Re Joe Biden’s response to questions about his memory and mental capacity (Biden was in a fighting mood for surprise speech – but he didn’t win, 9 February), on 31 March 1968, Lyndon Johnson made a speech supporting his decision not to run for a second term in the White House, on the grounds that he wanted to devote his remaining months in office to finding a way of bringing the Vietnam war to a peaceful conclusion. The subtext of course was that, if he ran, he would almost certainly lose on the grounds of his association with events in Vietnam.
Surely here is a precedent that Biden and his advisers might consider seriously? He might announce his withdrawal from the presidential race on the grounds of his determination to use his considerable powers, contacts and experience to resolve issues in Gaza as well as in Ukraine. By doing so, he would turn the focus of the age-related issues sharply towards Donald Trump while giving his party the time and opportunity to create a campaign that would command greater support from members of his party and electors more generally.
Michael J Ryan
Hull
• Marina Hyde is quite right (Trump is too old and incited a coup. Biden is too old and mixes up names. America, how to choose?, 9 January). Biden is too old, he doesn’t walk like a 40-year-old and he does not have the memory of one either. However, he does have the sense to employ younger people who have all their marbles and are law-abiding, and he does not want to be a dictator. Common sense and decency are rare in politics, but essential for the president of the US. His only weakness is that he has not yet found out how to deal with Benjamin Netanyahu.
Jeffrey Frankel
Lisbon, Portugal
• Re Marina Hyde’s article about Joe Biden, I’m 81, and active and healthy, as are many of my friends. All with long professional careers behind us. We know we couldn’t do it now. Neither can Joe Biden. A fact, not a fault.
Paula Jones
London
• Regardless of his age, Joe Biden should reassure the US electorate that, like any effective leader, he surrounds himself with experts in every field and relies on their wise counsel to make smart decisions. Only a fool would hire gullible yes men and expect anything other than a disaster.
Andrew Lugton
Harrow, London
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