Joe Biden’s mental decline cannot be ignored

The president of the United States is not all there. It’s been obvious to many of us for a long time, but it’s now grown impossible to ignore. Answering a question about hostage negotiations on Tuesday, a frail Biden was plainly confused and disoriented, mumbling and pausing, even unable to recall Hamas’ name: “There is some movement, and I don’t wanna, I don’t wanna . . . Let me choose my words: There’s some movement, there’s been a response from the, uh . . . There’s been a response from the opposition, but, um . . . ” Then a reporter helped out: “Hamas?” Biden grabbed on: “Yes, I’m sorry, from Hamas.” Biden’s been having “senior moments” since before he took office in 2021, and they’re getting more frequent. On Sunday, he mixed up French President Emmanuel Macron with former prez Francois Mitterrand, who died in 1996. At a South Carolina rally the week before, he called Donald Trump the “sitting president.” The week before that, in North Carolina, he insisted he had “just had [his] picture taken” with Rep. Deborah Ross, then recalled: “Oh, she couldn’t be here actually. That’s not true, I got mixed up … She’s up in Washington right now.” President Biden appeared to forget the name of Hamas during a press conference this week. Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images Basically, every time he’s out in public, he glitches — even when he’s got a teleprompter. Heck, he’s routinely confused about where to go when he leaves a podium. press conference Alarming footage appears to show President Biden forgetting Hamas’ name when asked about hostages held in Gaza No wonder his staff obsessively keeps him out of the public eye (and ear). They just turned down his best chance to connect with the public in the entire election year, period: the traditional, Super Bowl interview answering softball questions in front of the biggest possible TV audience. If he can’t be trusted with that, what can he be trusted with? And how bad is he behind closed doors? The world has no idea, and probably won’t until the tell-all memoirs come out once he’s left office. It’s deeply sad to watch, but also chilling — dangerous for the nation and a gift to our emboldened enemies around the world. Indeed, it’s beholden on the entire administration to tell us what’s going on: Every Cabinet officer swears to act “rightfully and impartially for the sake of the citizens and the society.” Beyond that, it’s cruel to ignore rapidly declining mental health: When an older loved one exhibits this kind of behavior, the family starts talking about taking away the car keys and discussing in-home ’round-the-clock supervision. Someone who loves or cares for the president must step in. Yet Democrats want to put him in the White House for a second term? With Kamala Harris (who’s more verbally challenged, without being 81) as his backup? It should be unthinkable. And it’s risky: Even if Biden’s handlers can avoid a truly disastrous incident, the “lowlights” reel is already sure to be brutal. Americans won’t be fooled.