At 81, Joe Biden didn't look capable of the job, despite his achievements

The skills needed to run for president have diverged ever more dramatically from those needed to actually be president.

At age 81 , as he sought another four years , Biden , in the minds of too many voters, just didn't look capable of the job.

An ABC News poll in February 2024 found that 86 percent of Americans believed Biden was too old to be president again.

Biden , who overcame a childhood stutter, has been prone to gaffes for years .

He more and more often misspoke reading from the teleprompter, mangling words or misusing them.

By the time he officially announced he was running for a second term, many voters could not believe he was serious.

While Trump is only four years younger than Biden , voters haven’t held his age against him to the same extent.

Most incumbents in modern history have gone on to win a second term.

An open primary might have produced a nominee so scarred in that process as to guarantee a loss in November .

“Almost everyone assumed that Biden was the transitional president he promised to be. That meant one term and out. His decision to run again was foolish,” says Larry Sabato .