In American politics, there is a difference between being old and seeming old — especially when appearing on TV. On TV, he looks ready to burst through your screen — which I find unsettling, but his fans really seem to enjoy. Then there’s Joe Biden, whose urgent challenge in the high-stakes presidential debate on Thursday is precisely this: how to be old on TV without seeming old — or worse, elderly. Mr. Biden is an effective president, but most people don’t watch how someone looks, sounds and moves on TV and think purely about his policy record. Coming across like an old friend, an old hand or even a grumpy old man can have plenty of upside, conveying warmth, experience, humor or a self-deprecating touch.

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Persons: Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump, there’s Joe Biden, Biden