Of course it matters who the president is, but presidents come and go. We, the People remain. And that’s my primary political concern these days: how do We, the People relate to each other when we’re so politically divided?
Whoever we elect this November – Trump or Biden – will no longer be president by January 21, 2025. I hope the disappearance of both of them from the political scene will bring an end to this recent era of septuagenarian presidents and vice-presidents. Trump is the oldest person ever sworn in as president. He was already 70 on Inauguration Day, 2017. Only two other presidents have occupied the Oval Office at that ripe old age. Eisenhower was 62 at the start of his two terms and 70 at the end. Reagan was 69 on the day he was inaugurated and 77 on his last day in office. (Andrew Jackson’s second term ended 11 days before his 70th birthday.)
If Biden is elected, he will be sworn in at the unprecedented age of 78! – a full eight years older than Trump was on his inauguration day.
The normal retirement age is mid-late sixties. Yet political figures, from Mitch McConnell to John McCain to Joe Biden to Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the notorious Strom Thurmond, routinely stick around into their late 70s, 80s or even longer.
That's a strong indication of the seductive nature of power, and why we shouldn't trust to the decency of anyone in authority at that age.
Enough with the old farts in the White House!!!