Dick Van Dyke on Ageist Knocks Against Joe Biden: “I’ve Got All My Marbles, and I’m Old Enough to Be His Father”

Dick Van Dyke weighed in on whom he’ll be supporting in the upcoming election on a recent episode of The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast.

“I’m going to support [Joe] Biden,” the 98-year-old actor, who publicly supported Sen. Bernie Sanders’ presidential bid four years ago, told THR‘s Scott Feinberg about the November election.

More from The Hollywood Reporter

When asked if he felt if it was fair to criticize President Biden for his age, Van Dyke made it clear he wasn’t so concerned about that. “I’ve got all my marbles, and I’m old enough to be his father,” the iconic actor said. “I’m actually old enough in years to be his father. So I’m not worried about it.”

Van Dyke did, however, express some concern about Biden’s performance in the upcoming presidential debate, noting that he feels the president has “difficulty debating.”

The Mary Poppins star also looked back on meeting both former President Donald Trump and Biden for the first time. “I met him at a party out here in Malibu, before he was in politics,” Van Dyke said about Trump.

“He was in a Hawaiian shirt, open, big belly, all nice and tan. Couple of gold chains hanging around his neck, and a blonde on his arm. I’ll be charitable and say she was 20,” he continued. “And he looked down on me like, ‘Who are you?'”

Van Dyke had more firm words for the former president, adding he’s “never seen him laugh.” When asked what the actor thought that said about a person, Van Dyke replied: “Well, he is disturbed.”

“I met Joe Biden,” Van Dyke said of his introduction to the president. “And I said, ‘I used to be as tall as you are.’ He said, ‘I used to have hair like you.’ I liked him right away.”

For the full conversation with Van Dyke, listen to the latest episode of Awards Chatter and subscribe.

Best of The Hollywood Reporter