Biden Looks to Alleviate Age Concerns in First Presidential Debate

On Thursday night, President Joe Biden is tasked not only with arguing the merits of his policies, but also with proving to voters that he is physically and mentally equipped to serve another four years despite his age. 

Why is Age So Important? Biden is 81 and his Republican opponent, former President Donald Trump, is 78. Despite the marginal age gap, coverage surrounding the candidates’ advanced ages focuses almost exclusively on Biden. Many undecided voters cite the candidates’ age and apparent fitness for office as a key factor that will determine their vote, meaning that for some, what the candidates say won’t matter so much as how fit and focused they look while saying it. 

Key Quotes: Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement to Bloomberg (Lean Left bias) that “The media wants to lower Joe Biden’s debate performance bar so low he gets a participation trophy simply for standing upright for 90 minutes.” Reuters (Center bias) quoted an unnamed Democrat close to the White House said Biden has to "demonstrate that he's in command of his agenda and confident on stage, and I think he'll do that.”

How the Media Covered It: Right-rated outlets have highlighted Biden’s age, verbal gaffes, and physical stiffness throughout his presidency. Left-rated outlets have more often focused on questions about Trump's fitness for office in light of his ongoing criminal cases.