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The One Albatross Joe Biden Can’t Shake

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The One Albatross Joe Biden Can’t Shake

Author: Greg Valliere

August 30, 2023

PRESIDENT BIDEN SUFFERS from a public perception that inflation is still a risk, and that he and Hunter Biden engaged in lucrative foreign lobbying. But those issues pale in comparison to the one albatross Joe Biden can’t shake — that he’s too old to serve another term.

WE GET PERSISTENT QUESTIONS from readers about Biden’s mental acuity; he will turn 81 late this fall. We have talked with people who have been in meetings with Biden, who report that he’s on top of issues and is fairly sharp. But in public he frequently appears frail and halting.

THE ISSUE OF BIDEN’S AGE resurfaced this week when a new poll from the Associated Press showed that an astonishing 77% of Americans think he’s too old for another term. This new poll showed that 69% of Democrats think he’s too old to run.

DONALD TRUMP IS 77 YEARS OLD, but polls show little public concern about his age. Trump’s albatross, clearly, is his arrests and the prospect that that he will run for president while under indictment. Trump hasn’t shown any major sign of age-related deterioration, but likely voters in both parties want fresh faces.

LAST WEEK’S REPUBLICAN DEBATE highlighted some young talent: Vivek Ramaswamy, 38, Ron DeSantis, 44; and Nikki Haley, 52. All of them had modest polling increases after the debate, which has stimulated speculation that Trump may not be able to stay out of future debates.

IN WASHINGTON, AGE IS A MAJOR THEME, with a focus on elderly members of Congress. In the Senate, Dianne Feinstein is 90, followed closely by Sen. Chuck Grassley at 89 and Sens. Bernie Sanders and Mitch McConnell, both 81.

IN THE HOUSE, the oldest members are Reps. Grace Napolitano and Bill Pascrell, both age 86, Reps. Hal Rogers and Maxine Waters at age 85, Rep. Steny Hoyer at 84 and Rep. Nancy Pelosi at age 83.

THIS IS A DELICATE ISSUE, because there are plenty of people who are razor-sharp into their 90s — Alan Greenspan is active at 97 and Henry Kissinger is still a powerful thinker at the age of 100.

BUT BIDEN CLEARLY HAS LOST a step or two, and it’s becoming a major issue; in private, Democrats worry that he cannot possibly serve until the age of 86, when his second term would end. At some point the focus will shift to Kamala Harris, a prospect that also worries Democrats.


The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of AGF, its subsidiaries or any of its affiliated companies, funds or investment strategies.

The views expressed in this blog are provided as a general source of information based on information available as of the date of publication and should not be considered as personal investment advice or an offer or solicitation to buy and/or sell securities. Speculation or stated believes about future events, such as market or economic conditions, company or security performance, or other projections represent the beliefs of the author and do not necessarily represent the view of AGF, its subsidiaries or any of its affiliated companies, funds or investment strategies. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy in these commentaries at the time of publication; however, accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Market conditions may change and AGF accepts no responsibility for individual investment decisions arising from the use of or reliance on the information contained herein. Any financial projections are based on the opinions of the author and should not be considered as a forecast. The forward looking statements and opinions may be affected by changing economic circumstances and are subject to a number of uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in the forward looking statements. The information contained in this commentary is designed to provide you with general information related to the political and economic environment in the United States. It is not intended to be comprehensive investment advice applicable to the circumstances of the individual.

AGF Investments is a group of wholly owned subsidiaries of AGF Management Limited, a Canadian reporting issuer. The subsidiaries included in AGF Investments are AGF Investments Inc. (AGFI), AGF Investments America Inc. (AGFA), AGF Investments LLC (AGFUS) and AGF International Advisors Company Limited (AGFIA). AGFA and AGFUS are registered advisors in the U.S. AGFI is a registered as a portfolio manager across Canadian securities commissions. AGFIA is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland and registered with the Australian Securities & Investments Commission. The subsidiaries that form AGF Investments manage a variety of mandates comprised of equity, fixed income and balanced assets.

About AGF Management Limited

Founded in 1957, AGF Management Limited (AGF) is an independent and globally diverse asset management firm. AGF brings a disciplined approach to delivering excellence in investment management through its fundamental, quantitative, alternative and high-net-worth businesses focused on providing an exceptional client experience. AGF’s suite of investment solutions extends globally to a wide range of clients, from financial advisors and individual investors to institutional investors including pension plans, corporate plans, sovereign wealth funds and endowments and foundations.

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©2023 AGF Management Limited. All rights reserved.

Written by

Greg Valliere

Greg Valliere

Chief U.S. Policy Strategist

AGF Investments

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