In a recent special counsel report, the President of the United States was described as a “sympathetic, well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory.” On social media, videos of Joe Biden are mockingly compared to “elderly abuse.” Memes of Biden stuttering go viral as people despair about an 81-year-old man leading America’s future – yet Biden’s Republican opponent, Donald Trump, a 77-year-old man, remains largely untouched by this criticism.
These two elderly grandfathers may only have an age gap of three years, but their vastly different rhetoric has made age a contentious issue. So why is one candidate so impacted while the other faces little backlash?
The stark differences between the two candidates are clear even on a cursory analysis of their physicality. Although he is a healthy 81-year-old, Biden is undeniably fragile; he holds himself so stiffly that people are afraid to knock him over. His stutter was only a small issue when he was a younger politician, but as president, it haunts him as he releases a series of gaffes confusing dead politicians with current ones. In a recent NY Meet Cute TikTok, Biden’s soft and slow speech was outshone by his wife Jill’s clearer and more energetic countenance. In contrast, Donald Trump maintains a thick figure and mulish countenance. While Biden softly delivers campaign speeches, Trump yells into the microphone; while Biden falls off his bike, Trump self-assuredly boards a plane with toilet paper stuck to his foot; while Biden bores, Trump excites.
More important than body language, perhaps, is humor. Biden is a relatively bland candidate already, but compared to Trump, he verges on lifeless. Biden’s persona of the friendly Uncle Joe may help with interpersonal relationships, but it doesn’t create an intimidating campaign image. Meanwhile, Trump has an uncanny ability to blurt out one-liners that perfectly suit the current situation. Even Trump’s fiercest critics giggle at his sassy delivery: “The problem with Ron DeSanctimonious is that he needs a personality transplant– and those are not yet available.” People have always mocked Trump for his “dim intelligence,” but his refusal to use complex political vocabulary only makes his populist platform more engaging. Although most people who pride themselves on their progressive sensibilities would spit in Trump’s face, the same population eagerly reads of his public and private life. Trump’s image itself is an industry; whether journalists hound him or late-night hosts criticize him, they all know that without his name on their work, they would lose an integral portion of viewers.
It has also become increasingly clear that Trump… is crazy. And people don’t care! From the moment he entered politics, he began making waves with one offensive comment after another. Yet his communication is so populist and basely effective that his words have become easily normalized. (Can you imagine that ten years ago, being impeached was actually considered a big deal?) So when Trump makes mistakes in his rallies and spouts gaffe after gaffe–it’s barely noticeable. Although Nikki Haley has pointed out his mistakes (such as mistaking her for Nancy Pelosi, who is in a completely different political party, ethnicity, and age range), these slip-ups don’t make as large an impact as when Joe Biden conflates the Egyptian President with the Mexican President. Trump’s willingness to engage with the media also emphasizes his freeform ability to communicate, while Biden’s team releases pre-recorded videos that are clearly scripted to flatteringly portray Biden. There’s a sense of fear and anxiety from Biden’s campaign managers, who seem to be worried that Biden is a flower so delicate it will fall apart at the slightest nudge. On the other hand, Trump’s campaign team lets him speak at will, whether via spontaneous exclamation or outrageous tweet.
Of course, there’s a rising cynicism regarding the 2024 election that no amount of mudslinging towards political opponents can resolve. Younger generations puzzle over which candidate to choose, but neither candidate is their first choice. Regardless of detailed analyses drawing slight distinctions between the two candidates, both are still two old men. Whoever’s arthritic knees don’t give out first while fighting for a place at the helm of the United States, our next president will still be the oldest in history.
