Biden talks age, Putin at Broadway fundraiser

President Biden on Monday evening talked about his age and Russian President Vladimir Putin while fundraising in New York City.

The president raised money for his reelection bid at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on Broadway in an event called Broadway for Biden. Theatrical producer Jeffrey Seller, known for his work on “Rent” and “Hamilton,” introduced the president.

“A lot of people seem focused on my age,” Biden said at the fundraiser. “I get it, believe me; I know it more than anyone.”

He added, “I knew what to do” when COVID-19 hit, when Ukraine was invaded by Russia, and when democracy was at stake.

Biden, 80, has faced dismal approval ratings and a lack of enthusiasm from voters going into 2024, largely because of his age and questions over whether he’s up for another four years on the job.

“That’s why I’m running,” Biden said, adding that former President Trump could bow down to Russian President Vladimir Putin but he wouldn’t.

“I will not side with dictators like Putin. Maybe Trump and his MAGA friends can bow down, but I won’t,” he said.

If he is reelected, he said, “we will have saved American democracy.”

“I am more optimistic about the future of this country than in the 800 years I’ve served,” the president added, taking a jab at his age to laughs from the room.

The president is in New York for the United Nations General Assembly meeting, which he will speak at Tuesday in an address largely focused on the war in Ukraine.

Trump is the current front-runner in the GOP presidential primary, setting up for a likely Biden-Trump rematch in the 2024 general election.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.