Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Focus Group Podcast.

I'm Sarah Longwell, publisher of the Bullwork, and this week we're talking about the State

of the Union and Joe Biden's 2024 re-election prospects.

Now, I got in some internet trouble a couple of weeks ago for saying on POD Save America

that I think Joe Biden would likely lose to a Republican presidential candidate not

named Donald Trump, and it is just my basic observation about somebody who is in their

early 80s running against somebody who is in their 40s, 50s, or 60s, even when Ronald

Reagan ran for re-election and much was made about his age, he was only 73.

Now in focus groups of both Republicans and Democrats, concerns about Joe Biden's age

is a constant refrain, and according to a recent Associated Press poll, a majority

of Democrats don't want Biden to run again in 2024.

And yet, and yet, old Joe came out swinging in his State of the Union this week, and despite

a little rhetorical mush, he did some real-time negotiating with Republicans and came out

on top.

So how did this energetic performance land with swing voters?

Well, you're about to find out.

My guest today spends a lot of time around the Biden White House, Peter Baker, Chief

White House correspondent for the New York Times, and also the co-author of the divider Trump

in the White House, 2017 to 2021, and the second person who is a part of a husband and wife

team who have appeared on this podcast.

The other one is the Vindamins, who have had both of them, but now I have had Susan Glasser

and Peter Baker, an impressive team.

...