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Brian Lehrer: Brian Lehrer on WNYC, and we went a little along with Kyle Moore there because that was so interesting and important. Just for our last 10 minutes today, we're going to do a snap poll for Democrats. An informal, unofficial, thoroughly unscientific, of course, call-in poll on this question. If you didn't want Biden to run for re-election before the State of the Union address, did his energetic State of the Union address performance change your mind or make you want to reconsider? 212-433 WNYC, 212-433-9692.

There's no right answer. Just give us your own feelings and thoughts on this. It's a call in for Democrats who did not want Biden to run for re-election before the State of the Union address. Did his energetic, feisty, playful, engaged performance at the State of the Union change your mind or make you start to reconsider? 212-433 WNYC. Say yes if the answer is yes, say no if the answer is no, say, I'm starting to think about it again if that's the answer. 212-433-9692.

Some stats before the State of the Union, the AP reported that only 37% of Democrats wanted Biden to run for re-election, and that was down from 52% a few weeks before the midterms. If you were worried about his energy level and that was like the thing, we're going to replay these 20 seconds, which he was like this the whole speech.

This is the 20 seconds that keeps getting excerpted when he brought up what some Republicans want to do to Social Security.

President Joe Biden: Instead of making the wealthy pay their fair share, some Republicans want Medicare and Social Security sunset. I'm not saying it's a majority. [background noise] Let me give you-- anybody who doubts it, contact my office. I'll give you a copy. I'll give you a copy of the proposal.

Brian Lehrer: It was the way he had lived. It was the way he sparred with them that got so much attention. He was high energy the whole speech. It's a call-in for Democrats. If you didn't want Biden to run for re-election, did his energetic State of the Union address performance change your mind or start to reconsider? 212-433 WNYC, will take your calls after this.

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Brian Lehrer on WNYC. Now to that call in for Democrats who didn't want Biden to run for re-election before the State of the Union address, did his energetic performance there change your mind or start to reconsider? Our lines are full at 212-433 WNYC. You can also tweet your answer @BrianLehrer and let's start with John in Union, who called in right away. John, you're on WNYC. Hello?

John: Yes, good morning. This is John from Union, longtime listener, and first-time caller.

Brian Lehrer: Glad, John.

John: After the set of the Union address, age is just a number I will reconsider for him to run again.

Brian Lehrer: You didn't think so before?

John: No, I was thinking about age. With age, voters like us will not vote for you looking for somebody younger, but now with all his [unintelligible 00:03:58] and energy, he got my support I think in this time to run again.

Brian Lehrer: John, thank you very much. Call us again. Here's Diane in Bellingham, Washington. Diane, you're on WNYC. Hi from New York.

Diane: Good morning. I have gone from a maybe to closer to yes. I'm a former Bernie person, still, support everything Bernie does. I was a Kamala Harris person in the last primary, did obviously vote for Joe Biden, and I was really impressed in the way that he handled the extremists and impressed with the Build Back Better Act. I am almost devastated that the $300 child tax credit didn't pass, but the fact that it was in there and we came close, so yes. I'm leaning towards a yes.

Brian Lehrer: Diane, thank you very much. Alice in Brooklyn. You're on WNYC. Hi, Alice.

Alice: Hi, Brian. I'm 80 years old, which is about Biden's age, and I'm doing pretty well cognitively but there's four years to come in a presidency, and my feeling is that the public has to be aware of the significant problems that could occur in the next four years to anyone who's 80 years old cognitively. Look at what happened to Reagan. We didn't even know what was going on at the time.

Brian Lehrer: He was in 70s.

Alice: I say no.

Brian Lehrer: Okay, thank you very much and I think Debbie in Manhattan is going to have a response to that. Debbie, you're on WNYC. Hello.

Debbie: Hi, Brian. Thank you very much. Yes, I have a response to the 80-year-old caller. Anything could happen to us before 80 years old. I think that Joe Biden is probably more fit cognitively than me and I'm much younger than him. I think he's fit and I'm so sick of people talking about old people as though they need to be put out the past year. We are capable, and anything could happen to anyone at any age. We cannot take away the fact that he's older, but the man has done a good job, and he will continue to do a good job, and he has my support 100,000%.

Brian Lehrer: It sounds like in your case, he had it before the State of the Union address. Right?

Debbie: I have to say, though, after hearing so many people talk about his age, and it made me contemplate, maybe this isn't the one, but, yes, definitely. It just reinforced what I had already known more than my doubt. I had no--

Brian Lehrer: Debbie, thank you. Thank you so much. Judith in Park Slope. You're on WNYC. Hi, Judith.

Judith: Hi. I'm a long time first time. Pardon me. I just wanted to say that I was feeling like-- I work with young people, but I'm over 60, and I did vote for Biden, but I was starting to really think, you know what? The next generation has got to start getting in there. I started thinking during the speech, who could compete? Blah blah, blah because I think getting elected is very important. The ability to get elected and--

Brian Lehrer: A good attribute for a candidate. [laughs]

Judith: Yes. They had to be [unintelligible 00:07:21]

Brian Lehrer: Getting elected. Yes. He changed your mind with the energy of his performance.

Judith: He did, and what I wanted to say, I watched him because the photography was so good, and I was just sitting there going, "My God, he's got so much energy. I think he could do it. I think he can get elected again and still keep going." I was admiring him the whole time, much--

Brian Lehrer: More than before. Judith thank you. One more. Bob in Princeton, not so much, right? Bob.

Bob: Yes, I don't think he should. He's been a great president, but I don't think somebody in their mid-80s, which he will be by the time he finishes his second term, if he goes that far, should be running the country.

Brian Lehrer: What about all the listeners [crosstalk] who just heard you say that and are howling to their radios that's ageism it's about the individual. [music]

Bob: Let me tell you, I'm in my 70s, and starting in my 50s, I started feeling stuff. You can wake up one day and not be the same person you were the day before. I support him and everything, and we'll support him, but I don't think he should be running. He's pretty old.

Brian Lehrer: Bob, thank you very much. The conversation goes on our caller board, and I said it was an informal, thoroughly unscientific call-in poll, it was about 50-50. Thanks for your call. It's Brian Lehrer on WNYC.

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