Ageism, mental fitness and polarisation: how Switzerland sees the US presidential race
When he first became senator in 1972, at the age of 30, Joe Biden was one of the youngest to hold that position in the United States. Over 50 years later, the president pulled out of the presidential race amidst widespread criticism over his age and mental fitness.
Although widely expected, the news of Biden’s withdrawal dominated headlines worldwide, including in Switzerland. It’s “incomprehensible” that Biden didn’t realise sooner he needed to step aside, said an editorial of the CH Media group, which my colleague Thomas Stephens analysed this morning in his press review.
Better late than never, some might say but the real question now is whether Vice President Kamala Harris, promptly backed by Biden, can beat former US President Donald Trump. Swiss media agree she’s not the ideal candidate but note that “it’s Trump who’s the old man” now, with Harris a “mere” 59 years old compared to Trump’s 78.
By stepping down, Biden may have eased the worries of some Democrats, but he’s hardly quelled the deep political polarisation in the US. My colleagues Benjamin von Wyl and Vera Leysinger talked to some Americans living in Switzerland to understand how this divide affects their lives. Watch this video to find out what they had to say.