My judgment is based not only on your performance but also on the statement of your physician, Kevin O’Connor, on February 16, 2023, in which he stated that you are “a healthy, vital 80-year-old man who is well equipped to perform the duties of the Presidency.”
The excellent doctor explained a lot to me. Dr. O’Connor said that you had undergone a “very detailed neurological examination” and found no signs of stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease or any other condition. As for your frequent throat-clearing and coughing, Dr. O’Connor said that this was caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease. And your stiff gait? After a detailed physical exam and review of radiological images by a specially assembled medical team, it was concluded that this was due to “degenerative (“wear and tear”) osteoarthritis (or spondylosis)” of the spine, which is being addressed with physical therapy and exercise.
In other words, you have been deemed okay by the people who know best.
Mr. President, a little over a year later, we are experiencing momentous changes to the state of our Union. A Supreme Court reshuffled by President Donald Trump is shaking the foundations of our Constitution. We are witnessing the reinstatement of Trump, twice impeached and convicted, as a future Commander in Chief.
And then there is your personal situation. After his dismal performance in the first presidential debate, there are doubts within his party about whether he should seek reelection.
Many people are concerned about your fitness to run — not just whether you have the intellectual and physical ability to go head-to-head with Trump, but whether you can effectively present your case to the American people — and, if you win, whether you can handle another four years of the presidency.
I know there have been calls for you to step down, and I’m sure that will hurt and infuriate you. But this isn’t about pride or competitiveness. Mr. President, the question for you is: If you run, if you persevere, if you give it your all, will that make it more likely or less likely that we’ll keep Mr. Trump out of the White House?
Mr. President, one thing hasn’t changed: I’m three years older than you, which gives me a place to contemplate aging.
No need to guess: I’m 84 years old, turning 85 in September, and I’m in the middle of the late winter of my life.
I won’t lie. I use a walking stick because I need it for balance, not to convey strength or power. These days, I can’t remember names as clearly as I used to, and my recall of facts is slower. And yes, I often find myself rambling, and I find younger, smarter, more know-it-alls boring and intolerable. I endure meetings, not enjoy them. My day ends perfectly at 5pm, too. Don’t lecture me about cocktail hour rituals. Long live the self-righteous.
But I’m not the person I was anymore, and neither are you, Mr. President. I retired from The Washington Post editorial board in 2007, and now I’m well on my way to finally retiring.
Accept where you are and live with it. Know that you did the best you could with what you had.
Mr. President, you did a great job.
What’s that song from “Gambler”? “You’ve got to know when to hold your cards, when to throw your cards away, when to walk away, when to run away.”
You can’t run or walk for Joe Biden. If you choose to leave, hold your chin up and high-step out of the White House. That’s your decision.
You said in an interview with ABC News on Friday, “If the almighty God came down and said, ‘Joe, step down from the election,’ I would step down from the election.”
Mr. President, you are a believer just like me.
You all know the story of the man who was trapped on his roof by a flood and he prayed to God for help.
A man in a rowboat came along and shouted, “Jump in, I’ll save you.”
“No, I’m OK. I’m praying to God. He’ll save me,” said the man on the roof. The boat continued on its way.
The situation was the same when the motorboat and helicopter arrived. The answer from the stranded man was the same. “No, thank you. I am praying to God, and He will save me. I have faith.”
Sure, it’s an old story, but consider the ending. Eventually, the water rose above the roof and the man drowned. When the man got to heaven and saw God, he cried out, “I believed in you, but you didn’t save me, you let me drown. I don’t understand why!”
God responded, “I sent you a rowboat and a motorboat and a helicopter. What more did you expect?”
Mr. President, I believe that your friends and supporters who are urging you to sail to calmer shores are in rowboats and motorboats and helicopters carrying a divine message: “Joe, get out of the race.”
This is just a thought from one older man to another.
Of course, that’s up to you to decide, Mr. President.
