A Birthday Amid Age Controversy In US Polls 2024

Kamala Harris celebrates her sixtieth birthday on Sunday, but it surely’s US election rival Donald Trump whose age is below scrutiny after a sequence of rambling speeches and a weird dance occasion.

In search of to shift the polls in a desperately tight White Home race, Harris has ramped up assaults on the psychological health of the 78-year-old, who’s the oldest presidential candidate in US historical past.

“Donald Trump is more and more unstable,” Democratic Vice President Harris mentioned on Wednesday after Trump spent almost 40 minutes on stage swaying to music at a city corridor occasion.

Harris is unlikely to take day without work the marketing campaign path for her birthday as she and Republican former president Trump hammer essential battleground states that would resolve the November 5 vote.

US presidential elections are a significant take a look at of stamina for any candidate — however the 2024 race has been unusually targeted on age.

Harris’s exceptional ascent to the highest of the Democratic ticket got here after 81-year-old President Joe Biden was pressured to throw within the towel after a disastrous debate efficiency towards Trump. 

Biden’s substitute as nominee by a vp twenty years his junior offered a shot within the arm for the occasion’s election hopes, as Harris chased down Trump within the polls.

Trump mentioned as a lot shortly after Biden pulled out.

“She is youthful,” Trump informed Fox Information on the time. “I imply, she’s 60 years outdated… I did not understand she was 60. I assumed she was somewhat youthful. However she is 60.”

However with the polls stagnant for weeks, Harris has performed the age card increasingly more.

The Democrat launched her personal medical report on October 12, describing her as in “glorious well being” and match for the presidency, with the one minor well being subject of be aware being seasonal allergic reactions and hives.

She then repeatedly pushed Trump over his personal refusal to do the identical. 

‘Sexism towards older ladies’ 

The billionaire has as a substitute referred to a be aware issued by his former White Home physician final 12 months and his marketing campaign insists on his stamina.

Harris’s marketing campaign has more and more insinuated that Trump is less than a second time period, citing the withholding of his medical historical past plus a sequence of cancelled tv interviews and political occasions.

“What’s Donald Trump attempting to cover?” Harris mentioned on X.

Her marketing campaign has additionally highlighted Trump’s more and more darkish and erratic stump speeches and interviews, together with when he lately raised the opportunity of utilizing the US army towards the “enemy from inside.”

Polls recommend it is a sturdy subject for Harris.

Pew Analysis Middle polling confirmed the share of people that name Trump “mentally sharp” dropping from 58 per cent in July to 52 per cent in September.

And whereas 49 per cent of voters mentioned Trump’s age would harm his candidacy, 46 per cent of voters mentioned Harris’s age would assist hers.

However the balancing act can also be a tricky one in an election the place the age of voters can also be a key subject.

Harris instructions strong assist amongst youthful voters however older voters who could discover her assaults on Trump’s age lean in direction of him — in a latest CBS ballot, voters aged 45-64 facet with Trump over Harris 53 per cent to 46, whereas amongst voters aged 65 and over it grows to 57 per cent to 42 per cent.

But Harris too faces underlying prejudices about age, mentioned Nancy Hirschmann, a professor of American social thought on the College of Pennsylvania.

“Her age does have an impact in a single sense, in that, the sexism of America actually is for positive on older ladies,” Hirschmann informed AFP.

Trump’s operating mate JD Vance discovered himself below scrutiny for feedback from a couple of years again during which he referred to as prime Democrats “childless cat girls” and appeared to agree with dismissive remarks about post-menopausal ladies.

Harris has two stepchildren from her marriage to “Second Gentleman” Doug Emhoff.

“There’s an added layer of sexism towards older ladies over 50,” added Hirschmann.

(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is printed from a syndicated feed.)