Should Biden Step Aside?

The world is watching as President Biden works to prove he is fit to serve four more years. Should Biden step aside? He doesn’t think so, but the Democrats are becoming increasingly divided on whether to continue to support him – raising tensions among members of the party.

His damaging debate

If you watched the June 27 presidential debate between U.S. President Joe Biden and former President Donald J. Trump, you witnessed Biden’s poor debate performance. Some media outlets likened it to watching a train wreck. Biden’s flubs stirred major concerns over his health and ability to lead. Speculation arose that our current commander-in-chief may be suffering from dementia. However, Alzheimers.org.uk has urged people not to offer diagnosis from afar. They share the following points:

• Diagnosis without proper medical assessment is unethical.
• The diagnosis will probably be wrong.
• It stigmatizes people living with dementia.
• It normalizes unhelpful language.

Dementia vs. normal aging

Dementia is a syndrome associated with many neurodegenerative diseases and is characterized by a decline in cognitive abilities. It is more than the “benign age-related forgetfulness” that seniors may sometimes experience during their later years. Basic age-related forgetfulness tends to be subtle, and progression is slow. In an example of age-related forgetfulness, an older person may temporarily misplace a car key. In comparison, dementia is more serious. For instance, an older person with dementia may be confused about what the key is for. Dementia is the result of declining brain function that negatively affects a person’s ability to perform everyday activities.

A word from the experts

Medical experts caution that it is ill-advised for people lacking medical backgrounds to jump to medical conclusions. They state that one cannot distinguish complex medical conditions like dementia from watching a debate. However, it is clear to the American public that President Biden has been facing moments of mental unclarity, and they have a right to be concerned. It’s natural that people seek leaders of sound mind to represent them. Thus, voters want answers as to why the president is stumbling at times. Per Business Insider, Biden’s campaign team “…offered various explanations for his debate performance, including jet lag, poor preparation, and a cold.” Biden’s team is working hard to ensure that faith is not lost in the President’s ability to lead.

More gaffes?

At a recent NATO summit in Washington, Biden incorrectly introduced Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy as President Putin. Was the mistake a simple “slip of the tongue” or something more serious? During the President’s July 11 news conference, designed to show the public that he is fit for office, Biden read from a teleprompter and had a written list of reporters to call on for questions. During the televised conference, the president spoke of his determination to run for reelection, despite some Democratic lawmakers publicly calling for him to step aside. During the nearly hourlong news conference, Biden discussed foreign policy and other subjects including his health. The President made yet another gaffe by mixing up Vice President Harris and Trump when he said, “I wouldn’t have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president if she wasn’t qualified.” Another slip of the tongue or is his confusion indicative of a medical issue?

Aging candidates

It’s no secret that Joe Biden (age 81) and Donald Trump (age 78) are respectively the oldest and second oldest candidates running for President. With age as a hot topic, many Americans are entertaining the idea that presidents should be subject to regular physical and mental evaluations to include cognitive testing. In 2023, The Hill shared that several high-ranking Republicans were pushing for mandatory mental acuity testing, including then GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley. Increasingly, more people support the idea of term limits for Congress and mandatory competency tests for politicians over 75 years of age. Donald Trump supports such examinations, remarking that he took a dementia screening test in 2020 and did well. He also described “acing” a more recent cognitive exam, designed to assess his mental awareness, reasoning and memory.

Discussions abound

Democrats are dialoguing over whether to replace Biden as their nominee. However, for now, most feel compelled to stand by the President as previously pledged. First Lady Jill Biden continues to support her husband’s candidacy. In doing so, she is facing mounting criticism for failing to protect her husband in the wake of his poor debate performance. Some previous supporters of Biden, including actor George Clooney, have lost faith in the President’s ability to lead. Clooney is calling for Biden to step aside for the good of the party. Even Biden acknowledges he’s slowed down, admitting that he needs to pace himself despite heading into a busy 2024 election schedule.

No real backup plan

So, where do things stand? Biden’s weaknesses may benefit Trump and the Republican party in the election. Biden and his team are trying to prove that the President is capable of handling four more years in office. Meanwhile, Democrats are purportedly scrambling as they have no real backup plan. They are faced with the dilemma of supporting Biden or going with another candidate, perhaps Vice President Kamala Harris. However, not everyone is thrilled with Harris’ leadership, particularly as it relates to the border crisis. The VP also struggles with low approval ratings in the White House, causing a lack of enthusiasm about her. Should Biden step aside? Some Democrats say yes, and some say no. We must wait and see how this plays out – as only time will tell.

This article is an opinion piece intended to promote free thinking. It is not intended as a medical resource, nor has it been medically reviewed. Rather, the information provided is for general informational purposes only.