Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said voters “have the right” to consider the president’s age when determining whether or not to re-elect Joe Biden to a second term.
During a Financial Times event in Washington, D.C., Clinton was asked about when Biden, 80, almost fell walking down the steps at the G-7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan.
“Every time that happens, your heart is in your mouth, because these things could be consequential. Is that a concern?” Financial Times editor Edward Luce asked.
Clinton pointed out that the country has had younger presidents fall down before but no one had “heart palpitations” over it.
She then acknowledged that “his age is an issue and people have every right to consider it.”
“But you know he has this great saying, and you know I think he’s right: don’t judge him by running against the Almighty but against the alternative,” she added.
Clinton then made the case for why he deserves to be re-elected.
“He doesn’t get the credit yet that he deserves for what is happening out in the country, in terms of jobs and growth and planning for the future, with chips and other stuff,” she said. “So, I obviously hope he stays very focused and able to compete in the election, because I think he– I think he can be re-elected, and that’s what we should all hope for.”
Biden recently acknowledged that the decision to run again wasn't an "automatic" one, pointing to his age as a "legitimate" concern.
The commander in chief, who's already the oldest person elected president of the U.S., would be 86 years old at the end of a second term.