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Tim Mannello
Williamsport
Americans are right to be concerned about the memory of President Biden and of anyone running for President or any other public office. Lord knows, Biden and the best of us forget important things all the time, things like: our wedding anniversaries, our kids birthdays, the dates of our parents deaths, the names of classmates and teachers we spent years with, where we left our keys, glasses or parked our cars and paying the water bill, This kind of forgetfulness rarely affects our ability to live our lives or do our jobs.
Even former President Trump, who has often pointed to a sharp memory as a testament to his intelligence and mental acuity, has a long history of forgetfulness. In December 2015 when he was 69, for example, he answered questions in a single deposition by saying "I don't recall" 442 times. No one hardly noticed.
On the other hand, we should be very concerned when a presidential candidates forget things that make it impossible for them to keep their oath of office and do their jobs effectively. These performance obstacles include forgetting things like telling the truth, failing to listen or take responsibility for ones actions, acknowledging the efforts of others, not showing appreciation and being loyal to ones subordinates. They also include principles like the promotion of free and fair elections, protection of individual rights, human rights, the rule of law; freedom of speech, religion, press and assembly, all individuals are created equal and should be treated as such under the law; ensuring fair treatment for all citizens; promoting peace, fostering alliances, supporting international law, advancing global prosperity. promoting access to legal recourse, supporting international efforts to uphold justice and accountability and being faithful to the Constitution.
President Biden has never forgotten these personal values and governing principles.