I never thought I would be writing a column to urge Joe Biden to step aside.
But his painfully poor performance in his debate with Donald Trump last week forced me to face a very uncomfortable truth. His debate showing was a capital-D disaster.
The horrible truth: Biden needs to bow out.
I don’t say that easily because, as someone who’s covered him occasionally for a few decades, I like the guy. Journalists shouldn’t get so close to newsmakers that they lose all sense of their own objectivity. But I like Biden for one particular reason outside of journalism or politics.
We share the burden of growing up with a stutter. Or as the British prefer to call it, a stammer.
Back in 2016 when he was Barack Obama’s vice president, I shared the stage with Biden at the 10th annual gala in New York for the American Institute for Stuttering, which provides specialized therapy to help children and adults deal with the disorder. He spoke from the heart about his personal experiences and encouraged everyone to never laugh at someone struggling through the condition.
How well I knew that pain. I could tell very similar stories, which is why I had been asked to be master of ceremonies for the event. I was proud to help. Encouraging kids with stories of success is a rewarding experience beyond measure.
But unfortunately, that wasn’t the same Joe Biden who I saw debating — or trying to debate — the former and possibly future President Donald Trump in Atlanta.
Biden losing the pundit class...
