Joe Biden would be 78 years old by Inauguration Day in January, seven years beyond the average lifespan of a male born in 1942. He had two brain aneurysms in the 1980s. Last month, a doctor reported him fully fit. Biden noted he’s taken a “deep test” for COVID-19, whatever that means.

In his 17-month journey to the Oval Office, the Democratic nominee has made scores of claims and dozens of promises, including a mask mandate, a nearly $4 trillion tax increase, an end to fossil fuels and amnesty for 11 million undocumented immigrants. Then, there are thousands of Senate votes and stands during his 44-year political career embedded in Washington.

Like Hillary Clinton four years ago, Biden has not made himself available for much media questioning. “The former vice president is unavailable,” his spokespeople routinely reply.

So, Biden’s news conference last week was a rare opportunity for diligent reporters to probe the plans, thoughts and ideas of the man who would be the oldest ever to assume the nation’s highest office.

Biden’s 32 minutes of “opening remarks” left only 23 for questions. For whatever reasons — and some of us have our suspicions — none of the questions could conceivably be considered challenging hardballs.

A distinguishing and disturbing legacy of Democrats’ unexpected 2016 loss is that virtually everything in D.C. news is now portrayed as a crisis that reflects negatively on Donald Trump — what he says, tweets, does and doesn’t do all get equal urgency as the media moan about his political presence requiring rectification asap.

A majority of media questions of Biden actually concerned Trump. Reporters could have inquired about why his campaign appears so casual — a speech in Pittsburgh to a half dozen witnesses and a photo op in Kenosha — while Trump is campaigning somewhere most days.

They could have asked if Biden intends to subject himself to questioning on a serious Sunday talk show as Trump has done, in addition to his favored MSNBC programs. They could have asked exactly what authority would enable Biden legally to order every American to wear a mask, or is it merely virus virtue-signaling?

They might have questioned the advisability of killing Trump’s tax cuts, then slapping trillions of dollars in new taxes on virtually every American just as the country attempts to emerge from a pandemic recession. Given the painfully slow recovery the then-vice president presided over in 2010, why should Americans have confidence in Biden’s economic stewardship?

Reporters might have tried to dig into the fiscal implications of reducing the age for Medicare eligibility when the existing system cannot really afford current coverage.

They might have asked what parts of the military he intends to cut as promised and what are the global events he sees that make that possible without endangering national security. One obvious question is: Would you still oppose the Osama bin Laden raid? Do you see Barack Obama’s ouster of Libya’s Gaddafi as a model for future military interventions? Would you have sent help to the besieged Benghazi Americans?

The reporters could have inquired whether Biden will force son Hunter to divest his financial interests in China and refrain from any future possible conflicts of interest. Given Biden’s advanced age of 81 in 2024, will he vow now to serve but one term?

The media representatives might have tried those lines of inquiry and many others. But they didn’t. Here was one reporter’s question:

“What does (The Atlantic article) tell you about President Trump’s soul and the life he leads?”

Another inquiry:

“Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Last night, President Trump mocked you for wearing a mask and said that this is a sign that you must have some ‘big issues’. He says this even though he knows that according to scientists and public health officials, wearing masks saves lives. I wonder if you worry that this kind of language that comes from the president of the United States could deter some Americans who are tuning into him to not wear masks.”

Biden noted that he routinely wears a mask. “I’m a smart fellow. I listen to scientists.” And he suggested 100,000 more Americans could die by year’s end. Where’d that scary number come from? Reporters wondered when he’d take another COVID-19 test. He didn’t know.

About running mate Kamala Harris: “We haven’t seen her out very much, including yesterday in Kenosha.” His reply: “It’s about being able to cover more territory.”

Biden got another set-up. “You said today is the angriest you’ve been as a presidential candidate, but you said you’re trying to restrain yourself. Aren’t there a lot of people out there who are supporting you or inclined to not vote for the president, who would say, ‘Why isn’t Joe Biden, angrier about all of this?’”

Biden began: “Because presidents of the United States should be presidential and should lead by example.”

Finally, Biden was asked about a new diplomatic development. “President Trump has just announced an economic normalization deal between Serbia and Kosovo. And part of that deal is Kosovo and Israel having diplomatic normalization.” Biden said he knew nothing about it. Imagine if Trump made such a public admission.

The questions didn’t focus on Biden’s claims, qualifications or proposals. Those were all simply assumed to be good with no need for checking or verification.

The main takeaway from the “news event” was a real stunner, that Joe Biden is not Donald Trump. That just happens to fit the professed motivation of almost two-thirds of Biden supporters who say they’re voting against this president, not for the next one.

The event’s subliminal takeaway, however, was that these members of the Fourth Estate, these self-appointed guardians of America’s presidential election process, are just fine with that. But should voters be?