Most voters, including Democrats, want President Biden to debate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the president’s closest competition in the bid for the 2024 Democratic presidential nomination.
A Convention of States Action poll conducted by the Trafalgar Group found that 78% of voters — 58% of Democrats and 93% of Republicans — favor a Biden-Kennedy faceoff.
The survey released Monday also found that 64% of voters believe the 80-year-old president is too old to serve effectively in a second term. Mr. Kennedy is 69.
“The lengths that this administration and corporate media are reaching in order to cover for Biden’s mounting physical and mental stumbles is bordering on the absurd. Americans know it’s becoming a case of ‘believe what we say, not what you see,’” said Mark Meckler, president of the Convention of States Action.
“Even members of his own party want to see him square off in a public debate against his Democratic primary opponent, presumably to assure themselves he’s up to the task,” he said. “The reality, though, is that Biden is not up to the task and everyone involved in continuing this charade are putting our country and the American people at great risk.”
That said, the chances of the Democratic Party holding such a debate are remote. No presidential incumbent has participated in a primary debate, according to the University of Virginia Center for Politics, and Mr. Biden is unlikely to break with precedent, given his history of shaky public appearances.
Democratic lawmakers have dismissed the idea of Mr. Biden debating the Kennedy family scion, characterizing Mr. Kennedy as a fringe candidate.
Polls show Mr. Kennedy, an environmental activist and vaccine skeptic, consistently coming in second behind Mr. Biden with anywhere from 11%-20% support, while the president enjoys 40%-56% support among Democrats.
Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, Delaware Democrat and a Biden campaign co-chairwoman, said no decision about a primary debate has been made.
“I’m not a prognosticator. We’ll see what happens,” she said last month on NewsNation.
The poll of 1,008 likely general election voters taken June 5-9 has a confidence level of 95% and margin of error of 2.9%.
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.
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