Joe Biden says it's 'totally appropriate' for voters to consider his age ("Am I fit enough?")

[highplainsdem]

I've added a few words in parentheses to the CNN headline quoted in the subject line, because I want people to understand as soon as they see this that he is talking about how healthy he is at his age, and not suggesting that his age should automatically be disqualifying, as some have tried to do.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/07/politics/joe-biden-age-2020-race/index.html

Former Vice President Joe Biden said it's "totally appropriate" for people to consider his age when evaluating him as presidential candidate.
"Just like when I was 29, was I old enough? And now, am I fit enough? I'll completely disclose everything about my health. I'm in good shape," Biden said in a Friday interview with a New Hampshire newspaper, The Laconia Daily Sun.

-snip-

If he were to win the White House, Biden would be 78 years old when he's sworn into office in 2021 -— which would make him the oldest president at the beginning of his first term in American history.

Biden also addressed a moment during the CNN climate crisis town hall Wednesday when his left eye appeared bloodshot, chalking it up to an issue with his contact lens.
"It was my contact lens," he told the Laconia Daily Sun. "I think I, you know when you're taking it out, I think bruised my eye."

-snip-

Among the other Democrats running for president, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is 77 and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren in 70. Trump,73, was the oldest president at the beginning of his first term in 2017.

Re that red spot on Biden's eye, which RWers and some on DU tried to make way too much of -- that was apparently visible when he taped his interview for Colbert's Late Show earlier that day, too, as Colbert demonstrated with video on his show two nights ago, when he also pointed out how common it is.

I'm mentioning that because I've actually seen people try to suggest, at least on Twitter, that a blood vessl broke in Biden's eye because of his reaction to being asked about a fundraiser during the climate town hall. Ridiculous.

[DrFunkenstein]

1. Seriously Folks, Whatever Your Reservations About Biden

It has nothing to do with his eye. I have long-standing issues with candidates beholden to the wealthy elite, but this is totally unrelated to Biden's eye.

As progressives, we should be railing against "gotcha" quotes and these sort of sideshows, even if they benefit our own candidate in the short term. In the end, though, this type of politics only benefits the wealthy elite, who loot the candy store while we argue over nonsense.

One of the reasons I am backing Warren is that she is so good at keeping her eye on the prize. Even I'm guilty of political silliness from time to time, but we really should try to catch ourselves.

[highplainsdem]

2. Thanks for posting that! Btw, Biden coughed a few times this morning during the

last few minutes of his 10-minute speech. The RW Washington Examiner reported that as a "near-coughing fit" IN THEIR HEADLINE and now that silliness is all over Twitter, being repeated by Biden critics.

[Mr.Bill]

3. I would vote for Joe over Trump

if he was blind, in a wheelchair and had stage four cancer in both lungs.

[George II]

4. I thought he got the red eye when that shower door attacked him?

[vsrazdem]

5. Biden's age is not an issue, and should not be one.

[Thekaspervote]

6. An honest man with depth of knowledge and experience running for the highest post in the land

The rest should not be considered. He will ALWAYS do the right thing, and if that means leaving office due to ill health then he won’t hesitate. The good of the country is foremost for him and his campaign

Let the idiots keep pounding away.... we’ll go high every time they go low.

[vsrazdem]

7. RBG at 84 is sharp as a tack and I have no qualms about her mental abilities. I think that

all of our candidates truly believe they are best suited for the job, and they would never put the presidency in jeopardy with unreported health issues, unlike the turd in the white house, whose only interest was in profiting from the presidency.

[Cha]

8. Biden is certainly confident that he

is fit to be POTUS.

I remember when enemies were trying to accuse Hillary of not having the stamina or whatever bullshit they were pushing at the time.

[Joe941]

9. He should probably release his health records.

[elocs]

10. Good for Joe because if you do that here you're accused of being ageist. n/t