Rep. David Trone (D-MD) tried to laugh off his concerns about President Joe Biden’s age, joking that he wished Biden was “10 years younger.”
Speaking to a group of Maryland Democrats last week, Trone made a joke that drew laughter from the crowd but signaled the primary criticism Republicans have for Biden is something Democrats are keeping in mind.
“I wish he was 10 years younger, OK?” Trone joked to laughter from the crowd. “Who here doesn’t? I know I do. I really do!”
“But you know, what it is, it is! We do the best we can,” he added.
The Maryland Democrat is running for Senate in 2024, and he will likely face off against the centrist Republican Larry Hogan, the former governor of the state.
A recent Emerson College poll has Hogan and Trone neck and neck, with both taking 42% of the vote.
Despite the crack about Biden’s age, Trone defended the president, who dominated the state in 2020 with 65.8% of the vote and could be a key ally in holding on to the crucial Senate seat, saying he has no real concerns about the president’s age.
“Joe Biden, he’s working and firing on all cylinders. Does he talk slower? Yes. Does he move like he’s older? Yes,” he said, according to Politico. “But I’m a CEO all my life. People who run the thing are the smart people you hire, the people around you. And getting great people in all those jobs, as many as you can — that’s how the government works, is through others.”
When asked about his comments, Trone reiterated his support for the president and made another joke.
“I often say I wish I was 10 years younger,” he said. “I also often say Joe Biden is doing an incredible job, which is exactly what I said in the unedited version of this video.”
Trone’s approach to the matter of Biden’s age, 81, differs from other House Democrats. Most prefer either to avoid the topic entirely or portray it as a strength.
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While Trone is taking a different tack than his House colleagues, the method appears to be in line with how Biden and the White House are trying to deflect criticism.
Biden’s mental acuity has become an especially large problem for Democrats following special counsel Robert Hur’s report on the president’s mishandling of classified documents, which he attributed to Biden’s “poor memory.” The president has experienced several gaffes since, appearing confused in public and mixing up names.
