There is more than just the obvious evidence this may be so. There is the fact that he is nearly 80 years old and that is several years older than the age at which most people are no longer alive – and a majority of the rest are in rest homes.

Those of Boomer age want to be eternally 28 – and think of themselves that way. But almost 80 isn't the new 40. Or 60, for that matter.

But what may matter more is that Joe doesn't care – about the politically disastrous unpopularity of his policies – and neither, apparently, do those gently directing his gate-ataxia'ing path to and from the podium.

This is interesting given a major election is now only months away. An election that – if even remotely un-fixed – is likely to douche away whatever remains of the Thing's political support insofar as Congress is concerned. And that ought to be concerning to those in Congress who have banked their futures in politics on not losing elections.

Yet none of them seem to be particularly worried that they are about to be douched out of Congress. That the Thing could shortly become an impotent laughingstock whose memory will cause people to forget anything they ever thought funny about the Carter years.

So, why don't they – the Democrats, generally – seem to be especially worried about the election that's looming? Why doesn't the Thing care that he is despised by two-thirds of the general electorate and can barely muster a third of approval among his own supporters?