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Original poster

Is there reliable evidence of Biden's cognitive impairment?

64 replies

Notcookie · 26/12/2023 22:56

I've seen quite a fews videos of Biden's confusion and physical frailty that make me question his cognitive abilities. He seems to have moments of senility and confusion that are worrying. I was chatting to a friend about this and she said that all these videos are made up by Trump supporters. I've tried searching but it's hard to find "evidence" from objective sources. Just wondering if I've been taken in by Trumpists or if there really is objective evidence from sources that aren't wildly biased?!

I don't know a lot about US politics. Hate Trump but had also come to conclusion that Biden isn't fit to be president. Interested to find out what the real truth is about Biden's health.

OP posts:
PamelaParis · 26/12/2023 22:59

Well I do know a lot about US politics and as far as I can tell, he's fine (for now). Should he run again, no. Will he? Yes, probably.

Abhannmor · 26/12/2023 23:00

I sometimes dry up in mid conversation and I'm a lot younger than Biden. Trump isn't subject to the same scrutiny because his bizarre ramblings are already priced in I suppose?

festivetinseling · 26/12/2023 23:15

Notcookie · 26/12/2023 22:56

I've seen quite a fews videos of Biden's confusion and physical frailty that make me question his cognitive abilities. He seems to have moments of senility and confusion that are worrying. I was chatting to a friend about this and she said that all these videos are made up by Trump supporters. I've tried searching but it's hard to find "evidence" from objective sources. Just wondering if I've been taken in by Trumpists or if there really is objective evidence from sources that aren't wildly biased?!

I don't know a lot about US politics. Hate Trump but had also come to conclusion that Biden isn't fit to be president. Interested to find out what the real truth is about Biden's health.

"Hate Trump but had also come to the conclusion that Biden isn't fit to be president"

I'd take an "isn't fit to be president" Biden over Trump any day.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Politics
MaggieFS · 26/12/2023 23:18

You need to go off and google all about deep fakes.

And then when you've done that, also understand why there are warnings about how ill prepared the UK is for our forthcoming general election to be swayed by deepfake propaganda.

Original poster
Notcookie · 26/12/2023 23:31

"I'd take an "isn't fit to be president" Biden over Trump any day."

So would I but that doesn't address my question.

OP posts:
Original poster
Notcookie · 26/12/2023 23:32

Didn't he say that his son Beau died in the Iraq war but he actually died of cancer?

OP posts:
Blahdeblah12345 · 26/12/2023 23:49

They aren't deep fakes fgs. The videos come from reliable broadcast sources. Are they edited to show the bad parts? Sure, but the bad parts still happen with alarming frequency. I can't stand to watch him on live broadcasts, it's just so cringe. Not a trump supporter either btw. Surely there has to be some better options?

SpuytenDuyvil · 26/12/2023 23:51

He’s been a great president. It is Republican and right wing strategy to drag him down.

GrumpyPanda · 26/12/2023 23:56

Biden has overcome a childhood stutter - would be surprising for him to suddenly transform into a charismatic public speaker. Whereas IQ45 hasn't been able to string two coherent sentences together since before he ever ran for the presidency.

And I find it hard to believe this type of faux-naive question is genuine.

Original poster
Notcookie · 26/12/2023 23:56

I'm sure that it is Republican strategy to question his mental fitness but that doesn't mean non-Republican supporters can't also question it. I have zero ulterior motives, I'm just interested in what the truth is. My friend is convinced its all made up whereas I'm suspicious that there is some truth in it.

I don't need any more evidence of Trump's mental health to have made up my mind about him (a narcissistic lying egomaniac who thinks things becomes true if he says them).

I think Biden is a good guy but from what I've seen he isn't mentally fit. I'm just questioning what actual objective evidence there is for this from unbiased sources.

OP posts:
getfreddynow · 27/12/2023 00:03

how about you post a link/ some potential evidence that you and your friend disagree over and posters on here can let you know their opinion.

boxingdaydip · 27/12/2023 00:10

@Notcookie if you couldn't find reliable evidence by googling I don't think you'll find it on Mumsnet. If the videos are being served to you on social media then yes, they're likely to be biased. Did you check where they originated? It's best stick to relatively trustworthy news sources like the BBC. If they had evidence of a significant impairment they would have covered it, but they haven't. Absence of evidence isn't evidence of absence, but the burden of proof is on the accusers - a few isolated video clips aren't sufficient to prove anything is wrong.

sadeyedladyofthelowlandsea · 27/12/2023 03:14

The Americast podcast from the BBC cover this every now & then, with a variety of journalists & experts. The general conclusion seems to be that whilst he's not got dementia, he's certainly a bit doddery, for want of a better word. Which is fair enough for a man in his 80s.

Blahdeblah12345 · 27/12/2023 03:33

For example, here is a video posted by the independent of one of his many forgetful moments. Are they a right wing trump supporting site who would post a deep fake?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JiafgQEz_Rk

He has claimed more than once now that his son beau died in Iraq, and he regularly takes long pauses when speaking, seems to fall asleep, appears confused about where to go and generally just seems "off". You can find links to these moments that aren't from right wing sources. For example,

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/01/us/politics/biden-ukraine-iraq-beau.html

To deny that he might not be at his best due to his age is just bizarre at this stage

Biden appears to forget death of congresswoman as he calls on her at event

President Joe Biden seemingly asked if the late Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-IN) was in attendance during the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Hea...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JiafgQEz_Rk

Josette77 · 27/12/2023 03:44

I'm more concerned he says things like " poor kids are just as bright as white kids."

HoppingPavlova · 27/12/2023 03:50

I thought a lot was likely due to the stutter. You can overcome it but essentially strategies are usually life-long and sometimes you know they are not going to work so it’s a bit of a brain freeze - go on knowing you will stutter profusely and not get anything but gibberish out or shut it down? Neither are great if you are in a public speaking role but what do you do? I really admire people who have pushed through and do public speaking roles when in this position as it’s only ever pushed to the background, further for some people than others and takes courage every time they get up to speak.

I had this with two colleagues over the decades. Extremely bright and competent people and 99.9% of the time speech was fine but on rare occasion the stutter completely took over to the point of gibberish. One of them did frequent public speaking (educational presentations) and we all held our breath each time. Generally it was fine but rarely it wasn’t but they used the forge on strategy where we just read the PowerPoint and struggled through them trying to explain, but that’s an auditorium of understanding medical professionals, not a world stage where opposition and supporters are absolutely going to tear you apart, claim you’ve had a stroke etc.

flowerchild2000 · 27/12/2023 03:53

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daisychain01 · 27/12/2023 03:59

@flowerchild2000 how about you cut the ageism (Reported)

Biscuithelp · 27/12/2023 04:25

OP I have exactly the same question. People get terribly defensive as they have here - when it is an important question to ask about someone in charge of nuclear weapons! The choice shouldn’t be ‘shut up and accept someone with dementia so it isn’t Trump’ ffs - it should be ‘find another democrat without cognitive impairment’

Biscuithelp · 27/12/2023 04:28

boxingdaydip · 27/12/2023 00:10

@Notcookie if you couldn't find reliable evidence by googling I don't think you'll find it on Mumsnet. If the videos are being served to you on social media then yes, they're likely to be biased. Did you check where they originated? It's best stick to relatively trustworthy news sources like the BBC. If they had evidence of a significant impairment they would have covered it, but they haven't. Absence of evidence isn't evidence of absence, but the burden of proof is on the accusers - a few isolated video clips aren't sufficient to prove anything is wrong.

While I agree with this, the trouble is a) the bbc and other news sources are desperate for trump not to win and could cover things up and b) Biden’s team whip him out of places quickly. He also does fewer speeches and press conferences than any other president has. So it is difficult to truly judge.

flowerchild2000 · 27/12/2023 04:46

daisychain01 · 27/12/2023 03:59

@flowerchild2000 how about you cut the ageism (Reported)

When everyone in my country's leadership is too out of touch with their people and too decrepit to keep their shit together I'm gonna say it.

Netaporter · 27/12/2023 04:51

I don’t think it is difficult to find examples of behaviour that is of concern. It is how to interpret them. For reasons of diplomacy alone (forget the politics ) the BBC is never going to run a panorama-style programme examining the situation but it is probably what is required to reach a conclusion. Even last night on the BBC during the coronation programme, there was a clip of Biden meeting the King. Objectively, he looked confused. Not just “what camera should I be looking at” confused, but the sort of glassy-eyed confusion I noticed in my Dad who also had cognitive impairment in latter years.

The trouble the US electorate faces is that because of his likely opponent, an impartial broadcast report on Biden’s health/cognitive assessment is unlikely to be run. Especially as his VP has not proven to be popular. Should the republicans manage to cobble together a nominee who is not an unhinged narcissist who displays a modicum of reasonableness, the situation may change. In that scenario, the Democrats would be forced to assess staying loyal to Biden or losing power. Sadly, this is unlikely and unless Biden does the right thing and steps down, the reality for some of the electorate is voting for someone who has previously done the job or facing the prospect of an unelected Kamala Harris presidency.

PenguinBall · 27/12/2023 05:45

Abhannmor · 26/12/2023 23:00

I sometimes dry up in mid conversation and I'm a lot younger than Biden. Trump isn't subject to the same scrutiny because his bizarre ramblings are already priced in I suppose?

I assume you're not the leader of a major world power, though? There are certain skills demanded by certain jobs and I think that being articulate and not easily confused or muddled is crucial for a world leader.

I don't understand the defensiveness of some posters. Asking about Biden's competence is a totally reasonable question. Imo to stand the best chance of winning the democrats must pick someone else for their candidate. I'd be very surprised if they do though.

Newchapterbeckons · 27/12/2023 06:21

It’s been publicly acknowledged for years that Biden is in cognitive decline; we can’t medically label him but it’s very obvious if you watch many of his speeches. He needs to step down. My understanding is he won’t. It’s silly to say this is a republican effort to remove him, Biden should not have been made president in the first place, he does not have adequate mental capacity to run the country safely.

SpuytenDuyvil · 27/12/2023 06:39

It’s not silly to say it’s a Republican strategy to ruin the public’s view of Biden. It’s an obvious truth. The problem is that what happened on Jan 6 was so terrifying. You think we Americans think we are more important than we are; I think the level of global destabilization of a second Trump presidency would be felt by all of us