Age ain’t what it used to be

If there was any doubt that age is going to be a major issue in the 2024 presidential campaign, Nikki Haley just erased it. In announcing her campaign for the Republican presidential nomination, the 51-year-old former governor of South Carolina proposed “mandatory mental competency tests for politicians over 75 years old.” Conveniently, the requirement would apply not only to 76-yearold Donald Trump, but also to 80-year-old Joe Biden.

I am not immune to ageism. Like a lot of voters, I wonder whether an 82-year-old man (Biden’s age on Inauguration Day 2025) is up to the stresses of the world’s most demanding job. I also wonder about the fairness of freezing out a younger and more diverse generation of presidential candidates. But I have learned that — like a lot of things — aging isn’t what it used to be, and I need to confront my own biases about it.

All that said, Biden probably doesn’t want to campaign on the redeeming qualities of octogenarians. And voters have concerns about his age: In focus groups, they note that at the end of a second term, he’ll be closer to 90 than 80. They’re concerned about his health and the likelihood of him surviving until 2029. In some discussions, people have asked about his chances of dying in office. How Biden handles these issues will be a central test of his campaign.

Usually the sitting president stays above the fray while candidates of the opposing party duke it out in their primary. But as Haley demonstrates, younger Republican presidential candidates will be emphasizing their age.

Biden can minimize the age factor with smart scheduling; covid showed that virtual fundraisers work, and he probably doesn’t need to barnstorm across states and hold multiple rallies in a single day.

Biden’s successful State of the Union address gave his team confidence that he has a lot of fight left.

Another hope: Biden’s Republican opponent. In the unlikely event that it is Haley, or if it is 44-year-old Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, Biden’s age will be front and center. But if his opponent is a 76-year-old former president, age may not be as much of an issue.

Ironically, and unfortunately, the easiest way for Biden’s campaign to neutralize the age issue is for the Republican nominee to be Donald Trump.