It isn’t known what the future holds for President Joe Biden, but it has become painfully clear he’s the latest in a line of politicians who keep clinging to power when they’re in decline.
Biden, fresh off a horrible debate in which he performed every bit like a tired 81-year-old, was spending last week making excuses for how badly he did in the early debate that he wanted.
That performance didn’t inspire confidence. Instead it inspired a lot of pundits and a growing number of members of his own party calling for him to end his run for the presidency, but up until the writing of this editorial, he was vowing to stay in the race.
Looking at how he did in the debate, and how he moves physically, it doesn’t seem hard to predict what he’s going to be like if he gets re-elected, starting his second presidential term at 82 years old and finishing at 86.
His opponent, ex-president Donald Trump, at 78, would be 82 finishing another term in office if he gets elected again. Although he sounded – and we emphasize “sounded” – much better in the debate, many of his own speeches are filled with nonsensical word salads and digressions. The fact he told a reported 28 to 30 outright lies in the debate wasn’t an age thing; he’s always been known for saying outrageous things and being unapologetic.
It’s little wonder a majority of Americans don’t want either one of these men as the next president. Age is a big reason for that.
Once people get into power, too many refuse to give it up when they are in decline and should be stepping down to allow the next generation to take over.
This isn’t limited to the political realm, but the power and trappings of office must be too enticing no matter the party designation.
Biden and Trump are the oldest men to run for president, but look elsewhere in the Congress and in the top ranks of government.
Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi is the most recent Democratic speaker of the House. She’s 84.
Republican U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell is the Senate minority leader. He’s 82 years old.
Democratic U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein was 90 years old when she died in office. She refused to resign despite being unable to perform her duties closer to the end of her life and was ineffective for much longer.
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was 87 years old when she died in office. She was battling cancer but would’t step down.
Here are some more oldies and not necessarily goodies who were really old when they were serving:
Republican Congressman Ralph Hall of Texas, 91.
Democratic Congressman Sidney Yates of Illinois, 89.
Republican Don Young of Alaska, Democrat John Conyers of Michigan, Democrat Claude Pepper of Florida and Republican Sam Johnson of Texas, all 88 and pushing 89 while in office.
Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is a relative spring chicken at 73. And while the district’s congressman, Jeff Van Drew, is well above the average age of 61 in Congress, he’s two years younger than Schumer and 13 younger than Pelosi.
Doctors verify that people age differently. Wisdom and experience are important, but while some people in their 90s are as sharp as tacks, some decades younger can barely function.
Keep in mind the average age in the U.S. is just under 39, according to the U.S. Census. The more removed top politicians are from the people they serve, the more isolated they are from the concerns of the majority of Americans.
Elder statesmen and stateswomen are valuable assets in so many walks of life, but real wisdom shows when they recognize they’re not at the heigh of their powers and let the next generation take over.