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As Joe Biden in fine fettle would say, “Look folks, we have reached an inflection point…”

But what kind of fettle is Biden in today? Aging for sure, but it’s not a crime to grow old in America.

If we apply the president’s favorite rhetorical metaphor to his current crisis, is the geometric curve of his presidency headed upward? Downward? Or is he stuck in the mire of the public’s anxiety?

Because that’s the question: Is Biden strong enough to beat Trump and preserve our democracy? Or is the public’s alarm about his increasing verbal imperfections—a result of age—greater than it deserves to be?

Just whose anxiety over aging matters most, ours or his?

After nearly two weeks, Biden has yet to extinguish all the questions around his ability to lead the country into the future. His age, his mental capacity, his ability to communicate without stumbling are all legitimate concerns.

Maybe a stumble here and there shouldn’t be a game breaker. He’s still better policy-wise than Trump. You can’t flub a statement that you’re pro-abortion or pro-NATO and pro-Ukraine.But the misspoken moments have happened often enough to make one wonder if the president is in tip-top shape, more so mentally than physically.

A RADIO MOMENT

Over the Fourth of July holiday, Joe Biden was listing his accomplishments to an African American talk host, and Biden just didn’t make sense.

Biden: “By the way, I’m proud be, as I said, the first vice president, first Black woman, to serve with a Black president, proud of the first Black woman in the Supreme Court. There’s just so much that we can do because together we—there’s nothing. Look, this is the United States of America.”

We can sense what he was trying to communicate. It just wasn’t sharp and clear.

It happens more than we realize, as the Wall Street Journal reports Biden’s handlers have too often protected him in order to keep public lapses to a minimum.

At this point, to rid Biden of his doubters may require he take a cognitive test.

Trump jokingly wanted a test of Biden for performance enhancing drugs before their first debate. But a cognitive test is not a bad idea for any candidates older than 75. Even Trump.

Last week, Biden downplayed any need for such tests, defiantly insisting on the exclusive ABC News interview that he’s tested every day on the job.

That’s not going to shut up critics who will be on extreme Biden Flub watch.

This week, the New York Times scoured over the White House visitors’ log (something Biden adopted after the Trump administration ended them). The Times revealed a Parkinson’s specialist had visited the White House several times in the recent past. Smoking gun? Nope.The White House said only three visits were for Biden as part of his regular exams. The rest were for the hundreds of other patients treated in the White House medical unit. The White House then pointed to previously disclosed records that showed the president in good health, able to do the job without accommodation.

What we are dealing with is a man who is aging, but not necessarily to the detriment of our country.

If aging were a felony, Biden would have 81.

But in this race, only Trump has 34 real felony convictions.

That’s what keeps a Biden candidacy viable.

HERDING DEMS

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) continued to have Biden’s back at the Essence Fest at New Orleans last weekend.“People are talking about ‘Biden is too old’—hell, I’m older than Biden, the 85-year-old Waters said in a Washington Post article. She got a standing ovation and didn’t let up. “I get up every morning. And I exercise. And I work late hours. I take care of Black people. Trump has told you who he is; he defined himself. He’s a no good, deplorable, lying despicable human being.”

Waters was bringing the campaign back to Biden, the honest man vs. Trump the convicted felon. Even the imperfect Biden is better than a Trump with his racist, democracy-threatening ideas.

“No matter what anybody said, it ain’t going to be no other Democratic candidate. It’s going to be Biden,” Waters concluded.

By Monday, after Biden sent a letter to Congress restating his decision to stay in the race, people fell in line.

The Congressional Black Caucus backed Biden, as did House Minority leader Hakeem Jeffries. Even progressive AOC backed Biden. There were a handful of defections, but basically the Democrats seemed to suggest that if the Republicans can look away and back a convicted felon, Dems could back an aging, stumbling Biden—who’d still be a better president than the felon.

Of course, that didn’t end the debate. Mark Takano of California was a notable AAPI defection. But Ted Lieu, vice chair of the Caucus, was defending Biden. And of course, VP Harris, the running mate, was in Nevada Tuesday speaking to AAPI voters on the existential threat of Donald Trump.

Nationwide, AAPI voters have dipped in their support of Biden to just 46 percent, down from 54 percent in 2020, according to the latest Asian American Voter Survey. Voters are still enthusiastic about voting, with 90 percent saying they will cast a vote in 2024.


PELOSI KEEPS THE DEBATE ALIVE

Unfortunately, just when all the leaders were in line, the discussion kept on.

This morning, Nancy Pelosi went on MSNBC and her foot wasn’t in her mouth–it was keeping the discussion door open. All whle being supportive at the same time.

“It’s up to the president to secide [sic] if he is going to run,” Pelosi said, flubbing the word “decide.” “We’re all encouraging him to make that decision…I want him to do whatever he decides to do. And that’s the way it is.”

Within hours, the New York Times published an op-ed from Hollywood celeb George Clooney, which signaled that this was the time to air private thoughts publicly.

Clooney was with Biden for a fundraiser just weeks ago, but now wrote: “It’s devastating to say it, but the Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fund-raiser was not the Joe “big F—ing deal” Biden of 2010. He wasn’t even the Joe Biden of 2020. He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate.”

A showbiz star breaking ranks may be enough to allow politicos, in the “showbiz for ugly people,” to have the courage to speak their truth.

Maybe those closest to Biden will help him see that this time things have changed. Starting with Biden himself.

Frankly, if I were Biden, I would tell the public that aging isn’t a crime. An older person can still do the job. This isn’t the 400-meter relay, where Biden is running the anchor leg. I’d tell people not to relate Biden’s situation to their own guilt in dealing with aging loved ones. He’s not your father who you just took away the keys from.

Don’t be an ageist. And don't take away his teleprompter. Would you take a wheelchair away from someone who couldn't walk? Tell a person to read without their glasses?

If Biden can do the job, half a Biden as president, who will preserve rights and our democracy, is still better than a whole Trump, who wants to be a dictator.

So are we at an inflection point, where Biden has put a cap on the anxiety level of doubters?

Depends on the next flub. Biden hasn’t gotten to the point of my dear 100-year old teacher Flossie Lewis. She knows her limits.

Biden's not there yet. But he's just 81. He’s defiant and not giving in to any age shaming. He’s the president who’s earned the nomination. And our respect.

Biden will let us know when we’ve reached the inflection point.

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NOTE: I will talk about this column and other matters on “Emil Amok’s Takeout,” my AAPI micro-talk show. Live @2p Pacific. Livestream on Facebook; my YouTube channel; and Twitter. Catch the recordings on www.amok.com.