President Joe Biden on Tuesday issued a proclamation recognizing June 15 as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Some political observers interpreted the announcement as a "cry for help" from a widely reviled leader who will celebrate his 80th birthday just two weeks after his party is obliterated in the 2022 midterms.
"It is more vital than ever that we ensure our older adults can age with dignity, security, and appreciation that every person deserves," Biden wrote in a thinly veiled attack on his critics as well as his allies who continue to subject him to the indignities of playacting as president. "Honoring and respecting older Americans is a matter of basic human dignity and justice—it is part of the character of our Nation."
Biden's despondent declaration comes at a time when Democrats are increasingly concerned about his abysmal job approval rating—just 38.9 percent, according to the RealClearPolitics polling average—but also terrified at the thought of Kamala Harris becoming the party's standard-bearer. Some have even deluded themselves into thinking alternative candidates such as Pete Buttigieg, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, or Beto O'Rourke are likable enough to win a national election. (They aren't.)
Most Americans don't like Biden, but that doesn't mean he isn't the most viable candidate Democrats have to offer. They may have no choice but to wheel him out for reelection at age 81. In other words, the entire party would be conspiring to commit elder abuse against a vulnerable senior citizen who thinks he's living in the year 1978. They should consider letting him retire with at least some of his dignity intact.
There's no good reason why any politician should be allowed to hold office after their 80th birthday. Imposing such a rule, however, would decimate the Democratic Party leadership. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) is 82, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D., Md.) is 83, and House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D., S.C.) is 81.
Democrats often congratulate themselves for belonging to the "party of the future."