When President Joe Biden assumed office in January 2021, he was 78 years old. Former President Donald J. Trump was 74. Biden and Trump are now 81 and 78, respectively, seeking second terms in the White House.
The 2020 and 2024 presidential campaigns are not the first time that age has been an issue in American politics.
During the 1960 election, for example, many questioned Sen. John F. Kennedy’s age and experience. At the time, he was 43. His opponent, Vice President Richard Nixon, was 47.
Twenty-four years later, the ages of our presidential candidates were again front and center as President Ronald Reagan, then the oldest occupant of the White House at age 73, was campaigning for a second term against former Vice President Walter Mondale, 61.
During their first debate on October 21, 1984, when moderator Henry Trewhitt noted that “you already are the oldest president in history” and expressed concern about how he would respond during a national security crisis, Reagan responded with the now famous retort, “I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent’s youth and inexperience.”
Again, for many glued to their television sets that evening, Reagan’s line won not only the debate but also sealed the election.
Less than three weeks later, Reagan defeated Mondale in a landslide, winning 49 of 50 states. Mondale only carried his home state of Minnesota and the District of Columbia.
On June 4, the District held primary elections. Age was not a primary issue for those on the ballot. U.S. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton won her primary at age 86 with 81 percent of votes cast.
D.C. Councilmember Trayon White, who turned 40 on May 11, won his primary in Ward 8 with 52.8. percent of the vote. In Ward 7, Wendell Felder, 24, claimed victory in his bid to replace D.C. Councilmember and former Mayor Vincent Gray, 81, who did not seek reelection.
President Biden won the Democratic primary here in the District with 87 percent of the vote. D.C. Republicans overwhelmingly supported former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who dropped out of the race last March.
Should the ages of our candidates for elective office be considered? Sure! However, as demonstrated in the local and national examples above, age does not necessarily negatively impact one’s ability for elective public service.
Should age be the only variable that matters to voters? No!
The electorate must also consider other issues, including a candidate’s experience, command of the issues, physical and mental capacity to serve, ability to connect with voters, campaign promises kept and not delivered, positions on issues that are important to you and their potential impact on our daily lives, authenticity, and humanity, just to name a few.
Between now and November 2024, each of us must take the time to educate ourselves on the issues, study the policy positions of all the candidates seeking to represent us and vote in an informed manner for our best interests.
Today’s votes are also for tomorrow and the lives and well-being of our children, grandchildren, and the next generation of leaders.
If you are old enough to vote, register and then vote in the next election. Regardless of your age, you cannot complain about the service, without having a seat at the table — the same goes for worrying about the world and not voting.
(Reprinted from the Washington Informer)
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