Joe Biden’s Doubtful 2nd Term

The U.S. president is aging at an accelerated rate. According to the commentator, long-distance trips and related time-zone changes are not good for his health.

The U.S. president’s trip to Europe in July revealed his poor health. President Joe Biden has clearly aged, appears disoriented, makes increasingly more factual errors, confuses places and people and has problems with his balance. During a meeting with King Charles III in Windsor, President Biden broke diplomatic protocol several times, squeezing the British monarch by the shoulder and then, while walking beside the king, occasionally leaned on the king.

Biden Is Like a Lost Child

The president was also clearly confused during an inspection of the Royal Honor Guard. He managed to pass before just the first row of soldiers, although protocol provides for inspection of the second row as well. Then Biden began to speak to the silent and surprised honor guard commander. King Charles III gently tried to distract the American leader, whispering to him that he was not speaking to the commander of the honor guard. The president ploddingly returned to the royal dais, visibly confused, and from time to time, gently clutched at the king’s jacket.

At Windsor Castle, he appeared utterly lost. He looked like a child that had just woken up. People repeatedly advised him he was going in a wrong direction or addressing bystanders.

During the reception at the residence of the British prime minister, Biden also gave the impression of being very confused. During tea with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, he read the names of the cities to which he would be making official visits as if he did not know or could not remember them. The British had clearly prepared for similar situations.

In Windsor, special footbridges were set up over a slight depression in the palace lawn so that the distinguished guest would not stumble. Prime Minister Sunak did not allow journalists to ask the American leader questions. Television microphones, however, caught the conversation between the two politicians, striking in its banality, with a focus on the mugs in which the men drank their tea.

Responsibilities beyond the US President’s Capabilities

It appears that other world leaders are treating the U.S. president as they would a senile man. The conversations are simple, trivial, and usually do not address politics or touch on obvious issues. On July 13 at the airport in Helsinki — after arriving for a meeting with the leaders of the Nordic countries — President Biden waved to the Secret Service agents, mistaking them for his hosts while descending from Air Force One. At one point, he stopped in the middle of the stairs and, clearly distracted, did not know what to do next. Prompted by his staff, he slowly continued down the steps.

American media have observed that these symptoms have intensified in the last six months. Biden is aging at an accelerated pace. Long-distance trips and related time zone changes are challenging for him. He is beginning to be confused about people’s names and sometimes gives the impression that he does not know which country he is in. Solemn welcome ceremonies, a busy schedule, deliberations, discussions, press conferences and speeches are growing too much for him.

This was evident during his recent speech at the National Safer Communities Summit in West Hartford, Connecticut, where he called for new laws banning AR-15 semi-automatic rifles. Biden ended his speech with the traditional “God bless you” and “God protect our soldiers.” He was about to leave when he suddenly stepped back and added that he would shake hands with everyone before leaving.

Seeing the surprise on the faces of the audience, he continued, “All right, well, I tell you what — here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to ask the White House photographer to come up. And what I’m going to do is I’m going to stand — I can’t — I usually shake everybody’s hand. But I’m going to stand in front of each section. No, I really mean it. And then — and if you can see the camera, they can see you. And it’s the least consequential part of this whole meeting for you, I promise. All right? God save the Queen, man.”

[https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2023/06/16/remarks-by-president-biden-at-the-national-safer-communities-summit/ ]

Even the White House press secretary could not convincingly explain the president’s words and behavior.

Will Biden Complete His Term?

Many American observers speak openly about the apparent symptoms of senile dementia. This illness would not only rule Biden out from running for another term as president but it calls into question his continued ability to lead the world’s largest superpower.

The 25th Amendment passed by Congress in 1965 and then ratified by every state two years later states in sections three and four that a president who is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office should be replaced by the vice president. But contrary to popular understanding, the provisions are not mandatory.

Professor Jacob M. Appel of New York’s Mount Sinai Hospital, an expert on presidential health issues, emphasizes that there is absolutely no requirement for presidents to have annual health exams or release the results to the public. The misconception about such an obligation has become entrenched in the public’s understanding since Richard Nixon, the first U.S. president to publish the results of his annual medical examination. Since then, publishing such results has become a tradition rather than a legal requirement.