As long as the expected and depressing rematch between former President Donald Trump and President Biden came to fruition, one of the looming questions over the 2024 presidential election was always going to be age.

Both candidates deserve to face scrutiny over the issue. It’s astonishing to think that they are both nearly the same age as Bill Clinton, who left office more than 20 years ago. It’s unfortunate that, following the departure of President Obama from office, we returned to that generation for our next set of leaders, rather than moving on. But that’s where we are.

This isn’t the first time the age of a presidential candidate has been an issue, either. It was a concern for voters during the 1996 presidential election, when Bob Dole, then 73, was the Republican nominee. At the time, he was the oldest first-time presidential nominee; Trump and Biden are both older than that. Biden is older than Ronald Reagan was when he left office (Trump is slightly younger), and Democrats raised the issue at the time with him as well.

We must dismiss the idea that it’s somehow unfair or unprecedented to consider a presidential candidate’s age and health. Both parties have raised this concern – under legitimate and illegitimate circumstances – about various candidates in the past, so that’s no defense. Every job has requirements for its candidates, and president of the United States is no exception. Sweeping the issue aside is not a solution for Biden.

What is unfair is to pretend that it’s only an issue for one of the two likely nominees. Although it doesn’t appear to have been as much of a political liability so far, it’s certainly fair to point out that Trump has also had his fair share of stumbles, literal and verbal alike. During his first term, Democrats noticed when he stumbled and seemed to have difficulty sipping water at West Point. His age was a valid concern then, and it came up again recently when he appeared to confuse Nikki Haley, his primary opponent, with Nancy Pelosi, the former speaker of the House.

The problem with our system is that we only have two viable presidential candidates to choose from. Whether we like it or not, we have to compare them against each other, not against some fictional ideal candidate.

Given that, there are a number of reasons – some realistic and some purely political – why health and age are more of an issue for Biden than for Trump. First, Biden is older than Trump. As a result, it’s legitimate to raise the point more with Biden than with Trump. He’s the oldest president of the United States ever, breaking Trump’s record. It’s not merely a partisan talking point but a realistic concern.

Trump’s also been blessed with opponents in both parties who have done a lousy job highlighting his age and health.

Even with his history of slip-ups and his grandiose self-generated health report, Democrats haven’t hounded him on the issue nearly as much as they could have. Neither Ron DeSantis nor Nikki Haley made it a major focus of their campaigns. While Haley’s been raising the issue more lately, it’s probably a case of too little, too late.

For his Republican opponents, that’s probably because, understanding the dedication of his supporters, they knew the risk of criticizing him personally so directly. Democrats, on the other hand, could be more aggressive about it. Whether it was a legitimate concern or not, it would have been politically wise for them to raise the issue. It would have been even better for them, of course, if they had nominated somebody younger instead.

Republicans, on the other hand, have constantly zeroed in on Biden’s health, highlighting every miscue or stumble. While it’s a winning issue for Republicans at the moment, it might not remain that way. If Trump has any serious health issues during the campaign, it could backfire. Moreover, they can’t appear to be rooting for Biden’s ill health; that risks alienating not just older voters, but decent human beings in general.

It’s certainly a legitimate issue, but we need to have the national conversation about it in a reasonable, respectful way. Sadly, I think that’s the last thing that will happen in an election year.

Jim Fossel, a conservative activist from Gardiner, worked for Sen. Susan Collins. He can be contacted at:
jwfossel@gmail.com
Twitter: @jimfossel

Copy the Story Link