The debate over President Joe Biden’s age and cognitive abilities has inspired his dwindling number of supporters to make some rather ridiculous arguments against those who are concerned about his ability to lead the country.
This op-ed from Salon, however, takes the proverbial cake.
In a recently-published piece, the author makes the dubious claim that those expressing concerns about Biden’s age and lack of mental acuity are guilty of ageism and ableism.
Yes, the publication actually put out this argument with a straight face.
The article highlighted how some of the news coverage centering on Biden’s age has alarmed disability advocates. The author points to a recent image published by The Economist showing the presidential seal on a walker. The National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) slammed the image, arguing that “People with disabilities are not a punchline” and that mobility aids actually symbolize strength, not weakness.
To demonstrate this point, the NDRN listed politicians from both parties who, in recent history, have risen to high office while being disabled: Republicans like former President Dwight D. Eisenhower (who was dyslexic) and current Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (who is in a wheelchair) and Democrats such as former President Franklin Roosevelt (also in a wheelchair), former President John F. Kennedy (who lived with chronic pain) and sitting Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor (who has diabetes).
These powerful men and women are not alone. Millions of Americans are elderly, disabled or both. Perhaps this is why, when the collective conversation about aging and disability uncritically assumes that people who flub their words, trail off mid-sentence or stare off into space are “incompetent,” some of those who support disability rights pause.
The author took aim at New York Magazine for publishing a cover showing Biden and former President Donald Trump in their underwear awaiting a medical checkup. Ashley Glears from The Arc stressed that people should focus more on policies rather than cognitive issues. “Criticizing President Biden for his speech or behavior can be seen as ableist if it targets perceived cognitive issues rather than his policies,” she argued.
Maria Town, president and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities, also criticized the image published by The Economist and noted that several presidents have suffered from various disabilities.
“Abraham Lincoln had depression,” Town said. “James Madison was epileptic. Franklin Roosevelt was paralyzed. John F. Kennedy had Addison’s disease, ulcerative colitis and chronic pain. George Washington, Woodrow Wilson, Dwight Eisenhower and Thomas Jefferson were all known to have learning disabilities. Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton both had/have hearing impairments. And Joe Biden has a stutter, a disability that can affect his speech. I hope all of those examples can disabuse our nation of the idea that the presence of a disability alone can or should be disqualifying for a president.”
Sociologist Dr. S Jay Olshansky cautioned about how the term “disabled” could stigmatize those experiencing various challenges. “The public is not capable of drawing definitive, accurate conclusions based on watching videotape of interviews,” he stated.
Of course, much of the recent concerns about Biden’s age and mental acuity are centered on his appalling debate performance against Trump a little over three weeks ago. Phyllis Vine, a historian and journalist asserted that his inability to make his points while countering his opponents should not influence people’s opinions on his ability to serve in the White House. Instead, he should be judged on his “record, his leadership, and his vision for the future” she argued, saying:
“What he displayed was someone coming under attack as if on a battlefield. And his performance was not what it would have been had he been in conversation with a reasonable or qualified person who was as serious about learning, listening and governing on behalf of the American people.”
The overall point of the piece was that America needs to have new conversations about what qualifies someone for the presidency. Town argued:
“There are lots of people who have perfect mobility and speech who would be terrible as president of the United States.”
I can sympathize with folks who are mistreated or discriminated against due to having a disability. However, despite its valiant efforts to paint Biden’s situation in the same light, these activists fall far short of convincing arguments in this report.
For starters, scrutiny of a president’s cognitive and physical health is more than warranted given the fact that this office is responsible for managing the military, implementing policies that affect people’s lives, and representing the nation on a global scale. The notion that the chief executive’s health and mental capabilities are irrelevant is about as absurd as it gets.
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Biden’s issues go far beyond having to use a wheelchair or speech impediments. It is clear that he is often unaware of what is going on around him. His ability to communicate has been severely diminished, a fact that is on full display every time he gets in front of a camera.
Indeed, the classified documents case provides a compelling example. Special counsel Robert Hur’s interviews with the president intimated that he misplaced classified material simply because he did not remember doing so. What happens if he had exposed critical information that could be used against American citizens?
Having a clear picture of a president’s cognitive and physical health is a matter of public interest and is essential for ensuring they can handle the demands of the office. It is about the practical requirements of one of the most challenging jobs in the world and has absolutely nothing to do with ageism or ableism.
Of course, the folks at Salon fully understand this. The article was merely a desperate attempt to defend President Biden by attacking those who are rightly concerned about the man who possesses the nuclear codes. Unfortunately for them, screaming “you’re ableist” isn’t going to work.
