It appears that the 2024 Presidential election will pit two old fogies against each other.
President Joe Biden is 82 years old, while his November opponent will be ex-President Donald Trump, who will be a “youthful” 78-year-old next month.
Most national elected officials are a couple of decades younger, although eight U.S. Senators and eighteen Congressmen are over 78 years old. The current Senate Minority Leader/crafty politician, Mitch McConnell, who has been the ranking Republican Senator for many years, is 82, the same age as Joe Biden. Democrat Nancy Pelosi, who gave up the Senate Majority Leader position last year, is 84 years old. Grace Napolitano, a member of Congress from California, is a whopping 87 years old, which is, believe it or not, almost four years younger than Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa!
Compared to these relics, Biden and Trump are… youthful, sort of.
Ronald Reagan was a spry 69-year-old when he was first elected and a befuddled 78-year-old when he left the White House. (Does anyone remember the hilarious Johnny Carson spoofing President Reagan’s mental confusion in the Carnac the Magnificent send-up of the old “Who’s on First?” bit by Abbott and Costello??) The point is that even smart folks like Reagan lose a bit of grey matter as they age. That’s why they typically surround themselves with a cadre of relatively young, smart advisors. It takes a team to run an Administration.
We elect Presidents for their wisdom, which includes the ability to put smart people in important jobs. “Under a ragged coat lies wisdom”, according to an old Romanian proverb, which means that old fogies are typically wiser than their younger compatriots because of their life experience. Been there, seen it, done it. Learned from their mistakes and the mistakes of others. The “school of hard knocks”, etc.
Sure, Biden stumbles every now and then, stutters sometimes when speaking publicly (he’s had that affliction for his entire life), and probably pees more often than he used to. He seems honest and forthright, however, and seems to bring a lot of wisdom to the table. By comparison, Trump does his stumbling in his media moments, where he doesn’t seem to know what he’s talking about, makes up shit on-the-fly, and calls his detractors names… like a ten-year-old kid would out on a playground. He would tell a lie even if the truth would serve him better.
Which one of these gentlemen would you trust to handle the “nuclear football”? Or handle the next pandemic?
I will be 77 in December, and I must admit that my balance and coordination aren’t what they used to be. However, I think that I am as sharp mentally as I’ve ever been and could probably speak intelligently to a large crowd of hostile people like I used to. People in their 70’s and 80’s can lead effectively, even if they wear dentures and their eyesight isn’t what it used to be. Warren Buffett, who is 93 years young, is widely considered the savviest investor in the world. His long-time Berkshire Hathaway partner and muse, Charlie Munger, was a world-renowned financial genius when he died last year at age 97.
Neither could run a marathon, but they could competently manage 130 billion dollars in assets. Age is, to some degree, a state of mind.
The “Biden is too old” mantra is basically being trumpeted by Fox News, which has been carrying Donald Trump’s water for the past ten years. Simultaneously, the network is quiet as a church mouse when the ex-President embarrasses himself in public, continues to spout “stolen election” lies, toys with the judicial system, farts and sleeps during trials in various courts, threatens violence against opponents, and sucks up to world dictators.
Seriously, Trump’s boorish act is getting old.
Most importantly, it reflects on his character… which is abhorrent.
Character is “the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual”. Character reflects on how you interact with others and how you act when no one is around. Do you gossip? Do you cheat in cards (or on your wife)? Do you help those in need? Do you discriminate against others who are different from yourself? Do you treat your subordinates with respect and dignity?
The Golden Rule is all about character: Do unto others as you would have them do unto yourself.
Public service, elective and non-elective, is supposed to be about helping others (society) be safe, prosperous, and happy. Joe Biden, before becoming President, served his Nation as a City Councilman, a U.S. Senator, and Vice President. He has devoted 54 years of his life to public service. Donald Trump, on the other hand, has spent all but four of the past 50 years running a family business where the goal was to make as much money as possible by whatever means possible.
As we’ve all learned over the past ten years, Mr. Trump has treated a lot of people poorly (including his several wives), cheated on his taxes, screwed business partners and investors, and has said horrible things about people who don’t agree with him. He orchestrated a coup to stay in office when he lost the 2020 election. He is presently on trial in several jurisdictions for fraud, defamation, election interference, retaining Classified documents, and other crimes. While President, he was impeached twice… a dubious achievement to say the least. Hardly a week goes by that Trump doesn’t say flattering things about one or more of the world’s most reprehensible dictators.
The upcoming Presidential election should not be about the fact that Joe Biden is four years older than Donald Trump. Rather, it should be about the moral character of the candidates. Who would you rather be with in a foxhole: A public servant or a narcissist?
Character counts and should be the only thing that this upcoming election is about.