Florida [US], November 20 : In a jibe at the presidential frontrunners Donald trump and Joe Biden Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said that the presidency is "not a job for somebody that is pushing 80", CNN reported.
DeSantis who currently trails Donald Trump in the race for the Republican nomination, sought to contrast his relative youth to former President Donald Trump, 77, and President Joe Biden, who turns 81 on Monday.
DeSantis, 45, told CNN, "I just think that that's something that has been shown with Joe Biden. Father Time is undefeated. Donald Trump is not exempt from any of that."
The Florida governor argued that he is in the "prime of my life" while noting that Trump would be older than Biden was at the start of his term if he were to take office in 2025.
Notably, age has quickly become a central theme of the 2024 presidential race. Trump has mocked Biden and questioned his mental fitness for office as a core part of his campaign, according to CNN.
The Florida governor's campaign has leaned into this dynamic, launching an "accident tracker" for Trump gaffes last month that highlights apparent verbal slip-ups, such as when Trump appeared to confuse Biden with former President Barack Obama.
Beyond age, DeSantis said these "accidents" point to Trump not being "the same guy" he was when he first ran for president. Pressed by Tapper on Trump's mental acuity and his ability to beat Biden in a general election, DeSantis said, "I wouldn't be running unless I thought that the Democrats would beat Trump if he were the nominee."
Democrats, DeSantis said, are "going very easy" on Trump as the Republican primary plays out but insisted that would change if Trump captures the GOP nomination.
"You're gonna see scorched earth. You're gonna see all this stuff brought out from the past," he said. "The whole election will end up being a referendum on Donald Trump, and Biden will be able to hang out in the basement, and I think he'll be able to get away with it again," CNN quoted DeSantis as saying.
Meanwhile, despite waning poll numbers, DeSantis has kept a vigorous pace on the campaign trail. Over the past two days, he has appeared at eight public events, and he continued his swing through Iowa on Sunday. In contrast with Biden and Trump, DeSantis often hits campaign events with his wife, Casey, and three young kids, CNN reported.
"I will serve two terms, deliver big results, and get the country moving again," DeSantis said Sunday. "That's what Republican voters want to see."
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