New York Times endorses Biden: who cares if he's unfit?

[Gondwanaland]

You mean folks making diagnoses of someone they never saw after he was dead?

While it isn't impossible that Reagan was beginning to show signs during his last couple of years in office, with old Joe he's been exhibiting unmistakable signs for a few years now and it has steadily gotten much worse to the point that the Times feels it necessary to essentially declare "what differences does it make?"

No, I'm talking about an actual scientific study of the man - who is confirmed to have Alzheimers and who died from it- and his decline in speaking abilities (including a comparative to GHWBush, who showed no such decline, as a baseline). You know, the same as what people do with Biden and his diminished speaking abilities, only with actual data analysis to back it up. Sounds like you want to have your cake and eat it too.

Reagan showed distinct and statistically significant diminished use of unique and complex words throughout his presidency, along with a direct increase in use of filler words. All of which are known to be what happens in those suffering from Alzheimers (which we KNOW he freaking had, like this isn't some 'oh look back at that he had alzheimers even though he was never actually diagnosed at all' - we KNOW he had it and we KNOW that it starts well before most diagnoses are made.)

I get that he was the Jesus figure of the Republican party (until Trump that is) and it's hard to admit that his Alzheimers was there during his (or Nancy's) presidency. But use your noggin, good grief.

[rogue06]

The comparison was to FDR.

That's nice. Still nobody is challenging old Joe's physical fitness. The problem is that his elevator rarely if ever makes it up to the top floor these days and is only getting worse.

[rogue06]

No, I'm talking about an actual scientific study of the man - who is confirmed to have Alzheimers and who died from it- and his decline in speaking abilities (including a comparative to GHWBush, who showed no such decline, as a baseline). You know, the same as what people do with Biden and his diminished speaking abilities, only with actual data analysis to back it up. Sounds like you want to have your cake and eat it too.

Reagan showed distinct and statistically significant diminished use of unique and complex words throughout his presidency, along with a direct increase in use of filler words. All of which are known to be what happens in those suffering from Alzheimers (which we KNOW he freaking had, like this isn't some 'oh look back at that he had alzheimers even though he was never actually diagnosed at all' - we KNOW he had it and we KNOW that it starts well before most diagnoses are made.)

I get that he was the Jesus figure of the Republican party (until Trump that is) and it's hard to admit that his Alzheimers was there during his (or Nancy's) presidency. But use your noggin, good grief.

The author of the latest scientific study (2015) made it clear

While the language complexity declines we observed are consistent with what you may expect to see in individuals with early signs of dementia, it is impossible to make any conclusive diagnosis based on our study. It’s certainly possible that President Reagan deliberately simplified his language because he found it to be politically advantageous.

And his son also told the NYT that he wasn't saying that his father was suffering from Alzheimer's while in office but that he was showing signs afterwards and before he was diagnosed five years after leaving office.

Then you have all of his physicians agreeing that he showed no signs while in office

...even with the hindsight of Mr. Reagan's [Alzheimer's] diagnosis, his four main White House doctors say they never detected any evidence that his forgetfulness was more than just that. His mental competence in office, they said in a series of recent interviews, was never in doubt. Indeed, they pointed out, tests of his mental status did not begin to show evidence of the disease until the summer of 1993, more than four years after he left the White House.

"There was never anything that would raise a question about his ability to function as President," said Dr. Lawrence C. Mohr, one of Mr. Reagan's physicians in his second term. "Ronald Reagan's cognitive function, belief structure, judgment, ability to choose between options, behavior and ability to communicate were totally and completely intact."

[...]

He "never forgot appointments, misplaced or lost things, where he put his glasses, never forgot to put his hearing aids in, never forgot to put his contact lenses in, and these are things he did for himself," Dr. Mohr said. "I saw him saddle and bridle horses at the ranch and later put things back exactly where they belonged." And Mr. Reagan, the doctors stressed, was punctual, never depressed and had no difficulty with language or understanding what was going on around him.

Finally, if he was exhibiting signs of it while still in office that would have made him among those who survived the longest with the disease -- considerably longer than the average.

[Ronson]

The author of the latest scientific study (2015) made it clear

While the language complexity declines we observed are consistent with what you may expect to see in individuals with early signs of dementia, it is impossible to make any conclusive diagnosis based on our study. It’s certainly possible that President Reagan deliberately simplified his language because he found it to be politically advantageous.

And his son also told the NYT that he wasn't saying that his father was suffering from Alzheimer's while in office but that he was showing signs afterwards and before he was diagnosed five years after leaving office.

Then you have all of his physicians agreeing that he showed no signs while in office

...even with the hindsight of Mr. Reagan's [Alzheimer's] diagnosis, his four main White House doctors say they never detected any evidence that his forgetfulness was more than just that. His mental competence in office, they said in a series of recent interviews, was never in doubt. Indeed, they pointed out, tests of his mental status did not begin to show evidence of the disease until the summer of 1993, more than four years after he left the White House.

"There was never anything that would raise a question about his ability to function as President," said Dr. Lawrence C. Mohr, one of Mr. Reagan's physicians in his second term. "Ronald Reagan's cognitive function, belief structure, judgment, ability to choose between options, behavior and ability to communicate were totally and completely intact."

[...]

He "never forgot appointments, misplaced or lost things, where he put his glasses, never forgot to put his hearing aids in, never forgot to put his contact lenses in, and these are things he did for himself," Dr. Mohr said. "I saw him saddle and bridle horses at the ranch and later put things back exactly where they belonged." And Mr. Reagan, the doctors stressed, was punctual, never depressed and had no difficulty with language or understanding what was going on around him.

Finally, if he was exhibiting signs of it while still in office that would have made him among those who survived the longest with the disease -- considerably longer than the average.

I went and watched a couple of videos of Reagan from 1988 and later. With the knowledge of hindsight, my impression was that he was fading in and out a little bit. In one video, he told GHWBush about an article he recently read. That not only required that he recall a recent event (reading it) but information the article contained. But in the same video, where he was welcoming POTUS-elect Bush to White House, he seemed lost a couple of times. He didn't appear to be in control - not like he would have been a couple of years earlier.

My conclusion is that although he may have had some symptoms at that time, it wasn't really enough to affect his functioning. CERTAINLY not to the level that Biden is exhibiting.

[rogue06]

My conclusion is that although he may have had some symptoms at that time, it wasn't really enough to affect his functioning. CERTAINLY not to the level that Biden is exhibiting.

And that's a point that shouldn't get lost in the shuffle.

Even before old Joe assumed office the decline was evident from when he was VP four years earlier. Even though they kept him hidden in his basement, away from questions and campaigning, his litany of unforced errors and total screw ups made it clear this was much more than him being, as he has described himself, as a human gaffe machine.

And when we get glimpses of his cheat sheets, they're reminders of things you'd tell a seven year old. Things like go in and take your seat -- don't wander aimlessly around the room.

Crap, when he went to Ireland, Hunter had to step in and help him handle questions from little kids. Likewise, after his return a child had to tell old Joe where it was he just got back from because he couldn't remember.

When even simple questions like this from kids are too much for you
And, btw, you have seven grandchildren not just
the five you remember or six you say you have

[Juvenal]

That's nice. Still nobody is challenging old Joe's physical fitness.

Other than the analysis you posted.

It's not an endorsement. It's not an endorsement by the New York Times. It's not written by the Editorial Board. It's not published in the Opinion section. It's not written contemporary with the primaries or the general election. It's not anything you've said it is.

My sense is you blew through every yellow light and a few red lights as well in a rush to promote a "bizarre" story about the analysis from some right fringe rag. You should have known better. You should have examined the story critically.

The problem is that his elevator rarely if ever makes it up to the top floor these days and is only getting worse.

Or as Don Lemon would say, he's in his prime.

I'm reminded of Dubya, the misunderestimator-in-chief, Biden's strategic competitor in the battle for greatest of the gaffers. The more his opponents doubted his abilities, the easier it was for him to score wins.

[rogue06]

I'm reminded of Dubya, the misunderestimator-in-chief, Biden's strategic competitor in the battle for greatest of the gaffers. The more his opponents doubted his abilities, the easier it was for him to score wins.

Biden's only real competition was Quayle. At least before old Joe started his cognitive decline.

And while the worries concerning Biden are primarily mental, I will admit he does have a problem with stairs

And bikes

joe-biden-falling-off-bike-joe.gif
Look what Putin did!

Apparently, Dubya would deliberate mispronounce some words -- like how he said "nuclear." Apparently he thought it made him more folksy. Not too sure that's how it came across. He also has his father's habit of starting to talk mid-sentence

[Diogenes]

An endorsement for Biden is inherently an enforcement for putting him in just to 25th him. Nothing short of elder abuse.

[Diogenes]

Or as Don Lemon would say, he's in his prime.

Biden is in his prime to be replaced. They may give him until after the midterms so Harris can be POTUS for up to 10 years.

[seanD]

Joe Biden in all his glory...

https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/stat...C28e3tqIouAAAA

And this is the man democrats are pretending can run for another 5 1/2 years.

[rogue06]

Joe Biden in all his glory...

https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/stat...C28e3tqIouAAAA

And this is the man democrats are pretending can run for another 5 1/2 years.

For example... for example... for example.

He never completes a sentence repeatedly interrupting himself to give an example that he rarely ever gets to because he wanders off track again only to interrupt himself yet again to give an example. Rinse and repeat.

This sort of stuff is happening more and more often. A couple times a week now unless they can keep him from a camera for several days.

His trip to Ireland was cringe-worthy with Hunter of all people having to step in to help his father complete a coherent statement.

And when he got back and was talking to a group of kids he couldn't remember where he had visited, who is grandchildren are or where they live. One of the kids had to shout out "Ireland" which jogged old Joe's memory enough that he agreed. You ended up hoping some staffer would rush out dressed as the Easter Bunny, wave their arms in old Joe's face and move him along.

[seanD]

For example... for example... for example.

He never completes a sentence repeatedly interrupting himself to give an example that he rarely ever gets to because he wanders off track again only to interrupt himself yet again to give an example. Rinse and repeat.

This sort of stuff is happening more and more often. A couple times a week now unless they can keep him from a camera for several days.

His trip to Ireland was cringe-worthy with Hunter of all people having to step in to help his father complete a coherent statement.

And when he got back and was talking to a group of kids he couldn't remember where he had visited, who is grandchildren are or where they live. One of the kids had to shout out "Ireland" which jogged old Joe's memory enough that he agreed. You ended up hoping some staffer would rush out dressed as the Easter Bunny, wave their arms in old Joe's face and move him along.

I'm giving the Dems the benefit of the doubt and assuming they're not possibly going to let this embarrassment continue to culminate to its ultimate disastrous climax. The problem is, they need some sort of out, and so the question is how they're going to do it before 2024.

[Sparko]

Joe Biden in all his glory...

https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/stat...C28e3tqIouAAAA

And this is the man democrats are pretending can run for another 5 1/2 years.

To be fair, listening to a speech by Trump is just as cringe-worthy. He just rambles on and on in some sort of "stream of consciousness" thing, stopping sentences in the middle and going on to some other tangent and such.

[seanD]

To be fair, listening to a speech by Trump is just as cringe-worthy. He just rambles on and on in some sort of "stream of consciousness" thing, stopping sentences in the middle and going on to some other tangent and such.

It's definitely cringeworthy because of the act he puts on, but I can understand what he's saying.

[rogue06]

It's definitely cringeworthy because of the act he puts on, but I can understand what he's saying.

That's the key.

Typically there are debates over what a politician meant not what it was he said.