By Stephen Macaulay
According to the National Institute on Aging, “Many older adults experience problems with balance and dizziness. Problems can be caused by certain medications, balance disorders, or other medical conditions. Balance problems are one reason older people fall.”
Which goes to point out as to why, rather than having a high foot lift and knee bend, there is simply a shuffle in the walking gait of older people. By keeping the feet closer to terra firma, the potential of taking a tumble is reduced.
Joe Biden is an 81-year-old man, certainly by definition an “older adult.” And when he walks, there is often an appearance of an awkward shuffle.
When walking across the White House lawn to Marine One, Axios reports, Biden is no longer going solo where his gait can be seen, but he is now surrounded by a gaggle of others, thereby adding some cover for the shuffle.
While the gerontological truth on the ground isn’t changed, it is at least disguised, thereby providing less attention to Biden’s balance.
But what ought to put Biden off balance — even if he is sitting down — is this from Gallup’s Jeffrey M. Jones: “President Joe Biden averaged 38.7% job approval during his recently completed 13th quarter in office, which began on Jan. 20 and ended April 19. None of the other nine presidents elected to their first term since Dwight Eisenhower had a lower 13th-quarter average than Biden.”
To put that into context: the Eisenhower measure is from 68 years ago, solidly in the AARP category.
What’s more, there’s this about that 38.7% performance: “The latest quarterly average for Biden is technically the lowest of his presidency to date, though not meaningfully different from the previous quarter’s 39%.”
In other words, just as Biden’s ability to stroll is probably decreasing, it appears that his approval is, too.
As we all know, “past performance is not indicative of future results.” But if you are a betting person there is something to be seriously considered, then and now. Jones points out: “Three of the four prior presidents who had 13th-quarter approval averages below 50% lost their reelection bids. . .” wait for it. . . “with Obama the exception.” If there is ever a case where Biden would mutter “Thanks, Obama,” this is it.
There are just a couple of quarters until the results polling that will matter the most to Biden will be revealed.
Unless he can turn things around in a meaningful way, he won’t be kicking up his heels on November 5. Assuming that’s physically possible.