First, let me state that I will vote for whoever the Democratic candidate is for President. If it is Joe Biden, I will vote for him. If it is a sack of potatoes, I will vote for it. In my mind, Trump is not an option; he is dangerous.
Second, the media should subject Donald Trump’s mental health to the same scrutiny given to Joe Biden’s condition. Op-ed pieces in major newspapers should be calling for Trump to step down (as the Philadelphia Inquirer did) for a myriad of reasons, not the least of which is that he is a convicted felon, found guilty by a jury of his peers.
With those two stipulations, I believe the right thing for Joe Biden to do is to step aside. This judgment is not offered because I think it enhances the Democrats chances in the election or consigns us to lose. It is simply the right thing for him to do.
Despite all the pundits’ insights and poll results, we don’t know how it would play out. Biden, as he currently presents, is not a strong candidate. As my brother pointed out to me, those voters who are willing to entertain voting for Trump are not being given a reason to choose Biden. So those who say that changing candidates now is a recipe for disaster, may not be clear eyed about what we are facing if he remains on the ballot.
I believe Joe Biden has been an excellent president. He has navigated unbelievably challenging times, and the country has benefitted from his administration’s policies in many ways. I have admired him throughout his career and believe him to be a good man with a kind heart, but I believe he is in denial about his cognitive abilities. This is not unusual. Unfortunately, in my family we have observed many people go down the path of dementia. Having good days and bad, covering for themselves (and family members covering for them), and not wanting to recognize what is happening are common reactions. Biden’s unwillingness to submit to a cognitive exam is troubling to say the least. Cognition doesn’t get better; they don’t recover. It just gets worse. Explaining his debate performance by saying he was tired, or it was just 90 minutes of him not at his best, does a disservice to him and the country.
When he walked stiffly, I was not alarmed. When he stuttered, I empathized. When he fumferred for words, I made little of it: who over the age of 50 doesn’t struggle to retrieve words? All of that can be understood, some of it has been true his entire public life. The incoherence at the debate, his inability to recall if he had watched the debate in the interview with Stephanopolous, are something else. He looks vacant some of the time. That is a change. This is not a matter of getting enough sleep, though I don’t doubt that is a factor. Being tired takes a toll. Unfortunately, being President of the United States is pretty much a 24/7 job. He can’t afford to have an off 90 minutes at the NATO summit today.
I believe when he made the decision to seek reelection months ago, he was in better condition cognitively. At least better enough so that it seemed reasonable to continue. Something has changed and now it is public. The patriotic thing to do is to step aside. If he doesn’t have the confidence in Kamala Harris to ‘anoint’ her, there are other options. Pundits are dwelling on the lack of an obvious choice as the reason Biden should stay in the race. I think that is short-sighted for so many reasons.
I know how important the question of who takes his place is. And, almost equally important is the question of through what process. These are essential issues, but they are separate from whether Joe Biden should continue. We need to have confidence in our president. As much as I admire the work he has done, and believe that he has surrounded himself with competent, good people, that is not enough to lead us forward over the next four years. He no longer inspires confidence. We don’t elect a team; we elect one person. Dr. Jill, or any other person in his inner circle, should not be the de facto president.
Democrats have a convention coming up. It offers an opportunity. No, it isn’t the same as having primaries, but there is wide representation at the convention – all 50 states, different wings of the party, many of whom are elected officials in their own right. One could argue that the drawn-out candidate selection process we usually use hasn’t worked well anyway – generally speaking the extremes of the party (this is true for Republicans too) are overrepresented in the primary process. The convention may be messy, and it may be difficult, but it wouldn’t be undemocratic to let it play out that way.
As many know, my husband is a doctor. If he were to show signs of mental impairment (more than just slowing down) such that his judgment was no longer sound, and he was in denial about it, I would feel an obligation to step in. The consequences of his making mistakes are too high, people’s lives are at stake, I would need to discuss it with his colleagues, and of course urge him to retire. It would be painful. I would hate to be in that position, but in good conscience I could not delude myself or him. I would not want him humiliated by not being able to meet the extraordinarily high standards he has met his entire career. I would want to preserve his dignity in the process, but I could not let him put patients at risk. Joe Biden has far more responsibility for far more people. Those around him owe it to the country and owe it to Joe Biden to be honest about what is happening. It doesn’t sound like they are doing that. They may think they are protecting him or the country, but they aren’t.
Finally, for those who look back at history to try to predict how this will go, there are important differences between now and any previous time. Everything goes so much faster now thanks to (or we can blame) the internet and social media. People’s attention spans are shorter. One might argue that having a shorter period of time to campaign in a concentrated way could be more effective. The candidate might not be losing much, if anything at all, by being out front only from August to November. I don’t believe we have faced an analogous situation in our history.
By the way, though this is truly yelling into the void, the Republicans need to cast aside Trump and choose another candidate, too.
Stories I Tell Myself 
I agree. I honestly do not believe President Biden is currently fit to be president based on his debate performance as well as prior and subsequent stumbles. Surely the country has survived presidents who were not up to the job and we can make it past this election with him in the Oval Office. But what will he be like in 4 years? It is just hard to imagine him running our government and dealing with crises.
Donald Trump, on the other hand, does not need to be slipping mentally (although he likely is) to be unqualified. He is, by disposition, by his disrespect for the voters taking us for fools by lying to us constantly, by his cruelty and biases and by his hatred of democracy, uniquely unfit. And, yes, a bowling ball or empty chair would be a better choice than him. The fact remains though, Mr. Trump will absolutely be the Republican nominee. That seems immutable.
Democrats, on the other hand, have a chance to replace Mr. Biden and all of the main choices seem like a better choice than him. I am so sorry that this is true. Like you, I like, respect and admire Joe Biden. But, sadly, his time has passed.
Thank you.
LikeLike
Yup.
LikeLike
Both candidates are old. One is a fascist.
Seems to me the choice is refreshingly easy.
Trump is only 4 years younger than Biden and in terrible shape. I’d encourage everyone to stop with the “Biden Is Old” bit. It’s echoing bad faith conservative arguments. No matter who runs agains Trump, MAGAts will find an argument for why they are unsuitable: Too old. Too young. Too dark. Too many X chromosomes.
Repeating their talking points is doing their work for them, and, quite frankly, appeasing fascists. Biden is the dem candidate and won’t be dropping out.
The last thing we need is the ‘68 convention again.
LikeLike
I respect your opinion and get your point. But, I disagree.
LikeLike
Well written. Neither candidate is worthy of the position of President. Democrats can shake things up by convincing Biden to gracefully bow out. The Republicans wont do that on their side. Both parties have capable individuals that can govern for the betterment of our country. But neither party has the gumption to step up and make it happen. So sad.
LikeLike
What can we expect at the end of August at the brokered DemoCRAPIC Convention?
The 1968 Democratic National Convention was a highly contentious and chaotic event that became known as the “Brokered Convention.” The 1968 election cycle was tumultuous, with the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy, as well as growing public opposition to the Vietnam War.
Going into the convention, no candidate had secured enough delegates to win the nomination outright on the first ballot. This set the stage for a “brokered” convention, where power brokers and party elites would try to broker a compromise candidate. The main contenders were Vice President Hubert Humphrey, anti-war candidate Eugene McCarthy, and the late Robert Kennedy’s supporters.
Tensions boiled over outside the convention hall, as protesters clashed violently with police in what became known as the “Chicago riots.” The chaotic scenes at the convention, both inside and outside, damaged the Democratic Party’s image and contributed to the election of Republican Richard Nixon as president that year.
The 1968 “Brokered Convention” was marked by intense factional fighting, protests, and violence that left the party deeply divided heading into the general election. It was a tumultuous and consequential event in Democratic party history. The fight over the party platform was bitterly divisive, with debates over the Vietnam War, civil rights, and other issues.
Protesters, including anti-war activists and civil rights groups, demonstrated loudly outside the convention hall. Violent clashes between protesters and a heavily militarized police force erupted outside the convention center. Tear gas, clubs, and arrests led to a violent crackdown that was widely condemned. The brutal scenes, broadcast on national television, shocked the nation and further damaged the Democratic Party’s image.
The convention’s chaos and divisions marked a major turning point for the Democratic Party, leading to reforms in the nominating process in subsequent elections. Overall, the 1968 Democratic convention was a watershed event that exposed the party’s internal conflicts and the growing polarization in the country.
Chicago Mayor Richard Daley ordered a brutal crackdown by the city’s police force, as well as the National Guard. The graphic scenes of police beating protesters were broadcast live on national television, shocking the nation. The Chicago riots came to symbolize the deep divisions in American society over the Vietnam War and civil rights. The events of 1968 continue to loom large in American political history, serving as a cautionary tale about the dangers of political dysfunction.
LikeLike