White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Monday pushed back on concerns about President Biden’s age as he turned 81, arguing he should be judged by his experience.
“What we say is we have to judge him by what he’s done, not by his numbers,” Jean-Pierre told reporters at a briefing.
“I would put the president’s stamina, the president’s wisdom, ability to get this done on behalf of the American people, against anyone,” she added. “Anyone, on any day of the week.”
Jean-Pierre pointed to Biden’s ability to pass more bipartisan legislation than other recent presidents during his first nearly three years in office, his visits to active war zones in Ukraine and Israel and his work to bring down inflation and raise wages.
“Our perspective is, it’s not about age, it’s about the president’s experience,” Jean-Pierre said. “That’s what we believe. And you know, as they say, the proof is in the pudding.”
Biden turned 81 Monday, a milestone he joked about during the annual turkey pardon earlier in the day.
“I just want you to know: It’s difficult turning 60,” Biden quipped.
But polls have shown voters are consistently concerned about Biden’s ability to serve another four years. He would be 86 at the end of a second term, and his Republican rivals have repeatedly questioned his competence and ability to do the job.
Former President Trump, the leading GOP contender a year out from the 2024 election, is 77 and would be 82 at the end of a potential second term.
Jean-Pierre’s comments came after she was asked about a new interview with former senior Obama adviser David Axelrod, in which he suggested Biden has a “50-50 shot” of winning reelection.
“He thinks he can cheat nature here, and it’s really risky,” Axelrod told The New York Times. “They’ve got a real problem if they’re counting on Trump to win it for them. I remember [Hillary Clinton] doing that, too.”
Jean-Pierre did not directly address Axelrod’s comments, saying it’s “not my job” to tell political analysts or others what to think.