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Other than my children and grandchildren, my favorite people usually are older than me. From my grandparents to my mom to the majority of my close friends, I have valued getting to know and learning from people who have more life experience, which is why I detest age discrimination.
The dictionary tells us ageism is a bias against individuals and groups on the basis of their age. This may take the form of discrimination at all levels against such individuals and groups, up to and including victimization and bullying. It is to be abhorred, as our elders deserve to be treated with additional respect and consideration.
Still, a basic truth is everyone who lives to a natural death will at some point start slowing down as they get older. A physical decline often comes first, making it more difficult to do even some everyday tasks. A mental decline will follow – often seen in confusing dates, names and places – even though the person might feel fine.
When President Joe Biden delivered the State of the Union address on March 7, despite being 81 years old, he sounded healthy. His voice seemed strong, his words even stronger. Although some concerns had been expressed about his age beforehand, from that speech there was no obvious reason to believe Biden couldn’t serve another four-year term in the White House.
However, the Biden who debated former President Donald Trump on June 27 did not look and sound like the same person. His voice was weak, his steps slow and deliberate. He took more time to find his words, then to get them out. His lack of vigor was painfully obvious compared to Trump’s forceful presence, and it wasn’t due to a cold or jet lag.
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The result was predictable. Biden’s poll numbers, which were never great to begin with, slipped even further. Some of his fellow Democrats pushed the panic button. Even longtime allies called for him to drop out of the race.
On Sunday, Biden became the first president since Lyndon Johnson in 1968 to not seek re-election. He made the announcement in a more modern method, posting a letter on X, though he will make an address to the nation this week.
His letter was filled with the calls for unity that have marked his time in office.
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your president. And while it has been my intention to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term,” Biden wrote while at home recovering from COVID-19.
He closed with, “I believe today what I always have: that there is nothing America can’t do – when we do it together. We just have to remember we are the United States of America.”
It’s hard for me to think of another politician making a decision as bold, humble and selfless as the one Biden just made. Being president of the United States comes with power and prestige that few people would want to surrender. That’s why so many people well past retirement age remain in Congress and on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Trump immediately called Biden “the single worst president of all time,” though most experts on the subject don’t agree. The 2024 Presidential Greatness Project Expert Survey ranked Abraham Lincoln as America’s greatest president. Biden came in at 14th – even the Republicans surveyed had him ranked at No. 30 – while Trump didn’t fair nearly as well.
Regardless of how you feel about Biden and his policies, we should all at least be able to respect that he made an incredibly difficult decision that undoubtedly will serve the country well. That’s because instead of Biden’s age being a primary issue, the actual policies of the Democrat nominated to replace him will be at center stage. And debating the real issues is what voters most need to hear.
David Brown is publisher of the Cherokee Scout. You can reach him by phone, 828-837-5122; email, dbrown@cherokeescout.com; or on X @daviddBstroh.