Joe Biden is old. For all the cynicism surrounding Roy Hodgson’s return to management, at 75 the Crystal Palace boss is half a decade younger than the US president. Were Biden to win re-election, he would be 86 on his final day in office. This is how times works.
Biden isn’t even especially popular. His approval rating sits at 42.5 per cent, according to FiveThirtyEight. Among independent voters, who were critical to delivering victory in 2020, his approval is just 25 per cent. Indeed, 70 per cent of Americans do not think the president should run for re-election. The reason he is – and why he might yet win – is simple: politicians, like football managers, only have to beat whoever’s in front of them.
