When Barack Obama faced John McCain for the presidency in 2008, a consideration for a sizable number of voters was McCain’s age. He was old. He would be 71 when and if he took office. Would he survive the presidency? And if not, do we want Sarah Palin to be president?
Eight years have passed. John McCain survived, but the nervousness over his age has not. Whatever else may be said about Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, no one is talking about their age. If Clinton wins, she will turn 70 during her first year in office. Trump is 70 now. Whoever wins will take office at the same age or older than any other president in American history (that distinction belonged to Ronald Reagan, who took office at age 69).
What’s going on here? Have Americans in eight years become so much heartier and healthier that a 70-year old is no longer old? We doubt it. Has an aging boomer population turned their eyes from their own wrinkles and decided to call 70 the new 50? That’s more like it. Mind games, in other words.
We were never worried about John McCain and similarly are not worried about Trump or Clinton — about their ages, anyway. The way we see it, ageism is right up there with the other isms by which people stereotype and condemn. Perhaps the one uncontroversial aspect of this election is the age, energy and mental acuity of the two nominees. At least there is one unequivocally positive aspect to this election.
Yes, look at the candidate’s health. That is a long tradition going back at least to Dwight Eisenhower’s candidacy in 1952 — he of the famous heart attack. But if the doctor’s report comes up reasonable, set it aside. Do not let age alone qualify, or disqualify, a candidate.
That seems to be exactly what the electorate is doing. It’s a blessing.
Copyright © 2016 by the Intermountain Jewish News
