James Carville tells Biden to stop complaining about coverage of age: The 'issue is suffocating him'
Democratic strategist James Carville said Monday that the age issue was "suffocating" President Biden and told the president to stop griping about negative media coverage of the issue.
"I do think the president has to deal, the age issue is suffocating him. He needs to bring up that he is only four years older than Trump," Carville told MSNBC's Jen Psaki in response to a question about how Biden and former President Trump could possibly be tied in the polls.
Carville told the president to quit "complaining" about the New York Times' coverage of his age and his bad poll numbers, which he said was a "waste of time."
Biden, the oldest president to hold office at the age of 81-years-old, and his team have reportedly been "upset" by the paper's coverage throughout his first term in office.
BIDEN IN 'DENIAL' ABOUT POLLS SHOWING HIM TRAILING TRUMP: REPORT
The media outlet issued a statement on the president's lack of media access in late April. Biden has refused to sit down for an interview with The New York Times, something every modern president has done while in office.
"For anyone who understands the role of the free press in a democracy, it should be troubling that President Biden has so actively and effectively avoided questions from independent journalists during his term," the outlet said. "Mr. Biden has granted far fewer press conferences and sit-down interviews with independent journalists than virtually all of his predecessors."
The paper said Biden was setting a "dangerous precedent" for future presidents in avoiding the media.
Biden recently sat down for an interview with CNN's Erin Burnett, during which he claimed the polls were "wrong, all along."
CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE
BIDEN FACING UPHILL BATTLE IN KEY BATTLEGROUND STATES AS DOWN-BALLOT DEMS LEAD: POLL
Carville suggested Biden talk about his record and about how he plans to "change people’s lives" during the interview.
"It's pedestrian, but it's the stuff that wins elections," he said.
Carville also said that Biden does better when he talks about the Supreme Court "taking rights away," the cost of prescription drugs, the minimum wage and raising taxes.
Carville has repeatedly sounded the alarm on the Democratic coalition's lack of support among younger Black and Latino voters.
"It's horrifying our numbers among younger voters, particularly younger Blacks, younger Latinos… younger people of color. Particularly males," he said. "We're not shedding them, they're leaving in droves."