Regarding Biden’s apparent slide into dementia, I have a real concern that it is quite deliberate, and I am alone in what have suspected for a long time. As, if it was for real, his acute signs of mental decline, would result in that his party would be most concerned, even to a greater degree than the opposition. Mental and physical health is paramount to anyone being able to serve those who elected them to public office.

If true that Biden is not up for the job, The DNC (Democratic National Committee) would be looking for a viable alternative to him, and too to replace his less than impressive vice president for the next elections, as presidents have and do die in office.

Kamala Harris’s mental status and qualifications for public office is a topic for another discussion.  At least now you can understand, or at least suspect, why she was picked for VP, as she makes Joe look like a Rhodes Scholar—and one who is at the top of his game.

I asked some of my friends and extended family back in the US, “Can you give me some inspiration on this?”

The collective feedback covers a lot of territory:

I would go back to Reagan.   A few years after his second term ended it was announced that he suffered from Alzheimer’s.   Check his age at that time.   Biden has to run because they don’t have an alternative.   Once he wins he can serve a year and step down. So it will be a cover-up until then just as it was with Ronald Reagan.

• It might also be worthwhile to cover the age of the senior leadership in the Senate and House.   Canada has some kind of age limit-I think it is 75.
• Of course Trump is only a few years younger.
• What both parties really need is new leadership.
• But keep in mind the House and Senate are built on the seniority principle.  So often those are the only ones that get the exposure on the news, with the exception of AOC as she is young and photogenic.
• Also, you have to ask who is advising the White House on Ukraine policy?
• As one source, which was close to the Beltway Bandits, said some years ago, as “I am not in DC I don’t follow this as closely as I used to [this topic] but you know what dots to connect?”
• They are all corrupt and morally repugnant. Don’t forget to include Trump.

Naturally, if you go to Fox News or Tucker Carlson, you will understand that the lid has been nailed shut on his coffin, only waiting for the official death certificate before laying Biden to rest, RIP, and the daisies to start sprouting.

That may be is a bit premature, as in some ways Joe Biden has been politically dead for much of his long political career, stretching some 50 years, and his claim to fame is only being the mouthpiece for special interests and sticking to the script.

Calling it a “scandal bigger than Watergate,” the Fox News host Tucker Carlson once  accused President Biden of “thoroughly faking mental sharpness” for more than an hour during a press conference he held.

“Doing everything he could to give the appearance of mental acuity, he answered questions in detail, stayed on point, and uttered suspiciously complete sentences,” Carlson alleged. “I’ve seen some shameless stunts in my time, but this one takes the cake.”

As one article describes what seems to be obvious, BUT not at closer inspection: Trump said “Biden ‘doesn’t understand what he’s doing’ during the most dangerous time in the history of our country.’”

Or does he, and all part of a ploy, playing the fool?

Personally, I am convinced of it, it is a diversionary tactic, and it seems to be working well. I am not alone in such a suspicion. You can go to about any chat forum, or search using various descriptions of Biden’s mental acuteness, whether he had dementia or not, and you soon will understand that not all are convinced he is so much in decline, as Tucker Carlson and others consider he is.

And for Joe Biden to be able to keep so many balls in the air, China, Ukraine, and Joe’s participation in Hunter’s wide range of business deals is an impressive feat.  Can any reasonable person now deny that Joe Biden was, and continues to be, deeply involved in the Biden Family Business?

It can be confusing, especially for those who are far from the American political scene, “Is Joe Biden a sleepy, disorientated, confused grandfather with dementia, or is he is a badass dictator who is controlling everything while the brainwashed masses are looking the other way, or they are too preoccupied with his mental state or reality TV to know what is happening?

The debate could be put to rest with a neuropsychological examination to find out his mental abilities, and if he has dementia or not. I would be willing to bet money, if he did the test honestly, he could match or outperform his grandchildren.

Even the media and the so-called fact-checkers are propagating the myth, as to whether or not he fell asleep during a NATO meeting, and even if true, I am sure such a forum would put many of us to sleep, whether he has to read from notecards, basically his every word, and who cares, and why the media hype over it, if not to perpetuate the story that he is off his rocker, and has been for a long time? The latest allegation was, “Foreign leaders left stunned after Joe Biden falls asleep during the middle of a summit, cancels meetings,” reads text on the screen, [and so what?!]

It does seem that he loses his talking points, and comes across as being totally-spaced-out at times. For instance, when Biden completely forgets what he’s talking about during what comes across as being an “excruciating” press conference.

So it seems!

At times, Biden is described as being confused and lost on stage during public events, like when he turns to walk off the stage after giving a speech, and comes to a halt as if he is totally confused, lost in space, as to where he is, is going, or has been. This is not an isolated case, with many instances of what is described as obvious cognitive decline and with scathing commentary how it is being ignored by the US media.

I can relate, been there and done that too, and considering the commentary, it should be enough to bring about widespread public concern, but it has been brushed off by the press as something normal for Biden.  It does, however, question his health, energy level and mental acuity—even for a casual observer.

Not Just Biden is too old!

It can happen to the best of us. The Washington Post describes how “though Biden, 80, and former president Donald Trump, 76, are close in age, the poll shows that Americans have strikingly different views about their capabilities and physical health.  This raises questions, not just about the fitness to hold the highest office, but about age and staying power.

 Do you remember Robert Byrd of West Virginia, and others, notwithstanding Strom Thurman, of South Carolina, who were “older-than-day”, and the meaning when asking “in a coon’s age”  when they ended their long political careers.

More recently, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s weekly press conference came to an abrupt halt when he appeared to lose his train-of-thought while addressing reporters and had to be helped from the podium before regaining his posture and returning to take questions. McConnell, 81, of Kentucky, had paused, midsentence, for nearly 30 seconds.

Age is becoming a serious factor in US politics, however, but nobody is seriously discussing it, as it is the glues what hold the system together, lubricates it, as it  determines rank, influence, and appointments to key committees and chairmanships. But the longer you are there the more connections you have and that allows for being in the know, to make good investments, and be close to the defense contractors, etc.

The parallels with the late Soviet Union before its imminent collapse are both striking and disturbing, but that is a story for another day.

But why do politicians want to stay in office so long?

Aside from the obvious, being public servants, they are good at what they do, but it is more related to the advantages their position provides, especially in terms of influence, or it is like a parachute from personal and family issues, considering the vast array of criminal claims and lack of propriety in what they and their children are involved in, Hunter and Trump’s son, and son-in-law, etc.

Holding onto a political position keeps them on one side of the line of what is legal and what is not.  One only needs to listen to the proceedings of the House oversight committee about whistleblowers about the Biden investigation to get you angry.

Staying in office, and especially when holding the highest office of the land, provides for a lot of slack, and you can get away with so much, and even your spouse can benefit! You only need to consider the sordid political history of Senator Nancy Pelosi, aged 83, her and her husband’s investments, insider trading, and their likely spot in the Hall of Fame for Corruption.

I want to believe that there are some politicians who may genuinely have good intentions, as a reason for wanting to stay in office longer than needed; others might be motivated by self-interest, corruption, or a desire to hold onto power for personal gain. The reasons can be complex and may vary widely from one politician to another and across different political contexts.

Good intentions and serving as a “public good” [servant of the people] is likely not the main one for those mentioned in this review. It reminds me of the 1943, B movie “Stranger in Town,” and the corrupting nature of public office and the impact it can have on a small town in America.

It is our duty as citizens to ensure our society and government is not corrupted, and obviously, we need to work a lot harder. That is why people should realize that any ploy, con, or misrepresentation of the truth (especially bare faced lies), for instance, to keep the military conflict going in Ukraine (delaying tactic) in the countdown to US presidential election, and for as long as possible thereafter, is motivated by narrowly-defined interests.

Never-ending wars, especially unnecessary ones, such as in Ukraine, allow for those like Biden and his minions, and those in the EU, to cling on to office and power, for as long as possible, as a military defeat equals a political defeat.

Meanwhile, much of what is unfolding can be justified by diminished mental capacity, or at least this can be used as an excuse. The question remains whether the excuses are lame or not, and if those using them the most fully understand that they are getting to a point where people will call their bluff and demand accountable elected officials, and for them to uphold their oath of office, or to get out of public office for good, and get out of Dodge to boot!

Clinging onto office to the bitter end

It is not yet election time and people are still wondering if Biden and Trump will be up to the task. For most voters, however, the age factor seems more serious for Biden than for Trump, as Trump still appears to be at the top of his golf game. Different politicians may have a variety of reasons for wanting to stay in office, ranging from genuine intentions to serve the public good to self-interest and corruption.

Physical and mental fitness are the threshold qualifications for the presidency, as moral fitness used to be—and should always be! The only way Biden can convince the American people that they have misjudged him is to show them through speech and his actions that he is a vigorous, focused, and on top of his job kind of person.

This means spending more time in the public eye, especially in the run up to the election— to hold more press conferences, attend more public events, make more trips, and make more visual and active demonstrations that the president is in control. When the presidential campaign begins in earnest, it means public events every day, mixing set speeches and less scripted exchanges with the public and media.  Biden needs to shorten his speeches and stop reading from notecards. Just look a Trump for comparison, as who appears more in control.

As citizens, it is important to be vigilant about the state of our society and government, ensuring transparency, accountability, and non-corruption. Politicians, all of them- and “not-only-those running-for-presidential-office” must uphold their oaths of office.

It is an essential aspect of a functioning democracy to have characteristics of an “honest Joe”, and that they must demonstrate their vigor, veracity and appears be of sound mind and body.

The expression “honest Joe” is an idiomatic phrase used to describe someone who is considered to be very honest, trustworthy, and reliable. Not anymore, when the name Joe Biden comes up in any conversation—especially about his sordid and corrupt political track record.

When people refer to someone as an “honest Joe,” they were praising that person’s integrity and sincerity. However, this term may be tossed into the dustbin of catchy compliments and praises, as Joe Biden demonstrated that he is everything but honest.  The term was once upon a time used to describe the person’s reputation for always telling the truth and being honorable in his actions and dealings—not anymore.

Seth Ferris, investigative journalist and political scientist, expert on Middle Eastern affairs, exclusively for the online magazine “New Eastern Outlook”.