By Lady Gwendolyn of Brunei

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On Thursday, June 27th, the world watched as 78-year-old Donald Trump and 81-year-old Joe Biden battled it out in a spectacle that was more a tragic excuse for a television programme than a substantive political debate. While Trump told blathering lies, Biden stumbled over simple facts, including the name of the pandemic that wiped out over 1 million American lives. 

 

The US Constitution negligently sets out the eligibility requirements for presidential candidates: They must be over 35, a ‘natural-born’ US citizen, and have resided in the US for at least 14 years—nothing regarding the maximum age cap on running candidates. This absence is perplexing, especially considering the president's increasing cognitive and physical demands amidst recent years of turmoil. This omission is glaring, especially when both leading candidates are well into their senior years and arguably should be enjoying retirement. 

 

Moreover, the situation becomes even more problematic when considering Trump’s legal entanglements. Convicted of 34 felonies and awaiting sentencing on July 11th, it is baffling that he remains a contender for the presidency. So why is he even in the running? The American political system’s inability to disqualify a candidate under such circumstances underscores a critical flaw that needs urgent addressing. His legal endeavours were mixed in with his endless lies throughout the debate, even false claims that Democrats want abortions up until and after birth — not using any of his prompts from his advisors and taking the discussion wherever he wants it to go, prompting substanceless arguments. 

 

While Biden did win 99% of nearly 4000 votes to be the Democratic party's running candidate, his weak performance has led to people questioning his suitability as president. On the issue of abortion, something that should be one of Biden’s strongest assets for voters concerned about rolling back reproductive rights, Biden brought up girls killed by migrants, a strange thing to bring up to gain him the role.

 

As the election unfolds over the following weeks, all we can do is wait, but the options for president are simply abhorrent and abominable.