A Democrat candidate for governor in South Carolina on Thursday suggested that President Joe Biden shouldn't run for reelection due to his age.
Rep. Joe Cunningham, D-S.C., told CNN on Thursday, the day after he released a campaign ad calling for age limits, that "we need to have a new generation of leadership emerge. And this isn't, you know, as the video said, judges in South Carolina have to retire at age 72. Democrats have a very deep bench, and it's time to allow a new generation to emerge and new talent."
He went on to add, "I think we need to have a new vision, new leadership. And this isn't about, personal about Biden, but he'd be 82 [by the] time of the next election. If he served out a second term, he would be 86 years old. I'm not sure if any of us know any 86-year-olds who should be running the entire country."
Host John Berman asked Cunningham about his 2018 endorsement from Biden, saying, "You're really proud of the endorsement in that picture. You know, how do you think he's going to feel about you coming out this morning and saying he shouldn't run for reelection?"
Cunningham said, "Well look, this isn't about where we are right now, this is looking to the future. And we're, you know, like I said, he himself said he wants to be a bridge to the future. And again, we're in this car, we're driving across this bridge, and no one knows what's on the other side. And that's the conversation we need to be having right now."
When asked if fellow South Carolina Democrat Rep. James Clyburn, the House majority whip, should retire, Cunningham said, "Look, this isn't anything personal … we draw a line, age 72. South Carolina state law is judges have to retire at age 72. So my question and the point that I'm making, if you're too old to interpret the law, are you not too old to be making the law?"
He later said: "I appreciate all his service and what he's done for our country, and It's nothing personal. I get along fine with him. But as we look towards the future, we got to be looking to provide new vision."