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.

My FIL is 78 and fitter than I am.

Lays patios, builds sheds, boards out lofts with no problems at all.

He spent his 77th birthday in Costa Rica doing the biggest zip wire in the world through the Amazon rainforest!

@ivfbeenbusy

David Attenborough doesn't "run" An entire country

It isnt ageist to say that someone in their late 70s isn't compus mentus enough to be in that position. But then again then people are naive If they think he has any real power. The US president position has and always will be a puppet position and the real power is elsewhere

Biden is also deeply anti British and anti Brexit so don't expect any support on that respect

It isnt ageist to say that someone in their late 70s isn't compus mentus enough to be in that position.

This is literally ageist. Why would you think this wasn't ageist?

It's ageist to assume that every 70 year old is the same based on their age alone. Plenty of 70 year olds are completely compus mentus.

In fact, all the 70 year olds I know were totally mentally fine at that age.

In fact, all the 70 year olds I know were totally mentally fine at that age

He’s nearly 80. Not 70.

I feel it wasn’t for Trump, the Republicans would have won.
I think Harris is getting ready to be the next President.
I know people didn’t like Trump but Ind dear for Brexit and trade deals now with the Democrats.... remember Obama said we’d be back if the queue.

@Fairyliz

I’m with you OP. I’m 60 and recently retired because I was exhausted and that’s from an ordinary admin job. Just think of all the teachers/ nurses on here worrying about working to 65/66 and how they will be able to cope with the demands of their job. Surely as POTUS you are working 14 hour days? I don’t know anyone my age who can do that on a regular basis.

But with the greatest respect, just because you personally can't do it doesn't mean no-one can do it.

Presumably you wouldn't have been able to be President of the US at an earlier age for other reasons but that doesn't make it true that no-one else could be the same reasons.

@flaviaritt

In fact, all the 70 year olds I know were totally mentally fine at that age

He’s nearly 80. Not 70.

All the late 70's/80 year olds I know are completely compus mentus too.

I realise not all 80 year olds are. But that's why it's ageist to make an assumption based on a characteristic rather than the individual's actual situation.

Ronald Reagan was 70 I think when he took office. I do wonder why Biden wants to do it at such an age.
Not just teachers here retiring at 65-66, lots of people do manual type jobs who will be expected to work until that age.
Prison Officers are expected to work until 68 which is far more demanding physically than teaching.

But that's why it's ageist to make an assumption based on a characteristic rather than the individual's actual situation.

I almost agree, but not quite. I think it would be ageist not to vote for him based on his age without hearing him out. I don’t think it’s ageist either to think he is probably
compromised by his age or (in my case) to listen to him and infer that he is.

I don't think it's ageist to think that someone pushing 80 should not be doing such a high pressure job. YANBU.

However, it seems to be normal in the USA. Neither Hillary Clinton nor Pelosi are that much younger. Or Trump and at least he's gone now!

For those saying why woukd he want to be at 78? Do you realise this is the 3rd time he ran for president (previously in 1988 and 2008). Planned to run in 2016 but cancelled due to sons death from brain cancer.

Hes determined thats for sure. I admire that.

He lost his first wife and youngest DC in a car accident in the 70s. Hes had his fair share of tragedy

I’ve been watching the videos of him with young girls today
🤮🤮🤮
My 12 year old reckons he is a pervert more than a peadophile

But , depressing , roll up Kamala

I admire that, too. I admire many things about him.

"All the late 70's/80 year olds I know are completely compus mentus too."

Wow. Really? And these people are doing 40-70-hour weeks like a president does?
All the people I know from mid 60s onwards have been slower than younger people at certain things.

He got in purely because anyone was better than Trump. I’d have voted for a potato over any of the candidates.

Biden has been determined to be President for decades.
With regards to his age, maybe he can do it, but he’s doing it because he chooses to.
It’s different if people of 78 were being forced to go work.
I don’t know of many people that age who would want to work.

And for all I think he is too old, I actually think Biden has done a beautiful thing: he is giving up the later years of his life (that he could spend on the golf course or with his grandkids) to see off a revolting aspirant dictator. He might be too old, but respect.

@flaviaritt

He isn’t running the country by himself, though. Even if age is catching up with him (and for the record, I don’t think it is) he isn’t sitting in the White House, exhausted and bewildered, trying to figure out what to do. There are literally thousands of staff supporting all aspects of the executive.

This is a bad argument. The President isn’t just a figurehead, he needs to lead.

And lead he will. He has huge experience in politics and in contesting the role he has just achieved. It is naïve to think he needs to govern alone, for heaven’s sake, because any individual in a position of great power and influence has an effective team to work with. Biden will have a huge team.

@Gwenhwyfar

"All the late 70's/80 year olds I know are completely compus mentus too."

Wow. Really? And these people are doing 40-70-hour weeks like a president does?
All the people I know from mid 60s onwards have been slower than younger people at certain things.

You know the wrong people.

Janegrey333

I didn’t say he needs to govern alone. I said he needs to lead. If he does and can, cracking.

@Gwenhwyfar

"All the late 70's/80 year olds I know are completely compus mentus too."

Wow. Really? And these people are doing 40-70-hour weeks like a president does?
All the people I know from mid 60s onwards have been slower than younger people at certain things.

Considering in most companies the people in their mid 60s are in the C-Suite, this is a really ignorant post and just highlights the gap between rich and poor. The richer you are, the longer you’ll live because the healthier you will be (physically and mentally). It’s not rocket science.

I can’t understand why people think it was a marginal win for Biden. It wasn’t. The results trickled through which made it seem that way. The states that voted for Trump weren’t a surprise at all.

We have a 95 year old queen lol who untill only a few years ago was travelling all over the shop.

It was / is a marginal win for Biden. Nearly half the country wanted Trump.

@Chocaholic9

I think he only got in because the alternative was fucking awful.

Agreed.

My sister used to fly regularly from S.Africa to UK/Europe, which she reckoned was a little break
in her busy life - no jetlag flying North to South and
vice-versa. She slept after eating and before Heathrow.
When I complained about flying home (UK) from
Chicago and feeling ill for a week, she was not surprised, even though I was mid-20s.
Mr Biden just needs to avoid flying to the UK, which
shouldn't be a problem for him, I understand.