'At some point, you age out': Obama urges Democrats to pass torch to younger candidates

Obama, who was 47-years-old when first elected president in 2008, is warning that older politicians can "age out" and lose a crucial connection to a younger electorate.

"I'm a pretty healthy 64, feel great, but the truth is, half of the references that my daughters make about social media, TikTok and such, I don't know who they're talking about," Obama said in the interview. "There is an element of, at some point, you age out. You're not connected directly to the immediate struggles that folks are going through."

Younger Democrats primary challenging older incumbents is grabbing attention in this year's midterm elections.

The nonprofit executive, Los Angeles native and cancer survivor, who is 34 years younger than the 87-year-old lawmaker, highlighted generational change as she launched a primary challenge last week against Waters.

"People are sick and tired of the same old thing," Rahman told the California Post in an interview.

In Massachusetts, 47-year-old Rep. Seth Moulton is spotlighting the generational argument as he tries to oust 79-year-old Sen. Ed Markey in the Democratic primary.

Obama said he's hoping to energize younger voters through his presidential center, which is scheduled to open later this year in Chicago.

"That spirit, that energy, it's out there, and you can feel it, but it's bottled up," he said. "We haven't given enough outlets for young people to figure out, 'How do I become a part of that?' That's this enormous, untapped power that we have to get back to."