There have been longstanding concerns about President Biden’s cognitive health and his ability to fulfill his duties as President. However, during the 2020 Presidential campaign, these concerns were dismissed and those who questioned Biden’s mental acuity were criticized for their lack of respect. This is in contrast to the treatment of former President Trump, who faced constant scrutiny and speculation about his mental health from some mainstream media outlets and left-wing “doctors.” The 25th Amendment was even raised as a possibility to remove him from office.
Yet, it seems it’s suddenly no longer taboo to question Biden’s cognitive health. In fact, the media is starting to openly question his fitness to serve.
According to the Wall Street Journal, President Biden’s cognitive abilities are in “obvious decline,” and electing an octogenarian for a second term would be a “historic mistake,” even though it would be difficult for Biden and those around him to give up the perks and power voluntarily. “The chance to pull the levers of power is intoxicating, and that’s also true for the advisers who have pushed him in such a sharply progressive direction in his first term. They know Mr. Biden will lead wherever they want him to go,” the Journal editorial board wrote. But it notes that “The public understands what Mr. Biden apparently won’t admit: that electing an octogenarian in obvious decline for another four years could be a historic mistake.”
The New York Times also expressed concerns about Biden’s age. “Mr. Biden is 80 now, the oldest American to serve as president, and even supporters, including the political strategist David Axelrod, have expressed deep worries that his age will be both a political liability in 2024 and a barrier to a successful second term,” the Times editorial board wrote last week. “If Mr. Biden runs again, as he recently said he intends to, questions will persist about his age until he does more to assure voters that he is up to the job.” The editorial board tries its best not to offend the liberal establishment while merely presenting Biden’s age and apparent mental decline as something that he can’t pretend are not issues.
Of course the question is, why wait until now, when the announcement of his presidential campaign is reportedly imminent? Biden’s mental health has been an issue for years; why wait to bring this up until just before his campaign is allegedly set to launch?
Flashback: The Media May Be Trying to Force Biden Out of the 2024 Election
The last time we were told Biden’s presidential campaign announcement was imminent was just before his classified documents scandal broke. Classified documents were discovered in multiple locations, including Biden’s private office at the Penn Biden Center and his home back in November, but we only found out about it in January — mere days after news broke that Biden was reportedly set to announce his reelection campaign. And the media actually gave it wide coverage. But of course, scandals tend to blow over in time, as Biden’s classified documents scandal has.
Is the media trying to help the Democrats by nudging Biden not to run? If they are, the last card they have to play is the age card. And who can blame them? There’s no guarantee that Biden could handle a real presidential campaign at his age and health. The sooner he’s out, the less likely it is that the party would be saddled with Kamala Harris, who might just be the only option worse than Biden to lead the party into the next election.