OPINION:

What is the best age for a U.S. president upon arrival at the White House?

“When asked about the ideal age of a president, around half of Americans (49%) say they prefer someone in their 50s,” advises a recent Pew Research Center survey.

Another 24% say it’s best for a president to be in their 60s, while 17% say they should be in their 40s,” the survey said.

It did not have very promising news for the most recent presidents.

“Just 3% of Americans say they prefer a president to be in their 70s or older. An equally tiny share (3%) say it’s best for a president to be in their 30s. (The minimum age for a presidential candidate is 35.),” the survey analysis said.

Surprisingly, the poll found that Republicans and Democrats have similar views about the best age range for a president, noting that 51% of Republicans and 49% of Democrats both agreed that the “50s” was the best age range for a president.

In addition, 28% of Republicans and 21% of Democrats preferred someone in their 60s, 13% of Republicans and 20% of Democrats preferred a 40-something in the White House while 2% of Republicans and 5% of Democrats liked the idea of a president in the 30-year old range. And like Americans’ in general, only 3% of both Republicans and Democrats say the best age for a president would be 70 or older.

The survey of 5,115 U.S. adults was conducted June 5-11 and released July 6.

On another subject altogether, who are the 10 youngest of our presidents? Theodore Roosevelt is in first place; he was 42 when he took office. Next comes John F. Kennedy who was 43, followed by Bill Clinton (46), Ulysses S. Grant (46), and then by Barack Obama and Grover Cleveland, both 47 when they entered the White House. Franklin Pierce follows at 48, then comes James A. Garfield and James K. Polk, both 49, and finally, Millard Fillmore, who was 50.

The source of these historic presidential age numbers is Infoplease.com, an online reference site.

THE AGING PRESS

The news media has homed in on the potential political challenges that President Biden faces because of his age; he turned 80 in November. Here are a few headlines to consider from the last 72 hours alone. This has been an intense topic of discussion in recent days.

“On his age, Biden now trying to show he’s in on the joke” (The Washington Post); “Biden makes his age a punchline: Will it affect election efforts?” (USA Today); “Biden’s age is figuring ‘prominently’ in the 2024 White House race — but here’s what the pundits could be getting wrong” (Market Watch); “After America’s birthday, it’s time to assess Biden’s and Trump’s: Professor advises focus on capability, not simply age” (Roll Call); “Biden says Democrats ‘not right or wrong’ about stepping aside due to age” (The Hill); “Dems strategize over how Biden should handle age questions” (CNN); “Step aside, Joe Biden: The president has no business running for office at age 80” (The Atlantic); “Biden is effective whatever his age” (The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier); and “The U.S. doesn’t need age limits — it needs term limits” (Al Jazeera).

AND IN SUMMATION

One veteran Republican observer has a handy summation of President Biden’s claim that the U.S. economy is flourishing and the country is doing well.

Commentator Saul Anuzis, former chairman of the Michigan Republican Party, offers this observation about what to expect from Mr. Biden, his administration and “Bidenomics,” currently a favorite White House buzzword at the moment.

“Truth, transparency, and integrity have never been more than political rhetoric for the Biden machine. This new attempt is novel and creative — however it belies the facts,” Mr. Anuzis said in a statement shared with Inside the Beltway.

“This is not your parent’s Democratic Party. These folks are nuts,” he advised.

Find more of his thoughts at SaulsNews.com.

TIM SCOTT’S PLEDGE

Sen. Tim Scott continues to campaign for president, accompanying his public pitch with some forthright promises.

“I will defend American values. If you’re able-bodied, you work. If you take out a loan, you pay it back. And if you commit a violent crime, you go to jail. America needs more victors and less victims,” the South Carolina Republican said in a campaign outreach released Sunday.

“These aren’t just conservative values, they’re American values. And as president, I will defend them. Democrats have chosen a culture of grievance over greatness, and victimhood over victory. We cannot let them destroy our values and destroy our country. I believe that with faith and American values, our country’s future can be brighter than ever before,” Mr. Scott said in a written statement shared with Inside the Beltway.

FOR THE LEXICON

“Paycation.”

This intriguing word has quietly emerged in the workplace lexicon. It is a new label for those who question the rigid dividing lines between down time and work time.

“In response to increasingly hybrid and flexible working environments, many working Americans (31%) are now choosing to add vacation time to a business trip — or vice versa, or they plan to outright work remotely from a vacation destination (28%), thanks to their company’s flexible work policies,” reports an Ipsos poll conducted on behalf of Allianz Partners USA, a consumer insurance provider.

And by the way, 31% of the respondents said they would include their pet in this working from a vacation spot arrangement.

The survey of 2,010 U.S. adults was conducted May 2-4 and released Friday.

POLL DU JOUR

• 63% of U.S. adults say “high inflation” in the U.S. prevents them from “feeling financially secure and comfortable.”

• 48% cite the general “economic environment” as a cause for this feeling.

• 42% cite “insufficient emergency savings.”

• 41% cite “insufficient retirement funds.”

• 36% cite “rising interest rates.”

• 33% cite “low pay.”

• 26% cite “high or revolving debt.”

• 25% cite the cost of “renting or housing affordability.”

• 9% cite some other reason.

SOURCE: A Bankrate survey of 2,521 U.S. adults conducted June 5-7 and released Thursday. Respondents could select multiple answers.

• Follow Jennifer Harper on Twitter @HarperBulletin.