I read it, and I don't agree with her. But I often don't agree with Heather. And I know many people love her. Had Trump faced a strong opponent, the focus would have been on Trump's many lies and avoidances, as it should have been, but Biden was such a total and obvious train wreck that the attention, quite rightly imo, went on that and on trying to find a way to replace him.
I agree Biden had a horrible debate. The following day, at the North Carolina rally, he seemed like a completely different person. Right now, I have to vote for him. The alternative is Trump.
I'm hoping he might step down and be replaced. That's why I wrote this. Yes, I saw the next day performance. But I've seen things like the debate performance before. Obviously, the cognitive fog is intermittent. But to my eye, this wasn't just "a bad debate" like others have had. It was way beyond that. But....maybe I will turn out to be wrong on all of this. ❤️
Joan: I understand. My Dad has dementia. He wouldn’t have been able to follow the thread of conversation like Biden did. Biden at least tried to answer questions-something Trump didn’t do. The transcript of Biden’s responses wasn’t that bad overall. However, I acknowledge it wasn’t a good look for Biden.
I've also been around people with dementia at different stages, including Lewy Body. Many people can function quite well at least much of the time early on. But dementia is progressive. And I can't imagine how any accurate transcript could fail to reveal such things as his awful answer on abortion, or when he indicated he'd done in Medicare, etc. It was awful, Arlene, and I'm sorry, but I can't go along with trying to spin doctor it any other way or deny the very obvious cognitive decline, whatever the actual diagnosis.
It’s worrying and sad to watch the fall of America, the ‘land of opportunities’, the beacon of Democracy, the place in the world where so many wanted to live. What amazes me most is the inability of such a country to produce real leaders, inspiring leaders. What will be left for the free world????
Great article Joan and I hope many many people read it, but definitely someone with authority who can suggest removing Biden and doing everyone, especially him, a favour. It’s a pitiful state he’s in and is becoming a laughing stock. He is absolutely weakening America’s strength in the world and its enemies must be rubbing their hands in anticipation of a nation without any power.
Are you aware that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is also running as an independent? I'm an Australian, and think that he's probably the candidate with the most honesty and integrity who has run for president since his uncle John, and maybe ever. He is currently censored by the mainstream media, so isn't getting much of a guernsey at the moment.
I've listened quite extensively to RFK and defended him against those who hear only the put downs and distortions of him on the media. There are many things about him I like. BUT....I think most of his views on vaccines and his work in promoting the anti-vax movement is horrible, and he does seem somewhat prone to conspiracy theories, although some of them may well be true. But whatever we think of him, he has no chance of getting elected.
This leaves you, and the most of the U.S., with a rather unenviable dilemma does it not?
Politics is screwed in the West, as we rush headlong once again into Fascism/Nazism and the far-right. Both ends of the spectrum, far-left and far-right, have led to millions being murdered - Hitler/Stalin. Unfortunately, it will most likely end in a big murderess mess if we can't, soon and very quickly, find the middle ground once again.
It's highly irresponsible (and actually illegal) for someone to diagnose another by watching them on TV without actually examining them! To spread this preposterous proposition is irresponsible. Biden is the busiest person in the world in terms of his schedule and he is 81, had a cold, and had been pushed (likely too far) preparing for this debate. While I would have liked to have seen an heir or heiress apparent in the Democratic party by now, it's essential that we vote for Biden so we can get that hopeful heir/ess elected in 2028. To abstain from voting or vote for a third party is a vote for Trump, and that is a vote for the end of democracy. The very safety of our country and its future depends on this election.
Eliza, I did not do what you are suggesting I did. If you read what I wrote, I said I'd heard someone with medical expertise say that what Biden has been exhibiting for some time now looked to them like it might be Lewy Body dementia. I went on to say that "I'm no doctor, and this person hadn’t examined Biden," but that "from my limited experience with these things, it does look like that." That's quite different from saying, "Biden has Lewy Body." And frankly, it does look like that.
I don't think people in their 80s (or above 70) should be president, as I explained, regardless of whether or not they have actual dementia.
And if you believe that was "just a cold," well....that's what you believe. He may have had a cold--it sounded like he did--but this was beyond that as far as I'm concerned.
I am still hopeful that Biden will step down and that an electable replacement can be found. I wrote this to add my voice to the many others now calling for this. It probably won't happen. And maybe Biden will do well in the next debate, but if he doesn't, then what? Too late by then to change.
Whether it's better to vote for the "lesser evil" is an old debate, and I've almost always been on the side you're on now. But I think having a president with dementia is truly a danger to the country and the world. A serious and real danger.
I may be wrong. Perhaps he'll be tre-elected and all will be well. But I felt a responsibility to voice my concerns. You don't agree and that's fine. We'll see what unfolds.
Joan thanks for the book recommendation. This is such a mess. I missed most of the debate because I had a family obligation Tuesday night. I only saw the last five minutes and that’s all I needed to know it was a disaster for Biden. All I can say is God help us. Much love to all.
I’ve heard some of his aides say he’s cognitively good between 10-4, after that his cognitive abilities appreciably decline
Also, in NC the next day he had a teleprompter and a crowd to pump him up, both of which he didn’t have on debate night
I like Joe and think he’s been a decent president but . . . But if he continues to run, Trump will most likely end up president again which could be a complete horror show, the damage he could do to this country, the world and the planet.
The debate was too painful to watch. It’s irresponsible to run a guy who belongs in assisted care and it feels like nothing so much as a Greek tragedy and we’re the unhappy chorus.
Joan, please know I'm a fan. Also, that I retired from an appellate court at 70 before I had to worry about losing it. My dear dad had dementia, indeed Alzheimers. And, that I too think Joe Biden showed age. Sadly so. But to suggest Lewy Body dementia, as you did, is overreaction, over the top. Just as clearly so. And I'm no doctor, either.
I appreciate what you say. Please see my response to Eliza James above. I did not say Biden had Lewy Body, but I did suggest it looked like a real possibility. And to my eye, it certainly does. But as I said, I'm no doctor and the medical person I heard had not examined Biden. I don't think there's any doubt he has a serious cognitive deficit, at least sporadically. This wasn't the first time it was on display. I thought it was important to share the possibility that this might be a form of dementia that involves hallucinations, and that I feel it is a real danger to have someone in that office with serious cognitive deficits of any kind. 🙏
Diagnosing someone without an exam is highly irresponsible. It is at least as irresponsible for you to spread this “diagnosis.” One symptom does not indicate a diagnosis, particularly when his supposed age of onset is drastically older than the average incidence of LBD. Shame on you. Look up the Goldwater rule and apply it to your publications.
Joan, glad you wrote and shared this piece…. It is one of the saddest days in post-WWII American political history. A decent man who has served our country in the midst of personal tragedy and who arguably helped to save the country from Mr. Trump in 2020, failed terribly in the first debate. He is pretty clearly suffering from substantial mental and physical deterioration (regardless of whatever diagnosis emerges). His capacity to communicate with the voters and others about his ability to lead our country is nil.
It’s a tragic ending to a distinguished public career. The Democratic Party leaders, his family, and his sycophant-packed staff have to level with him. “Time to sign off Joe… you’ve had your day… time give others a chance. Well done Joe… well done.” Will they do that? Who knows. Ego, hubris, and sycophancy abound where tremendous power is…
The president is a sock puppet figurehead, it really doesn’t matter if you vote for him or not. The power and decision-making likely rests with unelected advisors, bureaucrats, and various behind-the-scenes power brokers. It’s deliberately unclear. Biden’s illness, clear for a long time, lifts the curtain. The nuclear football is not as literal a tool as people think. Biden won’t last much longer whatever happens. It might affect the votes but not what controls the country.
I agree that many powerful forces pull many strings behind the scenes, but the nuclear football is an actual briefcase-looking item that travels with the president, and he does in fact have the power to push a button, and he does have unscripted conversations with world leaders in real time that can have real consequences. So I don't think he's just a sock puppet.
I confess to anger and disgust with the Democratic party for many of its recent strategy choices and, worse, to utter bemusement over what is required from me in response to the whole situation. So far I have defaulted to stewing without any clear direction. Needless to say, this has not proven rewarding. Thank you for acknowledging our current political situation and the dilemma that every US voter faces.
Hi Joan. Thanks for this article. I’m wondering what Jill Biden, who seems to love her husband, thinks privately about him continuing in the presidency and whether ‘Stop Trump’ is seen as such an imperative for democracy that his condition is being wilfully, desperately overlooked even by his loved ones. (Has anyone actually spelt out the likely sociopolitical consequences of Trump being re-elected?). Nellie Bowles suggests Hillary as a Biden replacement, who turns 77 in October……
I share your concern about Trump, but are we sure Biden is our best bet to defeat him? A huge percentage of Americans seem to say no. Is there no other option? And how responsible is it to run someone with obvious serious cognitive deficits? Ezra Klein is worth hearing maybe: https://youtu.be/mylX_uMaX8k --
Nellie likes Hillary a lot. That's not why I shared Nellie's TGIF article or why I recommended her book. I would not support replacing Biden with Hillary. Hillary seems in better shape, but she's also too old, imo, as I said.
As for Jill, it sounds like she's doing "Stand By Your Man" at the moment.
Yes, it’s a mess, for sure. Thanks for the book recommendation.
I agree with this article.
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/june-27-2024?utm_campaign=posts-open-in-app&triedRedirect=true
I read it, and I don't agree with her. But I often don't agree with Heather. And I know many people love her. Had Trump faced a strong opponent, the focus would have been on Trump's many lies and avoidances, as it should have been, but Biden was such a total and obvious train wreck that the attention, quite rightly imo, went on that and on trying to find a way to replace him.
I agree Biden had a horrible debate. The following day, at the North Carolina rally, he seemed like a completely different person. Right now, I have to vote for him. The alternative is Trump.
I'm hoping he might step down and be replaced. That's why I wrote this. Yes, I saw the next day performance. But I've seen things like the debate performance before. Obviously, the cognitive fog is intermittent. But to my eye, this wasn't just "a bad debate" like others have had. It was way beyond that. But....maybe I will turn out to be wrong on all of this. ❤️
Joan: I understand. My Dad has dementia. He wouldn’t have been able to follow the thread of conversation like Biden did. Biden at least tried to answer questions-something Trump didn’t do. The transcript of Biden’s responses wasn’t that bad overall. However, I acknowledge it wasn’t a good look for Biden.
I've also been around people with dementia at different stages, including Lewy Body. Many people can function quite well at least much of the time early on. But dementia is progressive. And I can't imagine how any accurate transcript could fail to reveal such things as his awful answer on abortion, or when he indicated he'd done in Medicare, etc. It was awful, Arlene, and I'm sorry, but I can't go along with trying to spin doctor it any other way or deny the very obvious cognitive decline, whatever the actual diagnosis.
It’s worrying and sad to watch the fall of America, the ‘land of opportunities’, the beacon of Democracy, the place in the world where so many wanted to live. What amazes me most is the inability of such a country to produce real leaders, inspiring leaders. What will be left for the free world????
It's not that potential good leaders don't exist here. It's that the whole electoral system is broken in so many ways.
Or maybe because the whole political system is so corrupt and rotten that the potential good leaders don’t want to get involved in it…
Good leaders would actually change things and the powers that be don't want that.
That, too.
Great article Joan and I hope many many people read it, but definitely someone with authority who can suggest removing Biden and doing everyone, especially him, a favour. It’s a pitiful state he’s in and is becoming a laughing stock. He is absolutely weakening America’s strength in the world and its enemies must be rubbing their hands in anticipation of a nation without any power.
Are you aware that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is also running as an independent? I'm an Australian, and think that he's probably the candidate with the most honesty and integrity who has run for president since his uncle John, and maybe ever. He is currently censored by the mainstream media, so isn't getting much of a guernsey at the moment.
You’re joking, right? RFK jr is a nutter…
Have you done your own research?
Do you regard him as a 'nutter' just because you disagree with him?
I've listened quite extensively to RFK and defended him against those who hear only the put downs and distortions of him on the media. There are many things about him I like. BUT....I think most of his views on vaccines and his work in promoting the anti-vax movement is horrible, and he does seem somewhat prone to conspiracy theories, although some of them may well be true. But whatever we think of him, he has no chance of getting elected.
This leaves you, and the most of the U.S., with a rather unenviable dilemma does it not?
Politics is screwed in the West, as we rush headlong once again into Fascism/Nazism and the far-right. Both ends of the spectrum, far-left and far-right, have led to millions being murdered - Hitler/Stalin. Unfortunately, it will most likely end in a big murderess mess if we can't, soon and very quickly, find the middle ground once again.
It's highly irresponsible (and actually illegal) for someone to diagnose another by watching them on TV without actually examining them! To spread this preposterous proposition is irresponsible. Biden is the busiest person in the world in terms of his schedule and he is 81, had a cold, and had been pushed (likely too far) preparing for this debate. While I would have liked to have seen an heir or heiress apparent in the Democratic party by now, it's essential that we vote for Biden so we can get that hopeful heir/ess elected in 2028. To abstain from voting or vote for a third party is a vote for Trump, and that is a vote for the end of democracy. The very safety of our country and its future depends on this election.
Eliza, I did not do what you are suggesting I did. If you read what I wrote, I said I'd heard someone with medical expertise say that what Biden has been exhibiting for some time now looked to them like it might be Lewy Body dementia. I went on to say that "I'm no doctor, and this person hadn’t examined Biden," but that "from my limited experience with these things, it does look like that." That's quite different from saying, "Biden has Lewy Body." And frankly, it does look like that.
I don't think people in their 80s (or above 70) should be president, as I explained, regardless of whether or not they have actual dementia.
And if you believe that was "just a cold," well....that's what you believe. He may have had a cold--it sounded like he did--but this was beyond that as far as I'm concerned.
I am still hopeful that Biden will step down and that an electable replacement can be found. I wrote this to add my voice to the many others now calling for this. It probably won't happen. And maybe Biden will do well in the next debate, but if he doesn't, then what? Too late by then to change.
Whether it's better to vote for the "lesser evil" is an old debate, and I've almost always been on the side you're on now. But I think having a president with dementia is truly a danger to the country and the world. A serious and real danger.
I may be wrong. Perhaps he'll be tre-elected and all will be well. But I felt a responsibility to voice my concerns. You don't agree and that's fine. We'll see what unfolds.
Joan thanks for the book recommendation. This is such a mess. I missed most of the debate because I had a family obligation Tuesday night. I only saw the last five minutes and that’s all I needed to know it was a disaster for Biden. All I can say is God help us. Much love to all.
I’ve heard some of his aides say he’s cognitively good between 10-4, after that his cognitive abilities appreciably decline
Also, in NC the next day he had a teleprompter and a crowd to pump him up, both of which he didn’t have on debate night
I like Joe and think he’s been a decent president but . . . But if he continues to run, Trump will most likely end up president again which could be a complete horror show, the damage he could do to this country, the world and the planet.
The debate was too painful to watch. It’s irresponsible to run a guy who belongs in assisted care and it feels like nothing so much as a Greek tragedy and we’re the unhappy chorus.
Joan, please know I'm a fan. Also, that I retired from an appellate court at 70 before I had to worry about losing it. My dear dad had dementia, indeed Alzheimers. And, that I too think Joe Biden showed age. Sadly so. But to suggest Lewy Body dementia, as you did, is overreaction, over the top. Just as clearly so. And I'm no doctor, either.
I appreciate what you say. Please see my response to Eliza James above. I did not say Biden had Lewy Body, but I did suggest it looked like a real possibility. And to my eye, it certainly does. But as I said, I'm no doctor and the medical person I heard had not examined Biden. I don't think there's any doubt he has a serious cognitive deficit, at least sporadically. This wasn't the first time it was on display. I thought it was important to share the possibility that this might be a form of dementia that involves hallucinations, and that I feel it is a real danger to have someone in that office with serious cognitive deficits of any kind. 🙏
Diagnosing someone without an exam is highly irresponsible. It is at least as irresponsible for you to spread this “diagnosis.” One symptom does not indicate a diagnosis, particularly when his supposed age of onset is drastically older than the average incidence of LBD. Shame on you. Look up the Goldwater rule and apply it to your publications.
See my replies to Eliza James and Joel DeVore above.
Joan, glad you wrote and shared this piece…. It is one of the saddest days in post-WWII American political history. A decent man who has served our country in the midst of personal tragedy and who arguably helped to save the country from Mr. Trump in 2020, failed terribly in the first debate. He is pretty clearly suffering from substantial mental and physical deterioration (regardless of whatever diagnosis emerges). His capacity to communicate with the voters and others about his ability to lead our country is nil.
It’s a tragic ending to a distinguished public career. The Democratic Party leaders, his family, and his sycophant-packed staff have to level with him. “Time to sign off Joe… you’ve had your day… time give others a chance. Well done Joe… well done.” Will they do that? Who knows. Ego, hubris, and sycophancy abound where tremendous power is…
Joan, thanks for voicing your concern.
Grace and peace,
Art
The president is a sock puppet figurehead, it really doesn’t matter if you vote for him or not. The power and decision-making likely rests with unelected advisors, bureaucrats, and various behind-the-scenes power brokers. It’s deliberately unclear. Biden’s illness, clear for a long time, lifts the curtain. The nuclear football is not as literal a tool as people think. Biden won’t last much longer whatever happens. It might affect the votes but not what controls the country.
I agree that many powerful forces pull many strings behind the scenes, but the nuclear football is an actual briefcase-looking item that travels with the president, and he does in fact have the power to push a button, and he does have unscripted conversations with world leaders in real time that can have real consequences. So I don't think he's just a sock puppet.
I confess to anger and disgust with the Democratic party for many of its recent strategy choices and, worse, to utter bemusement over what is required from me in response to the whole situation. So far I have defaulted to stewing without any clear direction. Needless to say, this has not proven rewarding. Thank you for acknowledging our current political situation and the dilemma that every US voter faces.
i agree. This morning I sent emails to all my 3 politicians in California to share my belief that Biden should stand down.
Hi Joan. Thanks for this article. I’m wondering what Jill Biden, who seems to love her husband, thinks privately about him continuing in the presidency and whether ‘Stop Trump’ is seen as such an imperative for democracy that his condition is being wilfully, desperately overlooked even by his loved ones. (Has anyone actually spelt out the likely sociopolitical consequences of Trump being re-elected?). Nellie Bowles suggests Hillary as a Biden replacement, who turns 77 in October……
I share your concern about Trump, but are we sure Biden is our best bet to defeat him? A huge percentage of Americans seem to say no. Is there no other option? And how responsible is it to run someone with obvious serious cognitive deficits? Ezra Klein is worth hearing maybe: https://youtu.be/mylX_uMaX8k --
Nellie likes Hillary a lot. That's not why I shared Nellie's TGIF article or why I recommended her book. I would not support replacing Biden with Hillary. Hillary seems in better shape, but she's also too old, imo, as I said.
As for Jill, it sounds like she's doing "Stand By Your Man" at the moment.