**Mr Hendricson’ article in “The Atlantic” is indeed interesting. However, I don’t completely agree  with all explanations provided. .**    1. **Author refers  to SC Rep. James Clybern’s  opinion that Biden’s recent debate  fiasco is due to his usual stuttering.** **Author also cites  NYU professor Dr. Jackson who agrees with it in general, but provides more nuanced explanation: he attributes Biden’s latest lapses like  losing  train of thought, freezes, etc not to his occasional stuttering, but rather to his declining ability  to  successfully control /conceal it.  “Consequently, Biden’s stutter has grown more pronounced and recognizable.”**    2. **The  author  thinks Biden’s  bad performance was   unrelated to his usual stuttering.  His opinion is that things like fraught moments, loosing  thoughts flub, etc,  are beyond  the stuttering problems.   Ms. McManus, “leader of stuttering community” agrees. Though both are concerned about Biden’s ability to communicate effectively and therefore to lead the country.**  3. **I think, that Biden’s  declining ability to execute his communication is more complex. PWS know that freezes, blocks, thought lapses, etc  do relate to stuttering, especially  in stressful situations, like public speeches, scene  fraught, e.g.  Yet, it can happen to non-stutterers as well. But PWS exhibit them  far more often.  On the other hand, Mr. Biden is an experienced orator and should be used to this. Besides,  he is a trained lawyer. So, what was happening?**  4. **It is well known that stuttering can cause confusion and loss of thought train during articulation, because his/her attention (or part of it ) devotes to the speech process per se and an environment.  Such a reaction could be  due to panic and stress/ anxiety. Did  this psychological factor cause or contribute  to aging president performance  is unclear.**  **Few times during my public presentations I experienced similar effects, including loss of thought train up to  total confusion. I was forced to cut my presentation off.  Despite the fact that I was an adjunct professor and used to deliver  lectures to my students for more than  20 years without any difficulty .**  5.  **Sure, aging  is important. However, most of PWS  notice improvements  (!)  in their speech, not worsening  while aging.  There are some plausible explanations for this,  but they are  beyond  this format.  What happens with PWS’ speech when they  reach an advanced age depends on their general health factors and specifics like  dementia, mini strokes, etc. We know that Mr. Biden had two  brain aneurysms on which he was operated.** 6. **I  think the jury is still out on what mental condition President  Biden is having now. And, as we know, he never took a cognitive test. His last physical (without cognitive) test was done on February 2024.**   [**~https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/joe-biden/biden-tells-democrats-saw-doctor-debate-rcna160320~**](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/joe-biden/biden-tells-democrats-saw-doctor-debate-rcna160320)  **7.  It doesn't look like mental decline  is a  major factor in President Biden case. Because, on the following day  at NC  rally  he was able  to regain his mental acuteness,  and communicated well.**    8. **A  teleprompter  can help, no doubts about it. All PWS  has difficulties when speak spontaneously.**    **9. IMO, Biden’s bad debate performance was caused by a combination of factors, including his usual stuttering, lack of rest, jet lag, cold, and last** **but not the least** **– by  debates’ setting arrangement.  Perhaps, if  Trump (famous for his bully behavior) was not at such close distance, Mr. Biden could perform  better.  Perhaps,  his aging made him more vulnerable to psychological factors, which could affect his communication.** **Perhaps,  also, his medication (or lack of this?) led to this.** **10.  As for Mr. Biden’s  political future, I have my reservations.  It looks like his Irish ego dictates him to never give up. Unfortunately, reality works against him. Which makes it a personal tragedy...**