I have worked for a governor who was just thirty-four years old and a mayor of a city with more than a million voters who was past eighty years old. I have also tested age several times in focus groups and found that voters usually do not perceive someone as too young or too old to serve per se. The key for them is to see that the candidate in question can perform the job.

And that's the challenge for Joe Biden. On the one hand, there is his record. Under difficult circumstances, Biden arguably accomplished significant things, so obviously, he's up to the task. On the other hand, not only is it a fact that he is the oldest US president in history, but he also looks and sounds old.

From a campaign perspective, there is a lot that can be done on how something like this is being perceived. It would be important for Biden to talk about futuristic issues, to be seen with young people and to carefully prepare for debates, interviews and speeches. The last State of the Union Address was Biden's best speech as president, which tells me that that is happening.

Elections with an incumbent are foremost a referendum on the incumbent. In that sense, the job approval rating is a fairly good indicator of the chances for reelection. In the average of all surveys, Joe Biden's job approval currently stands at 42.6%. At the same point into his presidency, Ronald Reagan was doing worse with a job approval of 41%. He sailed to a historic reelection win. Barack Obama was at 43% and also won reelection. Donald Trump was at 42%, Jimmy Carter at 40%, and they both lost.