With Harris in the race, the age issue may now be on the other foot.
The shift from the Biden campaign into the newly established Harris campaign has seemingly taken off with increased strength and has put the Trump campaign on its back foot. In particular, Trump’s previous line-off attack against President Biden, his age, has become a weakness. Rather than facing a candidate who would allow him to portray himself as a strong and youthful voice, Trump is now facing a seasoned stateswoman who can call out his lackluster rhetorical flourish.
The Age Issue: A Script Flipped
While previously there have been issues with President Biden’s age, with 72 percent of Americans viewing him as not having the mental capacity to run for president, the former President is now the oldest nominee for a major political party.
While it is too early to be totally certain about the nature of the race in the coming weeks, it could serve as an issue for Trump. Earlier on Monday, The Washington Post noted that Trump’s health reports have been relatively hushed, save for an initial update letter from Trump’s physician after an attempt on his life. Such a hushed record after months of hounding Biden for mental health tests and transparency could come back to bite Trump, though only if Democrats can balance their previous defenses of Biden effectively while also drawing attention to Trump’s age.
How Democrats Can Sink Trump
While it will be difficult, using the age issue against Trump is not impossible, nor is it unfair. Trump consistently made Biden’s age a centerpiece of his campaign, using it as a way to avoid substance-based issues. To many, Biden’s age was a non-starter. However, Democrats have to be careful to avoid unduly focusing on the issue of Trump or being too quick to jump on the age train. If Democrats aren’t careful, they can walk into accusations of a double standard. However, suppose Democrats can point out that Trump is not holding to the standard that he set. In that case, it becomes not an issue of the Democrats’ position or, rather, the position that Trump has attempted to thrust upon Democrats. Instead, it becomes an issue of Trump’s inability to earn the position he failed to hold onto in the first place and an unwillingness to prove his worth according to his asserted measurements. If Democrats can navigate this rhetorical distinction, they may benefit from a more youthful candidate and beat Trump with his own words.
References
Faguy, Ana. 2024. “Biden Allies Defend President as Poll Suggests Growing Age Concern.” BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crgln3jx47go (July 23, 2024).
Kelly, Conor. 2024. “Biden Drops Out: Harris Takes the Reins – The Progressive American.” The Progressive American. https://progressiveamerican322183019.wordpress.com/2024/07/21/biden-drops-out-harris-takes-the-reins/ (July 23, 2024).
Kranish, Michael. 2024. “Trump’s Age and Health under Renewed Scrutiny after Biden’s Exit.” Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/07/22/trump-age-health/ (July 23, 2024).
Reston, Maeve, et al., 2024. “Harris Packs First Rally as Trump Retools for New Opponent.” Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/07/23/kamala-harris-wisconsin-campaign-president/ (July 23, 2024).
“The Attempt on Trump’s Life Is Unacceptable.” 2024. The Progressive American. https://progressiveamerican322183019.wordpress.com/2024/07/15/the-attempt-on-trumps-life-is-unacceptable/ (July 23, 2024).
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