"If We Can Keep It"

Tonight's Presidential debate is a concern. Democracy is at stake, but optics affect even those who aren't undecided or uninformed. Biden looks unhealthier than Trump, and appearance matters. We wish it didn't, but history has proven it does. And ageism is pernicious yet socially acceptable. The media has focused on every slight misstep Biden has made. This perception of him as a failing octogenarian dominates the public consciousness. When Biden was young, he almost died of a brain aneurysm. He was long known as someone who speaks without thinking. To correct this, he speaks slowly, which the public attributes to age. But this is not a reflection of lack of intelligence or knowledge. The best of speakers can misspeak under stress, yet the media and public will grab onto any gaffe, convinced of decline. We wish this weren't true, but it is.