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Original poster

Surely Joe Biden just wants to sit at home?

89 replies

ssd · 18/10/2023 09:06

I mean at his age. Wouldn't he rather sit in the house, comfy slippers, newspaper etc and just relax? I just watched him meeting the Israeli leaders, he is so stiff and slow. Taking aside the politics, which is everything here but its not what im discussing, surely Biden is just too old for that job? Is that ageist or just common sense,? America must have many brilliant politicians who could do a more robust job.
(And im not even mentioning trump)

OP posts:
CurlewKate · 18/10/2023 11:07

Rosevelt was an effective president from a wheelchair. Having dodgy knees is not a bar to high office-whatever the right wing press would have us believe.

BristolBlueGlasses · 18/10/2023 11:14

Is that ageist or just common sense,?

It's you judging other people and their abilities and desires by your own standards.

Bramshott · 18/10/2023 11:17

I think there are some areas where decades of experience are a definite plus, and world statesmanship is probably one of them...

Abhannmor · 18/10/2023 11:20

Totally too old. So is Trump. Watching them drag their weary arses around the USA in the 2020 election was painful.

I'm knacked after visiting family in the UK ffs. Every year after 60 it seems to get exponentially harder.

Sparehair · 18/10/2023 11:21

No but I guess the question is over mental faculties- Diane Feinstein was a total liability towards the end but would just not give it up. Biden’s comments today were just not appropriate- “the other team”- I mean, seriously? it’s something I’d expect from Trump. And I don’t think it’s something he would have said 4 years ago. He’s aged a lot during this presidency. He’s just not sharp anymore.

its not ageist to recognise that age impacts people’s mental and physical capabilities. Whether that matters depends on context. In this context it matters a lot if POTUS is wandering around a political tinder box making flippant comments about actions that resulted in hundreds of civilian deaths.

EasternStandard · 18/10/2023 11:21

MassageForLife · 18/10/2023 09:27

If he wanted to sit at home inn his slippers, presumably he wouldn't have gone for the top job.

This

hattie43 · 18/10/2023 11:21

There's so much at stake here we can't afford any more gaff ridden speeches .
I think we get what we pay for in terms of politicians , they earn about £80 / £90k . That's some middle manager level roles in some companies. The PM what £140k . Think what a CEO earns , no comparison.

Erivo · 18/10/2023 11:29

There are lots of areas were the impact of age and the deficit that can occur can make a person no longer suitable for a specific role. In a political world when language mistakes are immediately used for propaganda the not addressing for fear of being labelled ageist is dangerous.

stopitstopitnooow · 18/10/2023 11:35

Enyo2 · 18/10/2023 11:03

@ssd
You could edit your posts so they are not ageist.

Others too.

Reading this thread and the criticisms of him, the age of Biden is irrelevant.

So yes according to this definition below, there are some posts on this thread that are ageist.

Anyone happy to edit on that basis?

Just check it out…

Are you being ageist?
Making ageist comments?

Ageism is similar to racism or sexism. It involves stereotyping or discriminating against people based on their age and can occur both in the workplace and in your personal life.

It's not ageist to ask if a really old person is too old for the most important job in the world.

stopitstopitnooow · 18/10/2023 11:37

hattie43 · 18/10/2023 11:21

There's so much at stake here we can't afford any more gaff ridden speeches .
I think we get what we pay for in terms of politicians , they earn about £80 / £90k . That's some middle manager level roles in some companies. The PM what £140k . Think what a CEO earns , no comparison.

Exactly. So the job is only attractive to those that are rich enough that they don't need the money and presumably love the power aspect

Jelllytot · 18/10/2023 11:39

ssd · 18/10/2023 09:06

I mean at his age. Wouldn't he rather sit in the house, comfy slippers, newspaper etc and just relax? I just watched him meeting the Israeli leaders, he is so stiff and slow. Taking aside the politics, which is everything here but its not what im discussing, surely Biden is just too old for that job? Is that ageist or just common sense,? America must have many brilliant politicians who could do a more robust job.
(And im not even mentioning trump)

I think it depends on the person. My grandpa was 94 and still not wanting to give up working, he was just restless sat at home. He only stopped because COVID killed him. I, however, am ready to retire today.

HamSandwichKiller · 18/10/2023 11:46

He has no choice. No other Democrat is a viable candidate. Biden can gather the campaign funding needed and has that brand recognition that seems to be necessary in the US (again linked to the huge amount of funding that's needed to run such a long campaign in a huge country)

eggandonion · 18/10/2023 11:57

Observation from outside the UK...the British Royal Family seem to keep going when most people would have retired.
But Joe Biden seems to have forgotten he has a vice president...where is she...to take on some of the load.

CurlewKate · 18/10/2023 12:02

"There's so much at stake here we can't afford any more gaff ridden speeches"

Gaff ridden?

Itoni · 18/10/2023 13:38

stopitstopitnooow · 18/10/2023 11:35

It's not ageist to ask if a really old person is too old for the most important job in the world.

Show quote history

It’s a competency issue not an age issue.

Ruth Bader Ginsberg highly competent.

Age does not necessarily make people incompetent.

LindorDoubleChoc · 18/10/2023 13:39

ssd · 18/10/2023 09:20

When he hugged Netanyahu he didn't bend. I thought maybe he was holding back a little but i think he just can't bend over comfortably.
I dont know whether to feel sorry for him or think ridiculous old bugger

Did he actually hug Netanyahu? Fucking hell!

eggandonion · 18/10/2023 13:41

Folksy works well on the Biden visits to Ireland. But not such a good look on a visit to a tense war zone and surrounding region.

stopitstopitnooow · 18/10/2023 13:54

Urgh he's currently whispering nonsense at people on bbc live news

stopitstopitnooow · 18/10/2023 13:55

Age does not necessarily make people incompetent.

Welllll.... age catches up with most people. Biden can barely speak.

greenhydrangea · 18/10/2023 13:56

stopitstopitnooow · 18/10/2023 11:35

It's not ageist to ask if a really old person is too old for the most important job in the world.

Show quote history

It is the very definition of ageist.

What about David Attenborough - 97 years old and still working, and contributing to the world in astonishing and important ways. Do you think he ought to put on his slippers and sit in an easy chair also?

stopitstopitnooow · 18/10/2023 13:57

David Attenborough is not president of the USA

greenhydrangea · 18/10/2023 13:58

stopitstopitnooow · 18/10/2023 13:57

David Attenborough is not president of the USA

And you are still ageist.

stopitstopitnooow · 18/10/2023 13:59

Maybe I am ageist then. I'm looking at Biden, and he doesn't look competent, due to his age.

LlynTegid · 18/10/2023 14:00

Boris Johnson was thirty or so years younger than Joe Biden when in office. Yet he did far less work other than with a part of his body that is never seen in public.

Winston Churchill was of retirement age when wartime Prime Minister.

Eyesopenwideawake · 18/10/2023 14:01

I've got a couple staying with me at the moment who are from Boston, MA. They're in their early 30's and mostly favourable towards Biden; seems he's achieved a lot on the domestic front that isn't generally reported outside the US. They do agree however that his age is a problem...