‘Saturday Night Live’ Is Already Looking Toward the Election

A new poll conducted by The New York Times and Siena College indicated that voters have a wide range of concerns about President Biden in the months before the 2024 presidential election. But “Saturday Night Live” gave some of Biden’s advocates — or, at least, the cast members impersonating them — the opportunity to dispel these anxieties and argue that he isn’t too old to continue in the job.

In its opening sketch, “S.N.L.,” which was hosted this week by the actress Sydney Sweeney and featured the musical guest Kasey Musgraves, offered a parody of CNN’s “Inside Politics” with Dana Bash.

Heidi Gardner, playing Bash, began her program with Michael Longfellow, who was playing Gov. Gavin Newsom of California.

“I understand that people care about the president’s age, but what they should care about is his record,” Longfellow said. “Look at what Joe Biden has done for America. He’s created more jobs than any president in history. Inflation is down. The Shamrock Shake is back and Beyoncé has gone country. Thank you, Joe.”

When Gardner suggested that Biden might lack youthful vigor, Longfellow countered that he had just come from a meeting with him about the border.

“He had charts, tables, PowerPoints,” Longfellow said. “He had an interactive AR display on the Apple Vision Pro that he programmed himself. The software might be in beta, but the man, he’s in alpha.”