Opinion | It’s Biden’s decision, but he should listen to the voices around him

My judgment was based not only on your performance, but also on a statement from your physician, Kevin O’Connor, dated February 16, 2023. He said you were a “healthy, vigorous 80-year-old man who is capable of successfully performing the duties of the Office of the President.”

The good doctor has come a long way. O’Connor said you had undergone an “extremely detailed neurological examination” which found no signs of conditions such as stroke, multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease. And what about your frequent throat clearing and coughing? O’Connor said that was due to gastroesophageal reflux. And your stiff gait? A detailed physical examination and review of X-rays by a specially assembled medical team revealed that this was due to “degenerative (‘wear and tear’) osteoarthritic changes (or spondylosis)” of your spine, which would be treated with physical therapy and exercises.

In other words, the people who know best have concluded that you should be allowed to go.

Barely a year later, Mr. President, we are witnessing profound changes in the state of our Union. We are witnessing a Supreme Court reshuffled by President Donald Trump, shaking our Constitutional foundations. We are witnessing the resurrection of the twice-impeached and convicted felon Trump as the future Commander in Chief.

And then there is your personal situation. You are You are facing doubts within your own party about whether you should continue to seek re-election after your miserable performance in the first presidential debate.

Many are worried about your suitability as a candidate. Whether you are mentally and physically fit enough not only to take on Trump, but also to represent your cause competently before the American people. And whether you could be a presidential candidate for another four years if you win the election.

I know you’ve heard calls to resign. That hurts and makes you angry, I’m sure. But this isn’t about pride or your competitive instincts. The question for you, Mr. President, is whether your presence on the ballot, even if you doggedly do your best, will help or hurt the chances of keeping Trump out of the White House.

One thing has not changed, Mr President. I am still three years older than you, so I have the right to think about getting older.

I don’t have to speculate. At 84 years old – I’ll be 85 in September – I’ve reached the middle of the late winter of life.

I’m not faking it. I use a cane not to demonstrate strength and power, but because I need it for balance. These days, I can’t remember names as well as I used to, and facts come slower to me. And yes, I often catch myself rambling on. I also find young, bright-eyed know-it-alls boring and hard to tolerate. I endure meetings instead of enjoying them. My day also ends abruptly at 5 p.m. No lectures about my cocktail ritual, please. The self-righteous should live that long.

But I am not the same person I once was, and neither are you, Mr. President. I retired from the Post in 2007. Now I am on my way to my final exit.

Own where you are. Live with it. Realize that you did the best you could with what you had.

And Mr President, you have done well.

What’s the name of the song by Gambler? “You gotta know when to hold ’em, when to put ’em down, when to walk away and when to run.”

For Joe Biden, there is no run or go. You leave the White House with your chin up if you want to leave. It’s your decision.

In an interview with ABC News on Friday, you said: “If the Almighty Lord came to me and said, ‘Joe, drop out of the race,’ I would drop out of the race.”

Mr. President, I see that you are a believer, just like me.

You probably know the story of the man who was trapped on his roof during a flood. He prayed to God for help.

A man in a rowboat came by and shouted: “Jump in, I can save you.”

“No, it’s okay, I pray to God. He will save me,” said the man on the roof. The rowboat continued on.

This continued until a motorboat and then a helicopter arrived. The same response from the stranded man: “No thanks, I pray to God and he will save me. I have faith.”

And it’s an old story, sure, but let’s stick with how it ends: Eventually the water rose above the roof and the man drowned. When he got to heaven and saw God, he cried out: “I believed in you, but you didn’t save me, you let me drown. I don’t understand why!”

God replied, “I sent you a rowboat, a motorboat and a helicopter. What more did you expect?”

Could it be, Mr. President, that the friends and supporters urging you to move to calmer waters are rowboats, motorboats and helicopters delivering God’s message: “Joe, get out of the race”?

Just a thought from an older man to another old man.

Of course it is your decision, Mr President.