Despite holding the most powerful position in the world, President Joe Biden is pitching himself as the underdog ahead of the 2024 election.
In preparation for launching a reelection bid, Biden's allies say he is taking advantage of his perceived underrated status to prove that he has the capacity and tenacity to take on the presidency for a second term.
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“In some ways, he loves being the underdog and being able to prove people wrong at the end of the day,” one Biden ally said in an interview with the Hill.
Concerns over his age have amounted to a growing conversation over the electability of older politicians, so much so that GOP candidate Nikki Haley suggested a mental competency test for politicians over 75 years old.
At 80, Biden is the oldest president in U.S. history, and he would be 82 at the start of a second term in office and 86 by its conclusion.
To combat this, Biden has focused on touting his victories over the last few months, beginning with the midterm elections. The predicted red wave from Republicans missed the mark, as Democrats held on to the Senate majority and the GOP failed to win a large majority in the House.
During his State of the Union address, Biden stood up against Republican jeers and heckling while he detailed his administration's work to address immigration, the economy, and crime.
At one point, he engaged in off-script banter with some of the more vocal GOP members over his claims that Republicans wanted to cut Medicare and Social Security benefits as part of negotiations to raise the debt ceiling.
“Anybody who doubts it, contact my office,” Biden had said during the speech. “I’ll give you a copy of the proposal.”
While House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) believed the president was goading Republicans into a fight, Biden had strategically maneuvered the GOP into publicly declaring that they will not cut healthcare or retirement benefits, a strategy that resulted in Republicans turning away from a proposal from Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) that would sunset the programs every five years unless Congress renews them.
Voters appear to be enjoying Biden's displays of strength. His polling numbers soared to reach the highest numbers among general election and Democratic voters in nearly a year. Biden earned a 46% favorability rating, the highest since March 2022.
Heading into 2024, crime is among the seven top issues at the forefront of voters' minds. In response to Republican pressure put on himself and Democrats to tackle crime, Biden announced last week that he would sign a bill overturning the D.C. Council's criminal code that would lessen penalties for certain crimes.
“Look, his very presidency is, ‘I don’t give up,'” Michael Eric Dyson, presidential historian, said. “If he would have given up, he wouldn’t have been president.”
In February, Biden emphasized his commitment to protect democracy and stand firm against Russia by conducting a surprise visit to Ukraine around the one-year anniversary of the war between the two nations. It signaled to the country that he had the mental and physical strength to tackle an appearance in an active warzone.
Robert Wolf, a Biden ally who served as chairman and CEO of UBS Americas, said he thinks the president's trip to Ukraine best showcased how he should not be overlooked when the 2024 election comes around.
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"His 25-hour trip would be tough for anyone. It was physical, psychological, and emotional as democracy is on the line," Wolf said. "He lived up to all the desired expectations of the leader of the free world. Action is louder than words. His actions have been real. His legislative victories have been real.”
“You can’t underestimate his successes,” he continued.