Biden’s Age and Memory: A Pointed Report From the Special Counsel

To the Editor:

Re “In Biden’s Exoneration, Political Hazard Emerges,” by Michael D. Shear (news analysis, front page, Feb. 9):

At first I thought, indignantly, who does the special counsel, Robert Hur, think he is to describe President Biden as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory”? The nerve!

But, on second thought, perhaps he is courageous and patriotic in contrast to members of Mr. Biden’s administration who, in an effort to protect the president, are putting our country at risk by their silence and complicity.

This country cannot survive four more years of Donald Trump. The American people, including those of us who have supported President Biden and appreciate all that his administration has done, need some reassurance that he is fit to serve four more years if re-elected.

A neurological exam made public would go a long way toward doing that … or not.

Larry S. Sandberg
New York
The writer is a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst.

To the Editor:

Regarding the special counsel’s report on President Biden’s mishandling of classified documents, could someone please explain what qualifies Robert Hur to diagnose memory problems?

If the special counsel thought that the president’s memory was germane to making a legal determination regarding the handling of the documents, surely he could have subpoenaed and questioned a neurologist or a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing and treating memory disorders.

To use a legal term and analogy that Mr. Hur will understand, he did not have standing to include a medical opinion in his legal report. The degree he holds is juris doctor, not medical doctor.

Alan Guttman
Hampton, Va.

To the Editor:

Stress can have profound biological effects on memory consolidation and retrieval at all ages. That’s normal. It’s common. President Biden has had phenomenal stress and tragedies in his life and currently occupies, arguably, the most stressful job in the land.

Despite all of that, his phenomenal wisdom, superior job experience and performance, and a profound dedication to protect our democracy now at risk are exactly what this country needs.

Mark R. Goldstein
Paoli, Pa.
The writer is a retired internist.

To the Editor:

The special counsel’s report about classified documents in President Biden’s possession has some echoes of James Comey’s exoneration of Hillary Clinton just before the 2016 election, calling her “extremely careless.”

This report seems even more egregious to me. I would go so far as to say that it appears to be a political hit job.

Peter McCabe
East Brunswick, N.J.