Biden is best choice for president in November

All the chatter about President Joe Biden's age basically goes nowhere. He is who he is, with strengths and weaknesses. He may not be the charismatic and eloquent personality that Barack Obama is or John F. Kennedy was, but the country feels a lot more solid than it did in the administration before him, when constant chaos reigned.

We've made the presidency into a personality cult. In reality, what changes in a new administration is more influenced by the various layers of personnel that come with a change in party.

Former President Donald Trump brought in businessmen, his family and cronies from whom he demanded loyalty. As that scenario played out, constant turnovers undermined the whole executive branch. Biden's strength, built from years of service in Washington, D.C., was knowing who was seasoned and productive and dedicated. Because of his choices, a lot got done — and undone.

It's not ideal that we have two older candidates seeking the presidency this year. But, at this point, it is what our system has produced. Historically, other presidents have faltered while in office. It really matters who is on hand to pick up the slack and keep the country functioning, with or without the head of state.

It's quite apparent to me that one of Biden's skills is appointing professional people who are highly capable and genuinely loyal — not to a personality, but to the deep ideals of American democracy.

As a Democrat, Biden expresses the need to make those ideals real for people struggling against the inequalities and injustices that our economic system has produced. You are not going to see this in a Trump administration. We need to notice that the picture of our near future is a lot bigger than these two personalities.

— Elizabeth Whitney, Inverness