38 Comments

Yes he should have more press conferences.

He should also sharpen his “Republicans what are they for?” rhetoric.

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I agree with all of your suggestions, and I think he's a far better speaker than everyone thinks-the fact that he's a stutterer is probably the one reason the WH comms people are keeping him away from the podium and microphone, plus there's probably some jerk in that group who fears that being of an older age, Joe Biden might actually make a mistake.

We won't talk about TFG, who thought that there were airports during the Revolutionary War, or even more preposterous things-because the media thinks that Joe Biden is too old.

I just wish the ageism problem everyone has would calm down. Not all old people are senile, not all old people wander around looking for their watch. Not all old people are in nursing homes staring out of a window at phantasms.

Some very old people are in Congress, running the show. Some old people are in the WH, running the country.

It's about time we stop thinking being old is a tragedy. It just shows that you survived despite the odds. It sure beats being 6 feet under.

And I'm sure Mr. Biden knows that..which is why he's savoring every single minute of being POTUS.

He worked his ass off for this job, now let him do it, people! We voted for him, let him do the job!

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Well said. I just recently read some research on the most productive years of life. The second most productive years was something like 60's-80's, the first being 40's-50's, I think. If I can find it, I'll post the link here. It totally debunked the notion that "old" is a wasteland and that "young" is the bee's knees!

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Here's the article. I had the numbers wrong: An extensive study in the U.S.A found that the most productive age in human life is between 60-70 years of age.

The 2nd. most productive stage of the human being is from 70 to 80 years of age.

The 3rd. most productive stage is from 50 to 60 years of age.

The average age of NOBEL PRIZE winners is 62 years old.

The average age of the presidents of prominent companies in the world is 63 years.

The average age of the pastors of the 100 largest churches in the U.S.A. is 71.

The average age of the Popes is 76 years.

This tells us in a way that it has been determined, that the best years of your life are between 60 and 80 years.

A study published in NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE found that at age 60, you reach the TOP of your potential and this continues into your 80s.

Therefore, if you are between 60 -70 or 70-80 you are in the BEST and 2nd. level of your life.

SOURCE: N.Engl.J .Med. 70,389 (2018) ..

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A very inspiring article, especially since it came from a most impressive journal.

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I think you nailed this one.

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Nicely done!

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Totally agree! It was great to hear him actually talk about stuff! But of course it will be spun as a disaster . . .

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Yeah. Tomorrow I expect to see another slew of "why is Biden's approval rating so low?" stories, whereupon I will (I hope) resist the temptation to go online and scream "BECAUSE YOU PEOPLE KEEP WRITING THESE STUPID STORIES."

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Okay. I will do it for both of us. I'm old and my self control is slipping.

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Go for it! I'm 70 and my self-control is *trying* to hold the line at "Don't go on Twitter when you're already pissed off."

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LOL. I also live alone and my friends "understand" my quirks.

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I'm in the same club with you and Susanna. My mother used to say that when a person gets to a "certain age" she can say whatever she wants! She's now 95 and believe me, she DOES! LOL!

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I have a T-shirt with words based on the famous Jenny Joseph poem, "When I am an old woman I shall wear purple." I got it when I was in my early 30s and already wearing *lots* of purple, and even more lavender. Moral of story: Start young! With practice you'll be awesome before you get "old".

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I just was able to watch the entire press conference and I have to say, I thought Biden handled the questions brilliantly. Newsmax should not be allowed into any conferences but the guy representing them, making a comment about Joe’s ability to comprehend or his so-called senility was both an insult and a chuckle. Talk about grasping at straws….

Joe has been in office one year. Let me repeat that…ONE YEAR. He has tackled more severe, serious issues than any president ever. He asked if he felt he had done a good job and he said he felt his admin had. He also admitted they got some things wrong. How many would even to admit to that statement? Not any of the multitude of white men in the Senate!

To your statement about how he should have more press conferences…I agree. I think it’s wonderful he is taking his show on the road to speak to the disenfranchised and those who will be if these voting laws pass.

Speaking of the voting rights act that didn’t pass tonight (no real shock there), a talking filibuster will happen. What exactly will be accomplished by doing this?

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maybe just so these assholes will have "some skin in the game" (i.e.--be inconvenienced into having to stand up and TALK not necessarily making any sense while doing so)? or maybe I'm giving them too much credit for thinking about CONSEQUENCES. tonight I started thinking about that famous statement that got quoted in the immediate aftermath of feeling successful after the first week or so of that not-so-splendidly-won War in Iraq, that quote about a "post-reality future" or something. well yeah, that's how those guys thought it was okay to FEEL for about a year or so, but once they were there, what did they have to do except be there forever. like Afghanistan or Vietnam. the thing obviously being that there's no point at all for owning the future if the mere fact of owning it is your end point. it struck me as obvious very late in the game (like twenty-some years ago, I blush to admit) that the main thing distinguishing okay governments from not-so-okay ones is that an orderly succession is planned for and taken seriously. when this embarrassingly obvious point occurred to me, I remember feeling a little big smug that it was actually one thing we more or less could take for granted. who knew that things could get this crazy? but who had any idea someone so absurdly unqualified (for any real human contact, let alone win ANY election--something he's never actually DONE) could occupy our center of attention 1) ever and 2) for so long. material for a cheap '40's Saturday matinee serial, but REALITY?

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Agreed!

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...and I assume that people citing Newsmax (which SHOULD be snubbed) goes somewhat beyond the material of today's press conference in starting to count out OAN as a player. one fucking down, so it CAN happen....

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Thanks. Excellent column. Agree he should have more press conferences. He should go deeper on the "What are Republicans for?" and go a step further, and remind people that there's nothing in the US Constitution mandating a "Two-Party System" - that Democracy works best when there is pressure from all sides to do the right thing, and "bring 'em on" - the more Parties the better, and any Repubs disillusioned with the current GOP should get their act together NOW and form their own new Party, or Parties, and generally encourage more participation in American Democracy by encouraging development of parties that actually stand for something, as the Dems do, as opposed to the GOP standing for guns, greed, graft, and grift. Etc. Biden is great, and we need more of him!

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Sadly, most of the GOP afraid of Former, pitiful.

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Definitely!!!

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I totally agree.

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Excellent

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President Biden has endured a political hell with grace and restraint. He can suffer Newsmax and other trash talkers, they defeat themselves. Biden is far more lucid and aware than his critics admit. He will get better at being president, as he settles in, and paces himself.

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He IS good at it. So much more in control than the one we will not name. However, as White House technical crews can’t get sound systems adjusted, I’m feeling better about my inability to adjust the damn speaker here!

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Good plan.

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