According to a recent Economist/YouGov poll, approximately 48% of independent voters believe that President Joe Biden’s health and age severely limit his ability to fulfill his duties as the president of the United States.
The survey, conducted from June 3 to June 6, 2023, followed an incident where Biden fell on stage after a speech at a Colorado Air Force Academy graduation ceremony.
Mr. Biden had stood for approximately ninety minutes, greeting each of the 921 graduating cadets with a handshake.
In the footage, he can be seen indicating one of two sandbags that were employed to support his teleprompter as an Air Force official, and two Secret Service members assisted him in getting up.
Due to these mishaps during Biden’s travels, 29 percent of independent voters stated that his health and age would have little effect on his ability to perform his job. In comparison, only 8 percent believed it would not impact his job performance.
The poll also explored the public’s perception of other political figures.
Polls found that most respondents (50 percent) believed that Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein’s age (89) and health severely limited her ability to perform her duties in the upper chamber.
She was absent from her Senate duties while recovering from shingles. Upon her return, reporters questioned what she did with her time off.
She responded that she’s been in the Senate voting the entire time she was gone.
In contrast, only 14 percent believed it would have little effect on Feinstein’s ability to perform her job effectively.
Regarding Senate Minority Leader Republican Mitch McConnell, 35 percent of respondents believed his age (81) and health would have little impact on his ability to fulfill his responsibilities.
In comparison, 28 percent felt it would severely limit his ability.
When questioned about his own age after announcing his intention to run for re-election, President Biden stated that it was ultimately up to the voters to assess whether he possessed the necessary capabilities.
He acknowledged the importance of scrutinizing the issue and expressed his confidence and enthusiasm about the future.
The poll asked 1,500 U.S. adult voters with a plus or minus 2.8 percentage points margin of error.
