Biden's losing battle with age has echoes in Shakespeare

In 1921, at the age of 39 and 12 years before he became US President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) contracted polio. His symptoms included fevers, paralysis from the waist down, bladder and bowel dysfunction, and numbness. He underwent years of therapy and had to use a wheelchair, but he made every effort to ensure that he was never seen to be doing so publicly. In public, he was seen standing, even if that meant leaning on his son.

The press was forbidden from photographing him in his wheelchair or entering/exiting a car, and his security detail was ever vigilant should anyone try. He became president in 1933 and completed the longest presidential term in US history, guiding America through World War II. All the while, the public had no idea of the severity of his health condition. Why? Because the US president cannot appear weak, either mentally or physically. Instead, they should project strength, control, and confidence. So ran the logic.

Guarding perceptions

That logic also applied to US President Woodrow Wilson, who suffered a stroke that caused paralysis during his presidency. The public only learned of this after his presidency ended in 1921. His wife had helped keep it secret, even managing some state affairs on Wilson’s behalf.

While two-term President Dwight Eisenhower (1953-61) showed no obvious physical illness, he suffered from heart disease and Crohn’s disease and survived a heart attack at the beginning of his second term. Again, this was kept largely secret.

Ronald Reagan (1981-89), known as the ‘cowboy’ president, played on his image of toughness, yet he later developed Alzheimer’s disease. Although the public came to know of this after his presidency, his son later revealed that the symptoms began during his time in office. This may have inspired British author J.G. Ballard to write a prescient short story during Reagan’s presidency, in which World War III begins and ends without anyone noticing, as the public is utterly captivated by the president’s health updates.

Today, US President Joe Biden, 81, is seeking a second term but cannot evade questions about his health, particularly his cognitive function, after a fumbling, mumbling debate performance against his opponent, Donald Trump. Were he the US president during the 20th century, with its relative lack of cameras and videos (or, at least, a more controlled use of them), he may have been able to hide or cover any ailments, as many of his predecessors did.

Abilities and expectations

As the leader of the world's superpower, he is almost expected to have superpowers, whether personal, physical, or psychological, since the US president is supposed to symbolise the nation's image and values. That is not the image being portrayed (often mercilessly) across social and mainstream media, which shows Biden's gaffes and mistakes and highlights his confusion.

He has sought to explain these, most recently saying he was unwell. But his most ardent defenders, such as actor George Clooney, fear it is more than that. Having bestrode the world stage for years, Biden today seems a shadow of himself. He is the Democratic Party nominee, so his team is trying to present him in the best light, choreographing his appearances, such as at this week's NATO summit, but this increasingly appears to be in vain.

Various ailments have been suggested by commentators, including dementia and Parkinson's disease. A neurologist has repeatedly visited the White House, but the public has been told that this was not to see Biden.

Trump has sought to capitalise. During the 90-minute CNN debate, which raised so many red flags, Trump's verbal jabs looked finely honed next to the President's meandering sentences. In this era of the image, Trump excels. He knows that, in this age, many will vote not on domestic or international policies or on issues like tax or abortion but on the personality of the presidential contenders.

In his latest interview with ABC News, Biden concurred. "It's all about the character of the president... The president's character will decide whether the constitution is applied correctly."

Being the North Star

Trump, 78, is far from young but remains active, notably by playing golf. His sexual appetite and aversion to alcohol are widely known. Like many Americans, he consumes soft drinks, eats fast food, watches a lot of TV, and spends time commenting on social media.

After the debate with Biden, Trump was heard saying that he felt the presidential race was now all but decided. Judging by the polls, it would be hard to argue with that if Biden does not withdraw (or, alternatively, if he is not replaced).