When Biden traveled to Israel last month, he spoke about his 1973 meeting with then Prime Minister Golda Meir.
Following the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade last year, he stressed his work in 1987 to keep conservative Judge Robert Bork off the nation’s high court.
Pressed about climate change during a news conference in Vietnam, he pointed to his longstanding commitment to the issue, including his work on it with Sen. Dick Lugar (R., Ind.) in the 1980s.
On his 81st birthday, as Biden seeks re-election, the stories of those who have passed or have faded from public view may seem outdated to younger audiences.
With more than 60 years separating Biden from first-time voters in 2024, bridging this age gap poses a challenge for the oldest president in U.S. history.
According to Daniela Parra del Riego Valencia, a 20-year-old sophomore at Emory University and president of the Young Democrats of Emory, Biden’s references to politicians that Generation Z cannot relate to may make him seem out of touch.
Youth voter turnout significantly increased in 2020, with Biden gaining a 24-point advantage over former President Donald Trump among voters aged 18 to 29.
In a hypothetical match between Biden and Trump, a recent NBC News poll revealed that 46% of voters aged 18 to 34 supported Trump, while 42% backed Biden.
The poll also indicated that Biden’s approval rating among voters aged 18 to 34 dropped to 31%, and 70% of those younger voters disapproved of his handling of the Middle East conflict.
Biden’s team counters that the president’s old-time references are part of a folksy style that is an authentic asset, and they say newer generations connect to his wisdom and experience.