Biden president at 78.

[mikkyr]

I just don’t really understand... 78? He will be 82 at the end of his term. They’ve made such a big deal about Trump being one of very few presidents who failed to secure a 2nd term so will Biden run again at 82? And then we have a 86 year old US president at the end of that term?

Is the consensus that Biden won’t see out this term and hand over to Harris?

I recall my grandparents needing 2 days of recovery after their UK-SA air travel at a younger age and there is no jet lag to factor in.
How is this guy going to cope? And quite honestly why does someone who should be enjoying their retirement have any desire to be president. I get these men live off power but why do voters think this is reasonable.

He is way too old. Looks like he's on his last legs

My gardener is 86. He works every day cutting grass, painting fences and trimming hedges.

On the other hand, my FIL is 65 and can barely walk up a flight of stairs.

Age does not mean unhealthy. Did one of the Arctic explorers carry on into his 90s?

@Grenlei

I do understand how the nomination process works thanks

But it astonishes me that the output of such a lengthy process is that Trump and Biden are the best 2 candidates. Can that really be true? Honestly I wouldn't want either of them running my country.

Then you would know the Electoral Vote had nothing to do with who actually ran for President. We did have someone better. Bernie Sanders would have been much better than both . But according to this thread Sanders should be in the ground by now. The American Democrats did not believe there was anyone better. They chose who they wanted and respected and what they felt they needed. Somebody centrist. Unfortumately that was not Sanders

He’s spent 47 years not doing the things he has promised he will do now. Better late than never, I suppose.

Third time’s the charm. He withdrew on his two previous attempts because he admitted he lied and cheated. Do we believe him this time? Maybe not.

@BritWifeinUSA
Totally agree. He sounds full of $hit to me and very patronising

@flaviaritt

He has a stutter. It's common to trip over words and forget things when you have a stutter. He's done it since he was young.

I’m not talking about his stutter. The other day he introduced one of his granddaughters as her dead father, Beau.

And I've introduced one of mine as her father. Who isn't dead. And I was 28 at the time.

The link between the two is that I have a stammer as well, so whilst I meant to say 'This is my daughter with 'Phil', 'Alice' ', the words got jumbled up before they left my mouth, so 'This is Phil. Alice. Alice. Phil's her dad' came out.

It's no more significant than how most parents with more than one kid have run through all the names of children and the family pets before they get to the right one at some point.

As a PP said my understanding was that he had closed the book on running again but watching America be destroyed by a literal psychopath in the White House made him decide to run again. Good for him. He’s got a younger running mate and he has been in politics for 50 years. Plus he’s only what, two or three years older than Trump so it’s hardly a big change of age in the job. His age is not an issue in my opinion and he can’t be worse than Trump.

@twilightermummy

I really think that there needs to be a cut off around 60. How on earth could these rich pensioners have any sort of an idea what young working families are going through! It’s absolutely ridiculous.

Perhaps because they were young working families once. You don’t just lose your memory when you hit 60. And most are the parents of those young working families.

MitziK

I’m sorry that I don’t share your confidence in that. I haven’t seen his medical records. I look at him and see an elderly man who can’t necessarily remember things. You may be of the view that his stutter is the reason for that, but I am not as convinced.

@mikkyr

I just don’t really understand... 78? He will be 82 at the end of his term. They’ve made such a big deal about Trump being one of very few presidents who failed to secure a 2nd term so will Biden run again at 82? And then we have a 86 year old US president at the end of that term?

Is the consensus that Biden won’t see out this term and hand over to Harris?

I recall my grandparents needing 2 days of recovery after their UK-SA air travel at a younger age and there is no jet lag to factor in.
How is this guy going to cope? And quite honestly why does someone who should be enjoying their retirement have any desire to be president. I get these men live off power but why do voters think this is reasonable.

Your grandparents weren't travelling on Air Force One.

He is experienced. He is obviously offering them what they want compared to the current incumbent.

I look at him and see an elderly man who can’t necessarily remember things. You may be of the view that his stutter is the reason for that, but I am not as convinced

You seem to be a bit of a dinosaur. Here you are displaying blatant ageism on this thread and you started another one defending an 85 year old man’s sexism.

You seem to be a bit of a dinosaur. Here you are displaying blatant ageism on this thread and you started another one defending an 85 year old man’s sexism.

I don’t think I am displaying ageism. It is a matter of simple fact to say that age brings decline (in all of us), and Biden is showing signs of that decline. If, by “dinosaur”, you mean I have an old fashioned regard for people’s right to have an opinion that doesn’t necessarily please other people, then sure. I do.

silentpool blair to brown isn't comparable, it's one middle aged white male to another.

blair to brown isn't comparable, it's one middle aged white male to another.

I’m trying to work out what you are implying here. Is it that Blair/Brown makes no difference because they are both white and male and a similar age?

@mikkyr

I’m not saying Trump is better. I’m just questioning why a 78 year old wants such a grueling job and if it’s the best outcome for the US. If he is the best guy for the job then I’m all for it. Why aren’t there younger candidates?

It's not up to you to question what anyone wants though, is it?

Personally I think Biden was the right candidate for the democrats this year - yes he's older but he's a career politician and very experienced and highly regarded. Someone younger and less well known would not have had as good a chance at bearing an incumbent president.

*beating an incumbent president

**It's not up to you to question what anyone wants though, is it?

Well actually that is the point of chat forums... to ask and to question and to request opinions.

@BlueCatRedCat

And quite honestly why does someone who should be enjoying their retirement have any desire to be president. I get these men live off power but why do voters think this is reasonable.

He's spent 50 years in public service for the country he loves. He's aspired to be president for over 30 years, this was his third run. He's well liked and respected on both sides of the aisle. It was him that helped Obama get any sort of cooperation from the Republicans during Obama's time in office - Obama had only had a couple of years in senate before he became president and he was not particularly liked outside his party, Joe had all the political connections. His son died 5 years ago, and told his dad before he died that Joe needed to make sure he had a purpose in his life. He's seen his beloved America torn apart by a sociopath, and has stepped up in the hope he can heal the divisions. Not all older people aspire to sit in a chair watching daytime TV for the remainder of their lives. Why not give him a chance?

Well said!

flaviaritt I'm making a point about people being uncomfortable with a black woman being in a position of power as I clearly said. It's interesting that you're pretending you don't know what my point is.

WaterOffADucksCrack

I’m not pretending. I genuinely don’t know what you are trying to say about Blair and Brown, with regards to it being comparable to a situation where Biden gave up his position to Harris. Of course it would be comparable. Are you saying not?

@emilyfrost

And quite honestly why does someone who should be enjoying their retirement have any desire to be president.

Nobody should be doing anything. People can live their lives how they want, not dictated by what people think they should be doing at their age.

This!

Age should not be an obstacle, so what if he's 78?!

Nelson Mandela was 76 when he became president and he managed perfectly well. He also only served one term which I think that Biden has said that he will do. Donald Trump is only a few years younger than Biden!

@WaterOffADucksCrack

flaviaritt I'm making a point about people being uncomfortable with a black woman being in a position of power as I clearly said. It's interesting that you're pretending you don't know what my point is.

I think it would be fair to say that SOME people might be uncomfortable, but a huge number are delighted with the prospect.

Just as many Americans enthusiastically elected Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012.

I really hope we can get to a point one day when gender and race are no longer considered especially relevant when voters decide whom to vote for. A candidate’s policies should really be what count.

But we’re not there yet, perhaps my children ( Gen Z) will get us there.🤞

Nelson Mandela was 76 when he became president and he managed perfectly well.

Now that is a fair point, well made.

It's no more significant than how most parents with more than one kid have run through all the names of children and the family pets before they get to the right one at some point. I do that, 4 kids, their 4 partners, 6 GC, drives me mad but the family find it hilarious.