I thought he was only running as a one-term president, that all he wanted was to “turn down the temperature” after the tumultuous Trump presidency. So what happened to the sensible Biden plan? After all, we gave him a major chance electing him U.S. President in his late 70s, our oldest president ever.
Biden’s been holding an elected DC office since the 1970s. He was vice president for Barack Obama for eight years. And now, well, he’s in his 80s and … not getting any younger.
Under Biden’s leadership, our country moved through the Covid pandemic with drastically reduced number of deaths, ended the Afghanistan war, held off a recession, saw remarkable increases in jobs and salaries, additional health benefits, and stayed clear of getting into another war.
However, I would have appreciated President Biden more if through a nationally televised speech he would have declared his work for our great country done and now it’s time for him to retire from political office. Something like: “My fellow Americans, I will not run nor will I accept the nomination of President of the United States.”
But no. That’s not the logical path that President Biden chose. It’s not what most Democrats wanted. It’s not what the country wants either. The country really wants more names to choose from than Biden and Trump and Trump and Biden. We haven’t been this sick of names since Bush and Clinton. No old names. We want new national leaders. At least Nikki Haley is a refreshing change.
What would have been exciting was for all those who vied for the Democratic nomination back in 2020 to run again. That was an impressive list of ready leaders with formidable backgrounds: Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg, Michael Bloomberg, Amy Klobuchar, Kamala Harris and even Bernie Sanders. But Biden perhaps feels the wisdom gained by age plus decades of his own successful diplomatic experience are still warranted, his opinion and ability still matters especially on the world stage given the wars in Ukraine and now Gaza. The truth is President Biden more than any of us really knows exactly what’s going on in the world and how to avoid a world war. He’s carried the weight of the presidency with aplomb. We knew he would (even though we were …
holding our collective breath)
This is a man who’s survived a brain aneurism while in office and was dealt a lifelong battle with stuttering—all that along with the emotional devastation of the deaths of his first wife and little girl and much later the death of his heroic son and dealing with the other son who’s been an addict with all the irresponsibility and shame to the family that goes with it. All the while, the Old Man keeps a-going, even running for the presidency in 2020 with leg cast and cane.
Makes you wonder how he’s lasted this long.
And while we’re on the subject of elderly national leaders, what’s going on with Mitch McConnell? Several of our elderly statesmen in Congress—who cling to power like it’s what’s keeping them alive—look like death warmed over. All of them: Pasty. Old. White. Men.
God, MOVE ON and let a new generation lead already.
Look, when it comes to worrying about folks over 80, all we have to go on is what doctors advise. Geriatric doctors warn us that age 80 is when the body starts to wind down (and prepare for death) … which could take a few or many years. Biden could last to age 100. Look at Jimmy Carter, whose family genetics was all cancer until he got it himself, survived, yet is now in hospice care.
Geriatric doctors tell families to talk with our loved ones when they reach 80, to broach the very difficult conversation of their final wishes and to help them with tying up loose ends involving finances, insurance, power of attorney, and DNR directives.
Back to politics, why the National Democratic Party is just going along with a second Biden term needs to be a national conversation. Elderly people of 80 and beyond run the gamut of health from active to slowed down, some memory loss to dementia, or bedridden. Biden seems to have been blessed in his old age. Enviable, really, let’s face it.
By now Americans know what the U.S. presidency does to the men who’ve achieved it. The presidency ages them. Check out their pictures upon winning the office to the day they leave. All of them, save Trump, appear to have grown older than their years. It is sad the price paid for Leader of the Free World.
We can continue to hold our breath while hoping and praying for President Biden, that God grant him the strength and stamina necessary to remain a dutiful and thoughtful leader. But the American people should never be put in this situation. We know people die young or old. But it’s very realistic to think the elderly soon will decline, die and pass on—leaving their legacy to guide us: confidence, good humor, candor, bravery, patriotism, and not many but a few errors in judgement.