AMERICA ISN’T A GERIATRIC WARD, SO STOP ELECTING PRESIDENTS LIKE IT
At this point, it’s not even controversial to say it: the presidency of the United States should not be a retirement gig. And yet, here we are—again—watching two men well past their cognitive prime take turns leading the free world like I’m watching Morty Seinfeld and Jack Klompus go at it at Del Boca Vista during an episode of Seinfeld.
Let’s start with the obvious. During his time in office, Joe Biden has had more than a few public moments that raise eyebrows: mid-sentence freezes, word salad gaffes, and an overall sense that the cognitive load of the job may be a bit heavier than he’s able to carry. Despite the carefully controlled messaging, it became harder and harder to believe he was firing on all cylinders.
Now, fast-forward to the present, and we’re watching Donald Trump—no stranger to bizarre rants and unfiltered stream-of-consciousness speeches—exhibit signs of his own rapid cognitive decline. Slurred words, repeated stories, bizarre tangents, forgetting names—it’s no longer just “Trump being Trump.” It’s starting to look like Trump forgetting Trump.
This isn’t partisan. This is generational. These men are 80 and 77, respectively. If either of them were applying for a demanding corporate job, they wouldn’t make it past the first round—not because of ageism, but because the job requires intense mental stamina, adaptability, and, frankly, the ability to stay awake through a security briefing without drifting into a Reagan-era nap.
The presidency is not ceremonial. It’s not symbolic. It’s real leadership that demands razor-sharp focus, quick thinking, and resilience under pressure. Yet we continue to treat it like a retirement package for men with more decades behind them than ahead.
We have to stop pretending that age has no bearing on job performance. It does. That’s not disrespect—it’s reality. No one wants to take Grandpa’s car keys away, but maybe we shouldn’t let him drive the country.
We need a generation of leaders who aren't just trying to relive their political glory days or settle old scores. We need energy. Vision. Capacity. Leaders who aren't distracted by medical checkups and memory slips.
Because America isn’t a nursing home, and the Oval Office shouldn’t come with a Life Alert.
