Joe Biden Is Old. Get Over It. (David Rothkopf at the Daily Beast - great pro-Biden piece)

[highplainsdem]

https://www.thedailybeast.com/joe-biden-is-old-get-over-it
Archive page at https://archive.ph/SwxiI

-snip-

Furthermore, if those concerned about Biden’s age were honest, they would acknowledge that from a health perspective, thus far Joe Biden is much fitter and showing far fewer limitations than many of his predecessors.

That's followed by several paragraphs about other presidents' health problems and risks: Trump, Obama (smoking, and parents who died at 48 and 52), Reagan, Nixon, LBJ, JFK, Eisenhower, and FDR.

Biden—unlike Roosevelt or Eisenhower or Kennedy or Trump—has not hidden his health from the public. He has regularly been pronounced fit throughout his term of office. Further, of course, there have been no hints that Biden’s medical team lied about his fitness as did Trump’s doctor, now Congressman Ronny Jackson.

-snip-

Even if the years take a further modest toll on Biden, which they are likely to do, with the team he has around him, he should be well able to handle the job as it is, not as it is depicted in Hollywood or as we have mythologized it in the past. Indeed, given changes in modern medicine and healthcare, he is likely to be far more physically and mentally capable than many of his predecessors. (And just for the record, actuarial tables suggest that a man of Biden’s current age can expect to live 9.1 additional years…and that is not taking into account the resources available to a president or Biden’s excellent health. Also relevant on the genetics front: Biden’s mom lived to be 92.)

-snip-

Should Biden become incapacitated or otherwise be unable to finish his term in office, he, like any candidate, should have a running mate who could assume the office. Vice President Kamala Harris certainly fills that bill. She has extensive government experience, experience as a manager running a large state agency, experience on Capitol Hill and she has worked tirelessly as vice president on a wide range of issues of critical importance.

-snip-

Rothkopf concludes with two very important points:

Biden deserves to be reelected, because of his excellent record.

And he's won before.

He says that Biden is the one person in the US best equipped to stop the GOP from imposing white male minority rule.

This is a great op-ed, IMO, and should go viral.

[Walleye]

1. Is answer should be l, as it was, "I know how fucking old I am"

All those who are criticizing him for his age what are they expect him to do, get younger?

[highplainsdem]

4. Exactly.

[LisaM]

2. Absolutely. We live in such an ageist society.

I see it in the workplace - I work in law firms and increasingly see people in various capacities pushed out because of age. It's really discouraging, because these are the people with the most institutional knowledge and the best skills.

My former firm just laid off 60 people and guess what, not the young ones. They even sent out a (leaked) bone-chilling memo about how how they intended to replace people with machines. Absolutely no acknowledgement of their contributions and knowledge. It was horrifying. Before I left, I was experiencing the effect of losing the last old timers. The newer, younger people were nice but they never took off their headphones (workplace fail, I felt intimidated asking them for help) and they didn't know how to do basic things like write a business letter or, in one case, turn on a typewriter (needed occasionally to put in a title or address on A4 paper).

I celebrate Biden's age. First, he's young for his age, and second, he doesn't show any signs of lagging technologically or socially. We need his experience. I don't know when companies stopped appreciating age and wisdom, but it's a bad look. I know people in their 50s who have trouble finding jobs,. despite their qualifications.

[brer cat]

5. +1

We have become such a disposable society, we are now including people in the trash. What a shame to eliminate so much wisdom and experience.

[Johnny2X2X]

3. I don't think DUers appreciate how all in FOX and the MSN are on Biden being senile

There are multiple articles daily about his age with provocative titles like, "Why are they hiding Biden?" "Watch Biden not know where he is when questioned by a child!"

It goes on and on, and then he gives a great speech and the country realizes he's just as there as ever. But this is their strategy, they're hoping his health falters in the next 18 months.

[LisaM]

7. I know..Both MSNBC and CNN.

They can't seem to help themselves by saying how old Biden would be at the end of his second term. He's 80, but the number I hear thrown around the most is 86. They've basically already aged him by six years.

Biden was recently in Ireland, where he attended many, many events and made a few speeches and was treated like, and acted like, a rock star. The US coverage of that visit and his reception was sparse at best. Even the BBC, not the most pro US or pro Irish news source, did better than CNN or MSNBC.

[bronxiteforever]

16. This is a replay of the 2016 internet attacks on Hillary.

This from a paper answering a readers question
“I read on the internet that Hillary Clinton's medical records show that she has seizures and dementia even though the media has reported that her doctors gave her a clean bill of health. Which is true?

Those "records" on some conservative websites are fake, FactCheck.org reports.”
https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/reason/2016/08/26/fact-check-whats-real-scoop-hillary-clintons-health/15722103007/

And this from NBC news
“As Hillary Clinton’s health moves from the fringes to the center of the 2016 presidential campaign, there’s a lot we still don’t know about her scare this weekend.

Here’s what we do know: Clinton was diagnosed with pneumonia on Friday. During a Sept. 11 memorial event on Sunday at Ground Zero, she was unsteady and clearly needed help getting into a van after becoming "overheated and dehydrated." And Clinton canceled a planned to trip to California for Monday while she rests at home.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/hillary-clinton-s-health-scare-9-unanswered-questions-n646551


The Cons using the same old politics of personal destruction playbook against Biden that they used against Hillary.

[LisaM]

24. That goes back to 2008.

They harped and harped about the age difference between her and Obama, and people were yapping nonsense like, 'Baby Boomers, your day is over'. (This despite Obama being a late Boomer himself).

[bronxiteforever]

26. One of the great experiences of my life was seeing

Obama in person in 2008. Just awesome.

[LisaM]

30. I saw Hillary in 2008. She was fantastic.

Last edited Wed Apr 26, 2023, 02:56 PM - Edit history (1)

Right before the caucuses in Washington that year, she, Obama, and McCain all came to Seattle.

What they did was all very telling. McCain did an expensive private breakfast for donors. Obama blew in for a speech at an arena. Hillary did a town hall for nurses, sat down with the local press for an interview (the only candidate who accepted the invitation) and did an evening speech in an unheated warehouse, which was the event I went to. Much was made of how Obama went outside and waved at supporters who couldn't get in for his speech, but the news never mentioned that Hillary stayed at the venue till probably midnight talking individually to people who wanted to get her ear. In fact, many of the nurses at the town hall probably couldn't even vote for her, because the system then was an in-person caucus on a Saturday (one of the worst experiences I have had, BTW, because the Obama people were absolutely vile and kept shouting the Hillary people down. I left in tears). Hillary's event also got little to no coverage on the local news, unlike Obama's.

It has always struck me that she did three events while the two male candidates only did one each - both completely on brand - and at one of hers, she was speaking to people who were marginalized out of our voting system, just because she cared.

Kind of a digression, but it just shows that the older candidates sometimes have more stamina than the younger ones.

[betsuni]

35. +1

[Rebl2]

23. NPR

Also mention’s his age a lot.

[LakeArenal]

25. People HERE on DU say it a lot.

[highplainsdem]

36. Yes. Unfortunately.

[underpants]

9. Yes and repetition works

The media is creating a story and planting it in people’s heads.

[FalloutShelter]

11. This just burns my ass!

But… the TRAITOR is viable and popular with voters.
WHAT?!?! He is three years younger than Biden THREE!
I think the TRAITOR Clearly has dementia. He cannot speak extemporaneously without going off the rails.
Hiding??? Just yesterday the TRAITOR said he would not debate… wonder why.

The MSM does nothing but prop up the TRAITOR. Draw your own conclusions.

[Cha]

38. I can imagine.. that's why I got pissed

off the other day about an article on here from Politico saying Pres Biden was "Notoriously Dithering" about something.

It plays right into the fucking fux sewer & m$$$$m Memes.

[bronxiteforever]

6. K&R.

Age is a concern but as the author points out there is a Vice President who has served a term with the President and she has previously served in the US Senate. She clearly has the experience and capabilities to serve as President.

There is no perfect candidate ever. They all have some perceived weaknesses as they are human.
POTUS Biden has accomplished much more legislatively than I thought possible. He is a moral human with empathy for his fellow citizens. He has had to rebuild our foreign alliances, some of which were grievously wounded by TFG. He has stood up against autocrats. He has fought for civil rights. He performed well during the pandemic. He brought calm and deliberation back to the White House. I see no reason to support any other candidate. So I am backing the candidate from
hard scrabble Scranton.

[MiHale]

8. KnR

[treestar]

10. great points

Biden has excellent health and is fit. It's not the number alone. Many people in their 60s are in worse shape than he.

His mind is engaged -people who don't retire and stay in at least are still engaged and that activity keep them more agile than those who retire. Great for them who retire, but people need to quit comparing their retired parents or using them as examples against those who are still engaged at the same ages.

[yorkster]

12. Saw a brief clip of Chris Sununu on CNN

Going after Biden age, then see Peter Alexander on MSNBC asking a young "small business owner" in PA what she thinks about a Biden Trump rematch. He mentioned age as the major issue in his very leading question. She said "It's a mess" then said we need someone in the center to run.

That kind of bs is all over the media. They learned nothing from the recent elections and will keep pushing the same obnoxious memes.

In general I watch much less of all of it, other than O'Donnell. Rachel and Velshi.

Thanks for Rothkopf article.

[elias7]

13. And hugely effective because of it

[malaise]

14. From JHBs Cartoon thread

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100217860789

[Beatlelvr]

17. Running for US president is a fucking marathon!

And it goes 18 months! It's ridiculous. Biden (and Hillary Clinton btw) persevered through all the travel, interviews, speeches, handshaking, talking to people one-on-one, dealing with the press, accusations from left and right, and didn't lose his shit. I'm "only" 71 and couldn't do it. He's got his faults but my god, he saved this country.

[betsuni]

18. K&R

[Mister Ed]

19. If the worst that can be said about an incumbent candidate is that he's old...

...then you got yourself a mighty fine candidate.

[StarryNite]

21. Exactly!

[mountain grammy]

22. Exactly!

[highplainsdem]

34. +1,000,000

[mountain grammy]

20. love David Rothkopf

Listen to him often on the Stand up with Pete Dominick podcast which I highly recommend.

[judesedit]

27. Plus, he is in waaayyy better mental and physical shape than Dolt 45

Go Joe Biden!

[spooky3]

28. Great op. And a key point of anti-discrimination laws is to treat people as individuals

While some age stereotypes may be accurate for some people, his record and his behavior clearly show they don’t fit him.

[Wild blueberry]

29. Bravo!

Thank you.

[flying_wahini]

31. Never forget that the GOP ran Reagan with DEMENTIA and knew it.

They had him running for helicopters and not speaking out before the press for months, if I recall.

[flying_wahini]

32. I would rather he be old than dumb. W was no shiny penny.

[FemDemERA]

33. That is a great come-back line!!

He and his staff/supporters should just start saying that back to every reporter who brings up age...

Question: "Do you think your age is a problem"?
Reply: "Take a look at the opposition. I would rather be old than dumb."

[crickets]

39. This! nt

[Cha]

37. Brilliantly Stated, hpd.. Mahalo Nui Loa!

Bookmarking this.. Thanks to David Rothkopf!! :

[mcar]

40. Kick!

[Cha]

41. KICK!!

[sheshe2]

42. Recommend!

Kick!

[LetMyPeopleVote]

43. They want to make this race about fitness for office? Game on.

Link to tweet

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