One year ago on Friday, the course of U.S. history changed. In his debate with now-President Trump, then-President Biden’s performance left many voters concerned that he was no longer up for the job.
I’m a clinical ethicist who directs a clinical ethics consultation service; I am also a subject matter expert on decision-making capacity, consent, and surrogate decision-making. So in response to the public’s concerns about Biden’s capacity last year, I provided a clinical ethics opinion about an institution’s moral obligations regarding an impaired professional’s fitness to reliably perform his duties. I recommended three options available then to Biden: 1) He could preserve his medical privacy and autonomy by stepping down as a personal health decision; 2) if he wished to remain in office, he could release a transparent health report clearing him for fitness to serve; or 3) his staff and Cabinet, acting in the public’s interest, could insist on an independent health assessment without his consent.
Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson’s recently released book, “Original Sin,” provides much more information and context about Biden’s decision to run for re-election. Ultimately, even after he stepped down, the Democratic Party lost the trust of many voters, and then-Vice President Kamala Harris lost the election.
