'You think I don't know how f***ing old I am?' Joe Biden, 80, 'vents to allies about how he's fed up with fixation on his age' - as Democrats speculate if he will run for president in 2024
- The President has reportedly resorted to expletives in frustration about the conversation about his age
- Biden, who turned 80 in November, is the oldest man ever elected president
- He has given some cause for concern over his embarrassing gaffes
- The only person to announce they are running for 2024 is former President Donald Trump, currently 76
President Joe Biden has reportedly resorted to expletives in frustration over the ongoing discourse around his age - as Democrats continue to speculate if he can run for re-election in 2024.
Biden, who turned 80 in November, would be 82 years old if he wins and takes office in 2025. He is already the oldest man ever elected president of the United States.
Though he was prone to gaffes long before he became president, he has given some reason for concern as he occupies the Oval Office.
Some of the more worrisome mistakes have included Biden repeating that his son Beau, who died of cancer, perished while serving in Iraq; forgetting a Congresswoman he shouted out in a speech had already died, and awkwardly shaking French President Emmanuel Macron's hand for 42 seconds.
President Joe Biden has reportedly resorted to expletives after becoming frustrated at the discourse around his age
Former President Donald Trump is the only candidate to declare he's running in 2024 to date
Biden, in his senior stage of life, was also seen falling during one of his regular bike rides.
But he has apparently gotten sick of the discourse, as Politico reported that he once vented to aides: 'You think I don’t know how f**king old I am?'
They claim that Biden has frequently 'vented to allies about how often his age is mentioned in the press.'
Rep. Mike Levin of California vouched for Biden, saying: 'I just hope and pray that when I am in my 80s I still have that kind of energy.'
The only person to announce they are running for 2024 is former President Donald Trump, currently 76, who became the oldest president in American history when he was elected in 2016.
Politico's story notes that potential candidates for 2024 have been 'eerily quiet,' with Biden still to confirmed whether he's running: 'That means other presidential hopefuls are lying low - for now.'
By comparison, in December of 2018, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Julian Castro had announced exploratory committees and Andrew Yang, John Delaney, Marianne Williamson and Richard Ojeda had announced their runs.
The publication goes on to list a litany of Democrats who may consider a run, should Biden not put his name in next time around.
Cory Booker, the New Jersey Democrat who bowed out of the race before a primary vote was cast, held a meeting with about 100 donors in Washington earlier this month that included fellow rumored candidate and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.
Vice President Kamala Harris would be the ostensible frontrunner if Biden dropped out
Cory Booker, the New Jersey Democrat who bowed out of the race before a primary vote was cast, held a meeting with about 100 donors in Washington earlier in December
Republicans still haven't jumped into the ring with Trump, with many speculating the likes of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (pictured) and ex-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will be running
Possible 2024 Democratic candidates, in addition to ostensibly Vice President Kamala Harris, include governors like Roy Cooper of North Carolina, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Gavin Newsom of California, Jared Polis of Colorado, J.B. Pritzker of Illinois and Phil Murphy of New Jersey.
While Biden was always notoriously gaffe-prone, the microscope of the presidency has left him looking and acting his age at times.
In September, he appeared to get lost while walking off stage following his remarks at the Global Fund Conference.
As applause ensued, the president began walking off the stage before abruptly stopping in his tracks and looking around with an appearance of confusion on his face.
He then seemed to ask people on the ground how to get off stage and did a few stuttering steps.
Texas Senator Ted Cruz called the scene 'terrifying,' on Twitter, with his communications adviser Steve Guest adding in own own tweet: 'Joe Biden is completely lost on stage. Scary and sad.'
A man came to the microphone at the event to say: 'Uh, Mr. President, thank you,' as he wandered around the stage.
President Joe Biden, 79, appeared lost in an embarrassing moment where he began walking off stage following his remarks at the Global Fund Conference in New York before abruptly stopping, turning back and looking around the room in confusion
A week later, Biden called out for the late Indiana Representative Jackie Walorski during an event, with the White House trying to cover up for him forgetting she was deceased by saying she was 'at top of mind.'
The president was looking for Walorski during his remarks and specifically asked where she was – even after releasing a statement the previous month following a car crash in Indiana that killed her and two of her staffers.
'Jackie, are you here? Where's Jackie?' Biden, 79, said during the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health in DC.
'She must not be here,' he concluded, while thanking other lawmakers for the bipartisan effort aimed at ending hunger and food insecurity in the U.S. by 2030.
The moment immediately went viral on Twitter.
Republicans demanded President Joe Biden apologize after asking a crowd at a hunger conference to point out Republican Rep. Jackie Walorski - almost two months after she was killed in a car crash in Indiana
Just last week, Biden shook French President Emmanuel Macron's hand for an awkward 42 seconds during a welcome ceremony at the White House on Thursday.
The two presidents grasped hands after Biden finished delivering a brief speech in which he discussed the importance of the alliance between the United States and France.
Biden, 80, took Macron's hand in his, and the two embraced and talked while a French translation of the final section of Biden's speech was broadcast over the crowd.
As the pair stood there talking, laughing, and slapping each other's arms, Macron appeared on numerous occasions to try to break the embrace, but Biden held firm and didn't let go.
At one point Biden faced the crowd and froze in place with a smile on his face while Macron - hand still firmly in Biden's - was stuck facing the president. The pair finally broke apart after the French translation was completed.
It is unclear whether Biden held that pose for photographers, or whether he was simply waiting for the translation to end to release Macron.
The awkward moment kicked off the French president's state visit to Washington DC, and was quickly followed by a few other odd gaffes from Biden.
President Joe Biden shook French President Emmanuel Macron's hand for an awkward 42 seconds during a welcome ceremony at the White House
It is unclear whether Biden held that pose for photographers, or whether he was simply waiting for the translation to end to release Macron
While standing on stage after the speech, Biden and Macron faced the crowd and stood side by side while photographers seemingly snapped away.
At one point Biden suddenly turned to face Macron and stared at him for about five seconds.
Biden then turned almost completely around and away from the crowd.
Macron then began speaking to the president and raised his finger to gesture at the crowd, at which point Biden finally turned back around to face photographers.
Off the stage, while the two presidents greeted members of the audience, Biden seemed to wander aimlessly and had to be continually brought back to the group by Macron.
The French president remained engaged with the crowd, but as Biden began to shuffle off, Macron grabbed his arm and directed him back into the group.
Meanwhile, Republicans still haven't jumped into the ring with Trump, with many speculating the likes of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and ex-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will be running.
However, according to Politico, many on the right don't see Trump's presence in the race as much of a threat.
Rep. Dan Crenshaw said: 'Trump running shouldn’t deter anybody else from running.'
Senator Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, a Republican, suggested that he's not even sure Trump's announced 2024 run is fully a go.
He said: 'I’m still not convinced he’s all-in. Losing another election could be very damaging to his pride. It’s all so unsettled.'
Most watched News videos
- Two heart-stopping stormchaser near-misses during tornado chaos
- PM says UK won't accept return of asylum seekers from Ireland
- Horror as sword-wielding man goes on rampage in east London
- Moment first illegal migrants set to be sent to Rwanda detained
- Shocked eyewitness describes moment Hainault attacker stabbed victim
- Moment van crashes into passerby before sword rampage in Hainault
- Terrifying moment Turkish knifeman attacks Israeli soldiers
- Moment first illegal migrants set to be sent to Rwanda detained
- Manchester's Co-op Live arena cancels ANOTHER gig while fans queue
- Grace's parents empathise with the family of Hainault murder victim
- Sadiq Khan: Hainault attack is 'devastating and appalling'
- Makeshift asylum seeker encampment removed from Dublin city centre