Special Counsel Robert Hur, who investigated President Joe Biden‘s alleged mishandling of classified documents, presented a report on Feb. 5, expressing concerns about the president’s mental health and memory. A recent poll released on Sunday indicated that the American public shared these concerns.
What Happened: In the ABC News/Ipsos poll conducted on Feb. 9-10, 59% of respondents believed both Biden and his predecessor, Donald Trump, were too old to contest in the 2024 general election. The poll, which surveyed 528 adults aged 18 or older, revealed that 27% thought Biden was too old for a second term but not Trump, while 3% believed the opposite. Eleven percent stated that neither candidate was too old for reelection.
Biden, at 81 years old, is about four years older than Trump. Additionally, 38% of respondents believed Biden should face charges for mishandling classified documents, aligning with the recommendations of the Hur report. Conversely, 34% disagreed, with 28% unsure and 1% skipping the question.
Regarding immunity from criminal prosecution for actions taken while president, 66% of respondents felt Trump should not have immunity, while 33% believed he should. This response is significant as Trump considers appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court regarding his immunity claims in the Washington D.C. election interference case.
A federal appeals court ruling last week determined that Trump is not immune from criminal prosecution, potentially leading to special counsel Jack Smith prosecuting him on four criminal charges related to his alleged role in overturning the 2020 presidential election.
Immigrants Issue: Border crossings emerged as a major concern, with a net 42% of respondents blaming Biden for failing to pass legislation to decrease illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border. Additionally, a net 51% attributed inaction to Congressional Democrats, while a net 38% blamed Trump and a net 53% held Congressional Republicans responsible.
While most Americans believe Biden can handle issues such as education, healthcare, and classified documents better than Trump, the latter received more support for managing the Israel-Hamas conflict and the Russia-Ukraine war.
Although opinion polls generally place Biden slightly behind Trump in hypothetical two-way matchups, opinions on primary elections indicate a potential rematch between the two.
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