Joe Biden should drop out

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the inevitability of age-related decline in professional athletes and political leaders, using examples like Michael Jordan, Peyton Manning, Babe Ruth, Tiger Woods, and Serena Williams. It focuses on concerns about President Joe Biden's age and ability to serve a second term, given that he would be 86 years old by the end of it. The author argues that Biden's age is an "unassailable, objective fact" that Democrats will struggle to overcome, and suggests that the party should consider replacing him as the nominee.

🙋 Q&A

[01] The Inevitability of Age-Related Decline

1. What does the author say about the typical trajectory of an athlete's career?

• Major league athletes improve rapidly through age 22, improve more slowly from 23-25, peak from 26-28, and then enter a decline phase.
• There is some variability in the decline phase, with some players able to extend their peak into their early or mid-30s, depending on factors like position and sport.

2. What examples does the author provide of sudden declines in athletes' performance?

• Michael Jordan with the Wizards
• Peyton Manning with the Broncos
• Babe Ruth hitting .181 in his last MLB season
• Tiger Woods repeatedly missing the cut

3. How does the author describe Serena Williams' final match at the 2022 US Open?

• Serena clearly lacked the mobility she once possessed, but gave everything she had to eke out a win over the No. 2 seed, before losing in the next round.
• The win over Kontaveit was the last match of Serena's career.

[02] Concerns About Biden's Age

1. What are the author's main concerns about Biden's age?

• Biden is 81 now and seeking a second term, which would make him 86 by the end of it - an "untenable proposition" given the typical cognitive and physical decline that occurs in the late 70s and early 80s.
• The author argues that voters have a "pretty good point" in being concerned about Biden's age, as it becomes harder for people to consistently carry out day-to-day tasks at that age.

2. How does the author compare Biden's age to that of other political leaders?

• The author notes that almost no CEO apart from Warren Buffet is as old as Biden (81), and that few world leaders are anywhere close to that age, except in authoritarian countries.

3. How does the author assess Biden's debate performance against Trump?

• The author states that Biden "crushed" Biden 67-33 in CNN's post-debate poll, calling it a lopsided result that indicates how badly Biden performed.
• The author argues that Biden is a "shadow of himself" compared to past debate performances, and that Republicans will likely weaponize this issue against him.

[03] The Democratic Party's Options

1. What are the author's views on potential replacement candidates for Biden?

• The author suggests Kamala Harris or Gavin Newsom as better options than Biden, though not their preferred choices.
• The author argues that either of these candidates would likely have a better chance of winning against Trump than Biden.

2. How does the author assess the challenges of replacing Biden as the nominee?

• The author acknowledges that picking a new nominee via superdelegates at the convention would be a "shitshow", and that the circumstances are not ideal.
• The author argues that Democrats should "do whatever is in their power to improve their odds", even if it's only from 25% to 35%.

3. What is the author's final message to the Democratic Party?

• The author urges Biden to consider what's best for his party, the country, and his legacy, and that seeking the presidency until age 86 is not the right choice.
• The author argues that Democrats should be "angry" at those who put the party in this predicament by insisting on Biden and Harris as the ticket.