Old Presidents

How old is too old for a president? Candidate John McCain will be 72 by the time of the election. The worst case scenario is that he gets elected, does a good job, and gets reelected. He’ll be 80 by the end of his second term.

Imagine you’re a presidential advisor and you notice him starting to lose it. Do you tell the media, and set in motion a chain of events that will end in you losing your own job and power? Or do you schedule fewer public appearances for your boss and hope no one figures it out?

Every person is different, of course. But I’d like to see some statistics on the mental and physical risks to an average 75-year old. If there’s a 30% chance of a major health problem for a 75-year old, but far less for someone the age of John Edwards, I’d like to see those stats. But I doubt the media will spend much time on that sort of thing because their customers skew older. It’s bad business to remind your customers that they are likely to lose it any minute.

I’d like to see a younger candidate address the issue directly in a debate. I think it could be done without cruelty, as in “My opponent is in excellent health. But realistically, you have to ask yourself if it’s wise to vote for a man in his seventies. At his age, his mental faculties will be declining quickly. By the end of his first term, he won’t be the same person you voted for. It’s one factor among many, but it can’t be ignored.”

We have one recent experience with an old president.  Ronald Reagan was in his seventies when he served as president. Regardless of what you think of his overall performance, does anyone think his age had no impact on his decisions?

Comments

[Joele]

Nice articles as always, I think you may be interested in my new sites, check em out and let me know.
http://www.wow-gg.com WoW Gold Guide
http://www.bootybaywow.com WoW Gold / Item Dupe
http://www.dwi-faq.com DWI / DUI get your license back
http://www.gao-bot.com gaia online gold / bump bot
http://www.starcraft-two-news.com Starcraft II 2 Beta cd-keys
http://www.gaia-online-bot.com Gaia online gaiaonline Gold / Bump Bot

[SmR]

Two words: Ariel Sharon.
(Only, McCain doesn't weigh something like 300 lbs., which is already a plus.)

[John]

Really nice blog. Gaia online Gaiaonline forum gold / bump bot free at: http://www.GAO-bot.com/

[Luca Masters]

SirDrinksalot: Pay special attention to the phrase 'except a natural born Citizen'. I don't think it means what you think it means.

[Dave K]

The Queen of England is old and she seems to be able to walk around and stuff. So I don't see why it should matter if our president is old or not.

I knew an old guy once and he said he was capable of running the country if elected. He ended up dying, though, before he had the chance to run. But the point is he felt he could run the country. I believed him. He was kind of smelly, though.

[jim]

Several people mentioned W's precipitous drop in cognitive ability but I didn't notice any links to video, so here is one:

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/video1019.htm

From what I have read I think he was a jackass before his decline, but what has happened since is truly scary.
If Reagan left any doubt then Bush proves conclusively that unless a president falls into complete catatonia the power mongers can and will stoop to any level necessary to maintain their grip on the reins of our country.

[Kevin]

Let's say that Reagan did a good job (overall) and that both Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale would have been terrible alternatives. (You might or might not agree, but that seems to have been the opinion of most voters of that decade.)

How much does Ronald have to decline to make someone like Mondale a better option from the voting public's point of view? It actually was an issue in that election and I think they *did* factor it in.

But in general, I think there is something like a bell curve here. Someone much under 50 is likely to be less mentally capable due to lack of experience just as someone over 70 is likely to have infirmity. I'm in my 30s now and I don't know where the peak is, but I'll be pretty ticked if I don't learn a heck of a lot between now and the time I'm 50 or so.

I think if you elect the same person when they are younger you will have someone who is more issue/experiment oriented and if you have an older president they will make fewer foolish errors.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_presidents_by_age_at_ascension_to_office

Kevin

[Bruce Harrison]

Let the voters decide.

[Don G]

How old is Dogbert anyway?

[Arend]

Konrad Adenauer was 73 when he became German chancellor in 1949. He stayed in office until 1963 when he was 87.

And he did very well:
"Adenauer's achievements include the establishment of a stable democracy in defeated Germany, a lasting reconciliation with France, a general political reorientation towards the West, recovering limited but far-reaching sovereignty for West Germany by firmly integrating it with the emerging Euro-Atlantic community."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adenauer

[Mark]

I really don't think that age should have anything to do with it, provided that they can pass basic tests of intelligence. Some very old people are very smart, but then again, some very young people are very smart to. I think that as long as you are a competent, rational adult, you should be able to become president. Of course, the problem is when an old president/prime minister starts going insane during the term, and the party (which ever one it is) doesn't want you to find out. Hey, could it be possible that a party puts an elderly in office so that it can control him? Hm, something to think about.

I propose that all US presidents, instead of having age has a restriction, should be forced to sit through basic knowledge tests and intelligence tests. After all, you don't want a dolt running a country. In my opinion (and I live in Australia, not the US), intelligence and basic skills are far more important than age in every sense.

[Regret]

First rule as leader of the free world:

Must. Keep. Pants. Zipped.

Second rule as leader of the free world:

If you forget rule number one, bomb Khartoum.

[Chris Hunt]

Is it a sign of senility as a president when you go to war with somebody and then forget why you did it?

[Andrew Denny]

What's the deal with age? Why the obsession with the right of anyone to be leader?

We don't need more or faster decision-making, we just need fewer decisions and more measured wisdom.

My vote goes to the man who can relax and charm people in short morning meetings, take an after-lunch nap, and come up with his decision and still feel relaxed afterwards. Such a man could be a woman, of course (but preferably not in secret).

Modern politicians (and voters) seem to treat decision-making like an aerobic workout, when best decisions come during quiet conversations on country walks.

[Crystal]

Old presidents are much less expensive in terms of retirement benefits and post-office Secret Service protection. I don't feel like I can affort to elect a president in his or her 30's - give me the 75 year old!

Since all politicians suck, I'm going for economy. I'm either voting for the oldest candidate or a candidate married to a former president who is already getting Secret Service protection. Either way it'll be cheaper.

[techguy]

Barack Obama is too young and inexperienced to be a president, whereas Roger Clemens, one year his junior, is too old and washed up for his profession.

[Southpark]

So, Ollie, I am supposed to be impressed by the fact that Gore is a wasteful so and so who expects the rest of the world to conserve but refuses to do so himself because he has a lot of money to buy himself a free pass and has a good message to share? Wow, where did you have your brainectomy done, they did a realllly good job. Sheesh, I've got a good message about conservation, but I have the balls to back it up and actually do things that help the environment. Sorry, he's a weasel, a rich weasel, but a weasel, and don't tell me to cut my energy usage if you are not ready to do so yourself, Mr. Gore. At least Bush has actually implemented energy saving methods at his house. He might be an idiot, but at least he's not a two faced energy guzzling bandstander.

[Tangurena]

President bush was born in July 1946. That makes him 61 in 2 months. If you watch his debates for Texas governor with Anne Richards, you see a very articulate person. He was a much smarter person *before* he ran for President in 2000. And if you watch his interviews/flubs today, he was a smarter person in 2000 than he is in 2007. You don't have to be in your 70s and 80s to be a senile old fart.

[WHO'SNEXT]

I agree. Where's the balancing point that says you are old enough to be smart and wise, but young enough not be senile any time soon?

[WHO'SNEXT]

I agree. Where's the balancing point that says you are old enough to be smart and wise, but young enough not be senile any time soon?

[Mokkery]

Interesting. It seems like the posters are split into two camps:

1)Those who think Reagan was a wise and compassionate leader, and

2)Those with prefrontal lobes and opposable thumbs.

Ohhhh! ZING!!!!

[Twounicycles]

Interesting discussion w.r.t. who can / cannot be President of the U.S.A. Would you Americans have a problem with a country which barred people from high office on the grounds of their religion? Well you are enduring a visit from Queen Elizabeth II at the moment, the highest UK government post, Prime Minister, is barred to Roman Catholics (unless the law were to be changed by Act of Parliament). Jews, Muslims, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Aetheists are all okay but not those dirty left-footers.

[Steffen]

A capable leader's age should not be of interest. However, elections are nowadays more closely related to sells events than actual political topics. We are shown the pictures of the candidate smiling and then the line "He cares" or "He knows how you feel!" Somehow, this is amazingly pathetic...

Anyway, I strongly believe that any candidate is better than the recent wiener...

[Marxist]

i shoud say somethin'...

[Mahesh S]

I agree with this in total. We haave similar issues in India. I am sure decision making becomes difficult with age.