Biden is refusing to consider hearing aids according to people close to him as even allies say he should face a Democratic challenger to show his fitness

President Joe Biden won’t take Americans’ concerns about his advanced age seriously, refusing – for example – to consider wearing a hearing aid to make his public appearances more sharp as he runs for a second term.

Politico reported Wednesday that Democrats are so concerned about the 80-year-old not acknowledging the elder-in-the-room situation that some are even arguing that Biden should attract a Democratic primary challenger. 

Rep. Dean Phillips, a Minnesota Democrat, hasn’t closed the door to launching a bid in New Hampshire, where Biden won’t appear on the ballot in January due to the Democrats reordering the primaries. 

If Phillips – or another Democrat- jumped in the race, it could be used as an opportunity for Biden to prove his fitness to lead through a second term, some Democrats said.

‘Only positive things could come from an open and competitive primary in the presidential election,’ Rep. Hillary Scholten argued to Politico was that the 80-year-old Oval Office holder could prove his mettle. ‘It is a detriment to all of us if we are ignoring the concerns of the public around the president’s image.’

President Joe Biden won’t take Americans’ concerns about his advanced age seriously, refusing – for example – to consider wearing a hearing aid to make his public appearances more sharp as he runs for a second term

Rep. Dean Phillips, a Minnesota Democrat, is still mulling a presidential run and could try to appear on the ballot in New Hampshire, a state that won’t have Biden’s name on the ballot due to the Democrats reordering their early state primaries 

Democrats, Scholten said, should ‘get more people out there, what are we afraid of? It’s problematic that we’re ignoring it. It makes us look out of touch, it makes us look afraid.’

In August, an Associated Press-NORC poll found that 77 percent of Americans believed Biden was too old to be effective for four more years, including a whopping 69 percent of Democrats. 

While Democrats often point to the fact that former President Donald Trump, 77, faces ageism too, 51 percent of respondents expressed that view in this particular survey – a 26-point gap. 

Politico reported that, so far, the Biden-Harris 2024 campaign hasn’t done polling to test how best the 80-year-old president can address the age issue. 

The president and White House press secretary have cracked jokes about it – ‘try being 110,’ Biden said, while Karine Jean-Pierre said that ’80 is the new 40.’ 

Biden has also teased doubters by saying ‘watch me.’ 

President Joe Biden has fallen up Air Force One’s steps on several occasions, so much that he has started using the shorter stairs to board the presidential aircraft. Beyond that, Biden has also fallen off his bike and over a sandbag  

But Americans have – with moments like Biden falling off his bike, falling over a sandbag and falling up Air Force One’s steps – so much that he’s now using the shorter staircase – going viral. 

‘I thini it’s important to confront it,’ Sen. Jeanne Shaheen recommended to Politico when asked about the age issue. 

Sen. Jon Tester, a Montana Democrat running for reelection, agreed. 

‘I think you got to be as public as you possibly can in addressing issues, and that’s how you can settle it,’ Tester told the website.

‘But it’s not going to be easy because he is [going to be] 82 years old,’ Tester added.