General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSanders will be 75 years old on election day 2016.
He would be the oldest president elected by 6 years. He would be the first president elected over the age of 70. Life expectancy of men in the US is 76.
How does Sanders plan to address concerns about his age? Would Americans re-elect a 79 year old president? Is Sanders only planning to serve one term?
phil89
(1,043 posts)grow up.
Renew Deal
(81,856 posts)Roughly one-third of respondents in most recent national polls say that McCain's age could impede his ability to effectively govern the nation.
These percentages are in line with historical trends. Approximately one-third of voters expressed similar concerns about Bob Dole's age in 1996 and Ronald Reagan's age in 1984. (Dole was 73 years old in 1996. Reagan was 73 in 1984.)
The importance of the age question may be magnified this time around because it threatens to sap McCain's support with one of his most critical constituencies: older Americans.
According to the latest CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll, voters age 65 and older currently support McCain over Obama by 8 points (51 to 43 percent).
<snip>
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/06/15/mccain.age/index.html
onenote
(42,700 posts)I don't recall seeing a lot of criticism directed at comments about McCain's age.
I think I saw him referred to as "gramps" more than his actual name.
brooklynite
(94,503 posts)...and can we distinguish between a personal opinion and an analysis of what the voters' opinions might be?
snooper2
(30,151 posts)new young blood-
MARTIN O'MALLEY!
Renew Deal
(81,856 posts)He did Democrats a favor.
a la izquierda
(11,791 posts)But that could just be me. I just spent two weeks with my students on study abroad. They didn't seem to think age was much of an issue either; politics and beliefs were (and we talked about that a lot, since we compared corruption in the US to Mexico).
I like O'Malley, but I'm pulling (and will campaign) for Sanders.
yeoman6987
(14,449 posts)I'd imagine if was on here to.
TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)Hiraeth
(4,805 posts)about the age card. Someone has to play it, I guess but, it was not dealt to my hand.
Erich Bloodaxe BSN
(14,733 posts)If he wanted her in the White House, he simply wouldn't have bothered to run.
Hiraeth
(4,805 posts)I think veep is a dead end job but, I think Hillary will be satisfied to end her political career as veep leaving it open for Warren to become the first woman President in 2020.
I think Sanders will be a one term President and will set the stage for Warren to take it in 2020.
reddread
(6,896 posts)we deserve what we already have.
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)What then, is the relevant and specific age at which you believe particular candidates should plan to address these concerns, and on what objective measure is that number arrived at?
Renew Deal
(81,856 posts)I don't have a good answer to that. I'm sure if we polled 1000 people we could come up with an average number. That said, any candidate whose second term comes within 10 years of life expectancy averages will probably get these questions. That puts it at 60.
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)All thing being equal then, a rational mind will perceive his age as simply another non-issue... until or unless an additional contributing and relevant factor is indicated.
Most people are thought of as retiring then. Obviously being POTUS is pretty non-retired. We think of other jobs as something we give up doing due to age.
treestar
(82,383 posts)If he's lived in DC and had good health care all his life and a good history, he's likely to be effective at his age. And his mind would keep working due to the demands on it. Going into his early 80s in the second term might be a bit much, but some of the SCOTUS justices stay that late.
Renew Deal
(81,856 posts)And has shown that he can lead a large organization. But I don't think people look at it that way.
onecaliberal
(32,829 posts)Greybnk48
(10,167 posts)at his almost 70 years.
Renew Deal
(81,856 posts)How one carries themselves definitely affects perceptions. The latest pope was selected at 73, but is youthful. McCain was 72 in 2008, but moved slowly at times and wasn't always sharp.
LuckyLib
(6,819 posts)that he was struggling, Nancy had been covering for him for years.
TheCowsCameHome
(40,168 posts)I can't sing for *&%#, so don't even ask............
cali
(114,904 posts)sufrommich
(22,871 posts)Agschmid
(28,749 posts)sufrommich
(22,871 posts)from the Midwest because he would have great appeal in this region. Virg Bernero,mayor of Lansing,Mi. and former candidate for Michigan governor would be a good pick. It broke my heart when Bernero lost to Snyder.
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)Also a governor might be a good idea as they have that executive experience a senator might "lack" at least when it comes to perception. Not a lot of D Governors out there though...
sufrommich
(22,871 posts)is very worrying. Who do you think his southern pick could be?
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)Maybe Jay Nixon (MO) I don't know much about him.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_United_States_governors
JaneyVee
(19,877 posts)It wouldn't surprise me to see most Americans view it as somewhat problematic. We know the energetic Bernie, hopefully America will see it too.
JustAnotherGen
(31,815 posts)I'm the wrong person to ask this question of - as I had all of my maternal great grandparents well into their mid/late 90's and those were 'GOOD' years. Like these folks were still swimming and jogging and working out at the Y. Three smoked and all four drank.
Average is average - this is a non issue to me if Sanders wins the nomination - I'm going to vote for him as long as he has a big fat D after his name.
CountAllVotes
(20,868 posts)Enjoy and we'll be right alongside you partying away! YES WE WILL!!!
rogerashton
(3,920 posts)Among those who have survived to be 75, the expectation of life is for 11.6 more years, i.e. Bernie's life expectancy is 86+.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr62/nvsr62_07.pdf
I'm 73. Mine is 85+. The figure given in the OP ignores the fact that, by the time one is 75, people who live to be less than 75 have already been eliminated from the sample.
Of course, the probability death within 4 or 8 years is greater than it would be for a person of, say, 42. I'm taking some precautions in case I'm one of the unlucky ones. A careful choice of a vice presidential candidate would be good. Kshama is young and vigorous.
Dementia is really the greater worry. We have lived through two presidents with probable dementia -- Wilson and Reagan -- and the real danger is that, by the time the person's cognitive function is seriously deteriorated, she or he may be unaware of that, and the evidence may not be clear enough for constitutional procedures to remove the sitting president. Bernie seems to me to be pretty sharp, though.
Erich Bloodaxe BSN
(14,733 posts)ChairmanAgnostic
(28,017 posts)TheNutcracker
(2,104 posts)kenfrequed
(7,865 posts)Mentally he seems fairly cagey and intelligent and physically he seems fit for his age. Do we really want to bring up his age as a negative here?
grasswire
(50,130 posts)Unbeatable.
Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)I remember hearing "too young" when he was running.
bobjacksonk2832
(50 posts)I'm sure Bernie will be fine, as long as he performs well during his campaign.
99Forever
(14,524 posts)....even those who will be voting for their very first time.
Way cool, huh!!!