Joe Biden and Mitch McConnell struck up a friendship during their nearly quarter-century in the Senate together. Now in their 80s, the Democratic president and the Senate GOP leader appear to be giving political cover to each other as they fend off questions about their advanced age and health issues.

Notably, McConnell, R-Ky., 81, hasnā€™t joined Donald Trump, 77, and other Republicans who have attacked Bidenā€™s age, health and mental acuity as he seeks re-election.

And after McConnellā€™s second freeze-up last week, Biden was one of the first to call McConnell, telling reporters that his ā€œfriendā€ sounded like ā€œhis old selfā€ and that such episodes are a ā€œpart of his recoveryā€ from a fall and a concussion this year.

  • qwertyqwertyqwerty@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    17
    Ā·
    1 year ago

    Age limit tied to Social Security retirement age and joining the military, voting, smoking, and drinking tied to the same age (18 or 21, take your pick). We either need to say people are of the appropriate age to do these things, or not. This cherry-picking bullshit has to go. Also, term limits. The constitution wasnā€™t meant for a congressperson or senator to be in the same seat for 40+ years.

      • qwertyqwertyqwerty@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        3
        Ā·
        1 year ago

        I disagree. I understand your viewpoint, but we need a more clear cut way to determine someoneā€™s ā€œmaturityā€ to make their own decisions. Voting can be indirectly lethal (using the term very loosely here). Ask one of the women who couldnā€™t get an abortion and died from delivery complications, or the recent study that said the rollbacks the last president made for pollution is estimated to have caused tens of thousands of deaths, or lack of COVID restrictions enforcement. Itā€™s also currently arbitrary whether someone is tried as an adult in the case of a teenager that commits a homicide. So is the ability to give consent for intercourse, and that has a remote possibility of lethality too (delivery complications, STDs, etc.).