Biden jokes about age amid report on declining work hours

WASHINGTON — President Biden on Friday joked about his old age and possibly needing a helmet for a Democratic National Committee reception later that evening amid a blistering report on his limited work hours.

The 80-year-old president, who on Monday launched a bid for re-election, made the remarks at the White House while presenting the commander in chief’s trophy to the Air Force Falcons football team.

“About 65 years ago, during the first remarks to the first class of the Air Force Academy, President Eisenhower — I wasn’t there… no matter what the press says,” Biden said to laughs.

Moments later, he was presented with a jersey and helmet and joked, “Where I’m going tonight, I may need that helmet.”

Biden is scheduled to host a DNC event around 6:45 p.m. at the ritzy Salamander Hotel — formerly the Mandarin Oriental — in Southwest DC.

It’s unclear why Biden would expect a bruising appearance among the Democratic crowd, though polls show broad interest among Democrats in a new candidate going into the 2024 election, in which the current Republican frontrunner is former President Donald Trump, 76.

Biden aides say it’s difficult to schedule “public or private events” with the president on weekends, mornings and evenings, Axios reported Friday.

So far in 2023, Biden has had just four events before 10 a.m. and 12 events after 6 p.m. 

Biden already is the oldest sitting president — surpassing Ronald Reagan, who left office at 77.

If Biden completes a full second term, he would be 86 years old.

ABC reporter Mary Bruce grilled Biden on his age Tuesday at a Rose Garden press conference with South Korea’s president.

“You’ve said questions about your age are legitimate. And your response is always ‘just watch me’, but the country is watching and recent polling shows that 70% of Americans, including the majority of Democrats, believe you shouldn’t run again,” Bruce said.

“What do you say to them? What do you say to those Americans who are watching and aren’t convinced? You’ve said you can beat Trump again.

“Do you think you’re the only one?”

Biden replied, “I may not be the only one, but I know him well.

“And I know the danger he presents to our democracy.

“And we’ve been down this road before.”

“With regard to age, I can’t even say — I guess how old I am,” he went on. “I can’t even say the number. It doesn’t — it doesn’t register with me.

“And but the only thing I can say is that one of the things that people are going to find out, they’re going to see a race and they’re going to judge whether or not I have it or don’t have it.”

Biden added, “I respect them taking a hard look at it. I’d take a hard look at it as well. I took a hard look at it before I decided to run. And I feel good. I feel excited about the prospects.

“And I think we’re on the verge of really turning the corner in a way we haven’t in a long time.”