President Joe Biden was visibly disoriented during a debate with former President Donald Trump on Wednesday night. The incident occurred while Biden was advocating for tripling taxes on billionaires, and it lasted for more than ten seconds until the remainder of his time expired.
The moment drew attention to concerns over Biden’s mental fitness and age, which have been well-documented among the American electorate. According to a Harvard-Harris poll released in May, 55 percent of registered voters, including 26 percent of Democrats, said they had doubts about his mental fitness, while 66 percent, including 34 percent of Democrats, believed he was “showing he is too old” for the job.
The moment also underscored the importance of mental health in politics. As The New York Times reported, there has been an increased focus on addressing mental health issues in politics after several high-profile incidents, including former representative Kendra Perry’s decision to step down from her position after a breakdown and Representative Tim Murphy’s resignation amidst allegations that he had an affair with his staffer.