Joe Biden ist just like many octogenariens.....

Bump

Trump is only 3 years younger than Biden! I can't believe it - he seems far more energetic and vigorous. Biden just looks frail and confused.
Obama holding his hand to get him offstage, calling Zelensky "President Putin" to his face
Hopeless.

Covid would be a feeble get out. My money's still on a medical diagnosis, but something with a little more heft.

Seems I was wrong about Biden using covid as a gentle get-out, at least willingly. Just reported: "I look forward to getting back on the campaign trail next week to continue exposing the threat of Donald Trump’s Project 2025 agenda"

If the party wants rid of him - and increasing numbers are now speaking up - he may have to be forced, and that would be a sadly undignified end

@billysboy I think a lot of people thought Biden was only in it for 1 term anyway and were surprised that he didn’t announce he would not be running.

Whether that is down to ego (and let’s be honest you’ve got to have a pretty over-inflated sense of yourself to think you’re capable of the job in the first place!) or bad advice, who knows.

The problem is that, unlike here in the U.K., it’s pretty hard to get a President to step aside without their agreement - look at how fast Boris (eventually) and Liz Truss were removed.

My understanding is that the 25th amendment says the President can only be forced out if the VP and the majority of the Cabinet agree that he is unfit to continue and that this then has to be ratified by the Speaker of the House and the president pro tempore of the Senate. I can’t see a Republican Speaker ratifying (or at least I’d imagine there would be heavy pressure not to ratify) as they want Trump to go up against Biden.

Of course I may have misunderstood the intricacies of the 25th - I have garnered all my knowledge of US politics on a heady combination of The West Wing and TRIP US!

Biden just needs to accept things and move on , its a pity he was not advised to do so earlier , better a day too soon rather than a day late

Oh I know, but I can dream!

The Republicans are definitely afraid of her though. Eric Trump seems to think she and Obama are still running things!

I’d love Michelle Obama, but seriously it’s very unrealistic. If you read her book, she goes on about how much she dislikes politics, the spotlight, didn’t even want her husband to run. You might as well be calling for Taylor Swift to run. She turns 35 just before inauguration day. Not going to happen.

I’m not sure, there is still time I think if they switch Biden out.

Thanks, x2boys
As we've both said there's no knowing exactly what he's suffering from, but I was pretty sure I'd read about the boundaries/lessening of inhibitions issue and it's interesting to have it confirmed

Personally I believe Covid will be used as a gentle easing out process, massively spun to claim he's doing it for the sake of the nation, but time will tell

As far as winning the election it doesn't really matter who they pick, as Trump has already won it, particularly now he's appointed Vance who makes Trump look more moderate. I'm not sure Kamala Harris is much cop.

Yes I’ve just seen that Rory Stewart is saying on Twitter that he thinks Biden will go in the next few days.

What are people’s thoughts on Michelle Obama as the Democratic nominee? I know she’s said in the past that she’s not interested in a political career of her own, but I read on the BBC last night that her name keeps coming up in Republican circles as the one person they’d be afraid of running against.

I’m sure it’s very unlikely, but oh wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a grown up like her in charge! Plus I’d love to see her tear Trump into little bitty pieces during a debate!

Hard to tell. His face looks quite mask like, but that could be the face-lift.

It doesn’t appear to be dementia. But rather some doctors who specialise in neurgocial conditions, who are hesitant to diagnose, all feel he presents like he has Parkinson’s.

Listening to the Today programme this morning it was said there are rumours that Biden is going to stand down this weekend.....

Dementia is a generic term for a number of different conditions thst cause long term memory loss including Alzheimers
Some of which can cause loss of boundaries and disinhibition, We don't know wether hes be diagnosed with Dementia yet or which one.

The Democrats cannot pretend this was not an issue. In March 2023 before he announced members of the public were saying that they would be disappointed if he was the candidate and angry if he was due to age. It might not be fair but it’s still true. (Washington post article). Arguably part of what made them pick Biden last time was that only a white man could beat Trump, so that time unfairness went in Biden’s favour.

It’s good having a team around you but ultimately the President exercises power unless Article 25 is used so there should be someone who can do the job. As discovered with Trump a lot is about norms not law so if a President is not so incapable for that power then they can do a heck of a lot of stuff.

Have you told that to the airline industry? 😁 Some jobs do have an upper age limit, and for good reason. I think POTUS should be one of them.

This wouldn't surprise me and as others have said I wonder if covid is being used as a gentle way out.

Either that or some democrat purposely tried to infect him in the hope he'd have to stand down. Not a conspiracy, I just don't have a very high opinion of politicians !!

Associate Editor of The Hill is being interviewed now on Sky News. He says Biden’s situation is absolutely dire and he will surely stand down as nominee within the coming week.

They should both resign. Trump is 78 too.

I think that one may have been where the clip was edited and "sniffing noises" inserted, @Manhere2024, but there are far too many others where the actions are clear and not susceptible to manipulation

Not sure I'd call Biden a deliberate creep though; I don't do armchair diagnosis, but if it's true he suffers dementia isn't a lessening/misunderstanding of boundaries said to be one of the symptoms?

https://www.reuters.com/article/fact-check/video-of-biden-loudly-sniffing-a-baby-is-digitally-edited-idUSL1N38W1WG/

Leader of the free world no less

Ah yes I do see it’s been covered a lot in the US and internationally. Here’s a Sky News Australia video about it for example: