Happy birthday, dear. The boyish-looking father of three young children was celebrating his 30th birthday.

The boyish-looking father described in that ABC News report was newly elected Delaware Senator Joe Biden,

one of the youngest men ever elected to the U.S. Senate. On Sunday, four months after he left the White House,

Biden announced he has been

diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer, prostate cancer that has spread to his bones.

The diagnosis underscores the biggest vulnerability Biden faced during his final years in office.

More than 50 years ago, Biden's age was an issue too, but in 1972, the question was, is he too young?

I expect these fellows are going to eventually judge me on my merit, not in my age,

and I have to establish that merit assuming there is any there.

I don't think it's going to be much of a problem.

Five decades later, as Biden ran for a second presidential term, the question was instead,

was he too old?

Mr. President, for months when you were asked about your age, you would respond with the words,

watch me.

Watch me. Many American people have been watching, and they have expressed concerns about your age.

That is your judgment. That is your judgment. That is according to public. That is not the judgment of the press.

They express concerns about your mental acuity. They say that you are too old.

Then came the June debate.

Making sure that we're able to make every single solitary person eligible for what I've been able to do with the COVID, excuse me,

with dealing with everything we have to do with, look, if we finally beat Medicare.

And after that disastrous performance, as Biden tried to do damage control,

he was asked about his cognitive abilities in a press conference.

...