I'm an educator by profession, not a medical doctor, and I'm definitely not an expert on cognitive decline or dementia. But to my layman's eyes and ears, Joe Biden looks like and sounds like someone whose best years of insightful analysis, critical thinking, creative solutions, and persuasive speaking are behind him. He seems to have slowed down considerably since his election to the presidency -- in his walking, his talking, his energy level, and -- very possibly -- even in his thinking.
He is now 81 years old. Are there people that age who still think freshly and creatively? I believe so. Is Joe Biden one of those people? I detect no evidence that he is. He is a man whose health is declining -- both physically and mentally. If he is re-elected, will he be able to competently perform the duties of the presidency for another full four years? I doubt it. And my guess is that many Democrats, though they are fearful of Donald Trump's possible return to the White House if Joe Biden does not stand in his way, are also concerned about Biden’s continued fitness to serve as the leader of our country for four more years.