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

Yes that's the problem. Even if Joe Biden was the most alert, whip-smart 81 year old ever, I wouldn't want to bet the safety of the world and the prosperity of a nation on him staying that way for a long four and a half years. Obviously even a forty year old president can have a heart attack or get cancer, but it's the insidious nature of age-related mental decline that's so worrying.

Ditto Trump at 78 - in fact more so, because he's less likely to listen to advisers, and I trust Dr Jill more than I do Melania.

Seems neither the democrats or republicans have heard of succession planning.

Are 2 over 70s the best America has or does noone else want to take up the poisoned chalice?

It's not too late. Later than we'd like, inconveniently late, but not too late. The reason why the clamour for him to go from the Democrats is so loud is that he can be replaced as candidate at the Democratic National Convention in late August. It's not normal but it's very doable.

My dad is the same age too, before the pandemic he would go on 20 mile bike rides
Now he can barely manage to ,shuffle round the house it's sad to see
He's also noticeably far less alert than he used to be.

It's too late for Biden to step down now.

It's just madness that the US has no upper age limit on who can run for presidency! Given its not exactly a secret that mental acuity declines in old age.

An age limit of 66, meaning the oldest a president can be is 70 would make sense.

Seems daft that they have a lower age limit for president but not an upper age limit. Old no longer means wise in the way it might have done when life expectancy was much shorter.

My dad is the same age and everyone is shocked when they find out his age. He is considered very young and fit for his age. He still walks the dog miles every day and tows the caravan round the UK. But he is clearly not as fit as he thinks, he gets forgetful, he's been scammed a couple of times buying appliances off dodgy websites. When cold callers ring he gets sucked in. He is in no way fit to be working never mind running a nation. And he's the most with it 80 odd year old I know. The situation in the US is ridiculous.

No, she has not responded well as a VP. Let’s leave the race and gender aside. In fact polls are saying Michelle Obama could beat Trump and she is black and a woman. The diversity hire is what got us into this situation here. Kamala Harris just hasn’t got it in her.

About Biden I find it funny people said they are disappointed. Did you really believed him? People think of the now and not of the consequences. This was all discussed and dismissed in 2020.

I think/hope that his comment about his doctors was paving the way for him to step aside.

Covid would be a bit weak, but if you put an eighty something man in a full body MRI and get the most expensive doctors in America to look at the scan then you will find something that looks a bit like cancer and justifies him stepping down gracefully.

I remember him saying he was one term only so yeah that annoyed me too. I don't even care about his age, if the American public want to vote for him they will if they don't they won't.

I’m quite angry with Biden. He actually said before he got elected that he would only serve one term. He has always known even the first time people thought he might be too old. The debate was to try to show he was fine and he should have gone as soon as it happened. Even if the excuse he had a cold was true then he has too bad judgment when he did not decide to postpone.

The Democrats should have taken him at his word and started a full primary with a range of viable candidates. I’m not American so not sure whether that would or could have worked if you had an incumbent saying they were running through the whole thing.

When you say no solid VP is that because of comments you've read online? That's an idea Trump is pushing but she's actually extremely talented and capable. But there are great other candidates too that poll better. Kamala is not white and she's female so surprise, she doesnt poll that well amongst certain sectors of the American population but she's excellent at what she does.

Well let's see, he said he'd leave the race if diagnosed with a medical condition which is a climb down. 1 day later he has COVID. So this could be his exit strategy. There are some great alternatives in the wings. Let's hope for the best.

Apparently the shooting didn't change the polls to increase a Trump vote so it's still anyone's to win.

I find the democrats behaviour really weird. It’s like they are in a mass delusion that the aging process won’t affect their candidate. 3 out of 4 of my grandparents died aged 84. He looks ridiculous and offering trump victory on a plate.

Totally agree OP. He’s also left it very late given there isn’t a clear candidate and potentially in fighting within the Democrats further weakens their case.

Good luck Dd emigrating to Trump land next month, you will probably need it with either of them in power.

He's the same age as my mum and Dad ,my Dad has declined rapidly over the past few years and myvmum is severely disabled anyway
Trump is only four years younger though!

It is sad to see, I hope he does decide not to be a candidate. He will lose anyway, an alternative Democrat candidate might win.

Biden doesn't even have a good vice president, in terms of there being a solid safety net if his health continues to deteriorate. I can't understand his reasoning at all, in not stepping down or changing his VP. Is it ego?

It’s seems to be a tough job that would benefit from some youthful energy or at least a candidate below retirement age

The stupidest thing is that this is Biden now - he won’t win but if he did, what will he be like in 4 years?

I couldn't imagine working at Biden's age. Especially because it's a huge responsibility.

I took cannot believe that out of that whole vast country Biden and Trump are the best candidates on offer.

It's totally farcical.

Biden is irritating the fuck out of me with his bumbling and his stubborn refusal to step aside. I can't abide Trump either but the election victory is now almost certainly his and that is a worrying prospect.

So much of this could have been improved if only the Democrats had picked their candidate more wisely instead of backing the shit show that is increasingly Biden for so long.

You could, of course, say that the Republicans too have a horrendous candidate, and that's true. However, theirs is being handed victory on a plate and all they or Trump really have to do is sit back and let Biden and the Democrats get on with it.

If I personally had to make a choice between Biden or Trump on my ballot paper I really don't know what I would do. I simply couldn't vote for the god awful Trump at all, but Biden is hardly an inspiring alternative. I'd probably have to abstain, and I do not really believe in doing that because your vote is your main voice and in most countries in the world it was hard won.Decent and acceptable choices on the ballot paper are needed though.

I don't envy those who will have to make this shit choice.

It’s all academic now, it doesn’t matter whether Biden steps aside or not, the election is already won. The damage has been done, so a slow handclap all round for Biden as we face four more years of Trump.