Hello and welcome to the bunker I'm Gavin Esler. How do you know when it's time to go?

The idea of retirement can be a threat or a promise. A British charity talks of

retirement as a sense of fulfilment but possibly linked to reduced motivation or indeed incapacity.

If there's a difficult balance for all of us about knowing when to quit,

how hard must this moment be for the oldest ever President of the United States?

Joe Biden has a long and admirable history of service, an extraordinary life story,

yet the battering he's taken for his confused debate performance against Donald Trump

on television worldwide simply won't cease.

Biden's not a quitter, but how can an 81-year-old respond to those who love and respect him, but fear for their country's future?

It's a personal and family dilemma, a Democratic Party dilemma,

and with respect to of a second Trump presidency it's democracy's

dilemma too. For his insight into the excruciatingly difficult decision facing Joe

Biden I'm joined by Sidney Blumenthal.

Sydney is an American writer, journalist,

a distinguished historian and Lincoln scholar.

He's also a former aide to President Bill Clinton

and a longtime friend and advisor to Hillary Clinton.

Sydney, welcome to the bunker.

Thank you, Gavin.

Very glad to be here with you.

I'm glad to be with you too in somewhat difficult times,

unfortunately, because let's begin with the obvious

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