The recent episode of CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS featured actor Michael Douglas, who at the age of 79, came to promote his new movie on Apple TV+ about Benjamin Franklin. During the conversation, Zakaria took the opportunity to ask Douglas, a known liberal Democrat, about his thoughts on Joe Biden’s mental acuity. Reassuringly, Douglas mentioned that from what he has gathered, Biden is “as sharp as a tack,” a common response given by Democrats when it comes to his mental state.
Zakaria then went on to ask Douglas about his views on Biden choosing to run for president at the age of 78. Being of similar ages, Zakaria wondered if Douglas would have preferred to see someone younger in the field. Douglas responded by saying that he shares a similar gait with Biden, and that based on his interactions with people who have known him, Biden is absolutely fine mentally. He mentioned that as we age, we all have some memory issues, but it is not a cause for concern. Douglas also added that everyone in Biden’s cabinet, including the Vice President, would be more than happy to work with him for another term, unlike the other candidate who has not earned the same loyalty from his 2016 cabinet members.
Zakaria then broached the subject that many voters worry about – whether Biden will be mentally sharp for the entire term, especially in the later years. Douglas did not seem too affected by this concern as he answered that he was currently taking a break from work, having completed a grueling 165-day shoot for the Franklin movie. He also mentioned that he has not worked for the past 7 months and plans to continue this hiatus until 2024. Indicating that he is enjoying this break, Douglas believes that Biden will be fine for the next few years.
Towards the beginning of the interview, Douglas spoke about his reading interests, particularly philosophy, and his Jewish roots. Surprisingly, Zakaria did not take the opportunity to delve deeper into his Jewish heritage or ask about his thoughts on current issues concerning Israel and anti-Semitism. Instead, the interview felt more like a celebrity chat session with Larry King.
The interview between Zakaria and Douglas touched upon various topics, with the highlight being Zakaria’s attempt to get Douglas to vouch for Biden’s mental acuity. Douglas did so readily, offering reassurance to voters concerned about this issue. However, the interview lacked depth in addressing other critical matters that could have been explored with Douglas’s background and interests.