Old Guy Situation

 This November, Joe Biden turns 81.  I pondered over this age thing.

From the general crowd of 80-plus year old guys I know or have met in my life....it's probably fewer than 2-percent who are employed or working in some manner.  If you asked these 2-percent folks....most walk into their bar or restaurant.....check on things, and two hours later....exit to the golf course, or head home for a nap.  

At the Pentagon (2012), we had a big ceremony to honor all the 80-plus year old folks who still worked there.  Big stage set up....number two guy for the Pentagon running the ceremony...handing out awards.  Must have been thirty-odd people noted as still employed.  Couple of them were PhD types or history geeks.  Some were just admin folks who'd been in the same job (same level) for past forty years.  I would say from the experience....at least a third of them were marginally confused, and had some help in reaching the podium for their award.

In Biden's case?  I noticed for almost all of 2021...some journalist was tracking the daily calendar and noted for all work-days....there was rarely ever more than one single event scheduled for each day, unless Biden was on a trip-situation.  If you compared it to Obama?  Well.....on most days (with no golf planned)....Obama had a minimum of five events planned and some days reached a dozen events.

There's no doubt that the staff does 99-percent of the work, and Biden just gets briefed (probably the minimum required).  Biden is there to make a statement, and give some bold chatter when necessary.

All of this geared for an old guy to slip up and say some BS that unhinges the public?  Yeah, it's that type of scenario that you see developing.

Any real campaign for the 2024 primary?  I don't see how.  He might be ready to travel five days a week and deliver some 12-minute speech at each stop....but I don't think the campaign 'bosses' want that type of risk.  They also don't want to arrange arena situations where only 3,000 people show up for a 8,000 seat arena.  

So I'm with the same scenario developing....that Senator Feinstein will announce retirement set for the end of November, and Governor Newsom appoints VP Harris to the seat.  As Harris arrives to the seat....Governor Newsom is appointed by President Biden as the new VP, and Biden by Christmas announces....he won't run...enabling Newsom to run his own campaign....mostly against RFK.

I know, it's a crazy scenario, but the only way that enchants the general public.