A doctor's takeaway of President Biden's debate performance (excerpts only)

[Rorey]

Last edited Sun Jul 7, 2024, 11:05 AM - Edit history (1)

Great opinion piece, IMO.

By Dr. Kavita Patel, MSNBC columnist (excerpts)


Since Reagan’s time, the life expectancy for all adults, including white males, has increased several years due to advancements in medical technology, such as innovations in cancer treatment and cardiac drugs, even with Covid-19 causing a setback in life expectancy. In short, we are living longer and longer thanks to science. Having two of the oldest people to date running for presidential office is a sign of success and progress, even with the setbacks it presents.

A conversation about aging need not be yet another thing that divides us.

Which brings us back to the age paradox: Our desire to live longer is difficult to reconcile with society’s treatment of people who manage to do it. Polling data indicates that a majority of voters have reservations about the ability of older candidates to effectively manage the responsibilities of the presidency. For instance, a Pew Research Center survey found that only 3% of Americans believe the best age for a president is in their 70s or older, with the majority preferring candidates in their 50s. The concerns are not unfounded, as cognitive decline can affect decision-making, memory and the ability to handle stress — all critical aspects of presidential responsibility. But it is also true that age brings experience and wisdom, undoubtedly valuable assets in a president.

While debates will always have some element of disagreement, and the recent one is no exception, a conversation about aging need not be yet another thing that divides us. Instead, it is a chance to reflect deeply and show great compassion for our elderly, while also acknowledging that we are intelligent enough to discern between showmanship and substance. Therein lies true common ground.




https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/biden-debate-nominee-ageism-aging-rcna160319

[onecaliberal]

1. MSGOP gets no clicks from me.

[Rorey]

2. I understand

It was a great perspective, IMO, but I understand that some won't read it simply based on the site.

[Rorey]

3. I posted the article, if you want to take the time NT

[Ocelot II]

5. But we can only post four paragraphs of an article

because of copyright restrictions - can't post the whole article per DU's rules.

Do not copy-and-paste entire articles onto this discussion forum. When referencing copyrighted work, post a short excerpt with a link back to the original.

To simplify compliance and enforcement of copyrights here on Democratic Underground, we ask that excerpts from other sources posted on Democratic Underground be limited to a maximum of four paragraphs, and we ask that the source of the content be clearly identified. Those who make a good-faith effort to respect the rights of copyright holders are unlikely to have any problems. But individuals who willfully and habitually infringe on others' copyrights risk being in violation of our Terms of Service.

Democratic Underground believes we have an ethical responsibility to respect the rights of copyright holders. For this reason, we strongly encourage our members to refrain from violating copyrights when posting here, and we make a good-faith effort to deal with copyright violations posted on our site when we are aware of them. However, please be aware that as a matter of law, individuals who infringe on copyrights in their postings on this site or elsewhere can be held individually responsible for copyright violations they post. Democratic Underground does not necessarily have a legal responsibility for the things members post on this website.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=copyright

[Rorey]

9. Thank you. I haven't been here for quite awhile.

I think it complies now, and if someone wants to read the entire article, the link is there.

My apologies to everyone for not following the rules.

[onecaliberal]

8. Thank you.

[samnsara]

4. thank you..great article!

[Fiendish Thingy]

6. Violating copyrights puts DU at risk of legal action

You should edit your post to a four paragraph excerpt

[Rorey]

7. Will do

Could I put it up in entirety over several posts? Or is that still a violation?

Edit: I just cut out most of it so it will hopefully comply. Thank you for letting me know.