I took and passed a cognitive test as a judge. Biden and Trump should have to do the same

This letter is in response to CNN medical commentator Dr. Sanjay Gupta's call for President Joe Biden to undergo a transparent, contemporary, comprehensive cognitive test.

In reply to Dr. Gupta's call, I broaden my response to include all presidential candidates. Not only do I think Dr. Gupta's request to be reasonable and responsible, but I also think that any refusal by a presidential candidate cannot be excused on the grounds that another candidate refuses to take a transparent comprehensive cognitive test.

By way of background, and realizing my history as a public servant in no way compares to the office of the president (I retired at age 81 from my position as the First Circuit Judge for Davidson County, Tennessee-I have the distinction of being the longest sitting court of record judge, 44 years, in Tennessee history).

But, whether a judge or a president, both of us take an oath implies that we are cognitively fit for the office for which we serve. The point of this response is that at age 78, three years before i retired, I underwent a six-hour long, emergency cancer surgery, and I followed up the surgery voluntarily, on my own volition, by taking a comprehensive cognitive test.

Joe Biden can save his legacyand this nation by stepping aside and passing the torch

Shortly, after the surgery, I noticed I had a short term memory loss. After three months or so, I regained my memory loss, but i still wanted to make sure of my current cognitive abilities to assure myself, and the public for whom I serve, that i could live up to my implied oath of office that i was fit to serve.

So on short notice, I underwent a four-hour long, comprehensive, cognitive test at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center; the test was actually a series of objective tests, testing such things as memory, ability to analyze, dexterity, math, and a wide range of other tests. It was not easy, but I passed.

I realize President Biden and former President Trump allude to having taken and passed cognitive tests, by their own hearsay affirmations, but, in my opinion that's not good enough. I think the public, and the world for that matter, need to be assured that a candidate for the United States presidency is cognitively fit by requiring him or her to take a transparent, comprehensive cognitive test before the November election, to assure the public the candidate is fit in order to satisfy the oath of office of the presidency, just like I did as a sitting judge.

Judge Hamilton Gayden (ret.), Nashville 37215

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