America in the hands of the elderly: a problem or an advantage?

With a president, who is the oldest in history, and other leaders entering the 80s, the country resembles a "gerontocracy."

Experts say.

Paula Lugones

02/02/2021 7:42 AM

• Clarín.com

• World

Updated 02/02/2021 7:43 AM

Joe Robinette Biden Jr. was

born on November 20, 1942. It may actually be a trivial biographical fact, but it is looked at here carefully because it is historical: At

78

, Biden is the

oldest

president the

United States has ever had, beating Ronald Reagan, who left the White House at the age of 77 and was later diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

With a dramatic pandemic to contend with, a fierce economic crisis and an extraordinarily divided country, many wonder if Biden will be given the health to overcome the challenges ahead and the youngest fear that the new president, who was born during World War II , have a too conservative approach due to age.

Especially since the Democrat was elected thanks to the strength of a

younger and more diverse

electorate

.

But it's not just Biden that is under scrutiny.

In Washington it is heard that the United States today resembles

a “gerontocracy”

, a government of the elderly, since the leader of the House of Representatives, Democrat Nancy Pelosi, is 80 years old and the Republican leader of the Senate, Mitch McConnell, turns 79 in a few days.

The exception is Vice President Kamala Harris, 56.

Nancy Pelosi, between former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

Photo: AFP

During the campaign, Biden was attacked by his rival Donald Trump (74 years old) for age.

He called him "Sleepy Joe" (Joe the Sleepy), criticized his alleged lack of energy and hinted that he was senile due to some stuttering of the Democrat in words, the result of a stutter that he has not managed to overcome completely.

The balance of a younger vice

Choosing Harris, nearly 20 years younger than him, as his running mate, sought to balance the issue of age.

Biden has described himself as

a transitional president

, but has not ruled out running for a second term.

Harris could be his successor.

"I think it's fair to say that we live in a gerontocracy,"

James Chappel, a history professor at Duke University

, told

Clarín

.

“Obviously not a bad thing.

One would hope that a gerontocracy would fight for the rights of the elderly as Covid-19 has shown that the real situation of the elderly in this country is terrifying. "

Choosing Harris (left) almost 20 years younger than Biden sought to balance the issue of age.

Photo: EFE

Benefits and drawbacks

Chappel notes that “Joe Biden's age brings benefits and drawbacks.

On the one hand, he is a man with

deep experience in politics

.

He has been a senator for longer than many of his constituents have lived.

This does not necessarily mean that he will rule conservatively.

Franklin Roosevelt also had political experience. "

On the other hand, continues the expert, “his age is a matter of concern for many Americans.

We have lived through four tumultuous years and the prospect of health problems in the White House is terrifying.

At the same time, there is

a prejudice against the elderly

in this country.

Comedians and pundits are already starting to make Biden's age

a joke

. "

Biden's physician, Dr. Kevin O'Connor, in a medical report released by the campaign last December, described Biden as "healthy, vigorous, capable of successfully executing the duties of the presidency, including those of chief executive officer. , head of state and commander in chief ”.

Data to take into account

Biden is 78 years old and the oldest president in the US Photo: AFP

But it does have some careful history.

In 1988, Biden suffered

two

life-threatening

brain aneurysms

, an experience that he wrote in his memoirs made him the "kind of man I want to be."

According to The Washington Post, he has suffered from

a pulmonary embolism

and

diverticulitis

and also takes cholesterol and blood thinners.

His gallbladder was removed and he had prostate surgery.

Biden publicly promised to be "totally transparent" about all facets of his health if elected, but has not said how he will do so.

Unlike Trump, during the pandemic he has been very cautious and spent much of the campaign in the basement of his home.

However, when the restrictions were eased, he became active practicing his favorite hobby, riding a bicycle.

Jay Olshansky

, associate researcher at the Center on Aging at the University of Chicago, pointed out to

Clarín

that “the founding fathers of the United States decided that there would be a minimum age limit to become president because the position

required experience

and enough time to accumulate a public record that could be evaluated by voters.

No upper

age

limit was imposed

because they valued the wisdom that comes with time.

I don't see

anything bad

that can come from having a president who carries with him

the wisdom

of extra time. "

Senate Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, another senior in power in Washington.

Photo: DPA

The expert, who has researched the limits of human longevity, stressed that “President Biden will use his experience in the Senate to help unite the country by forging relationships with politicians from both parties.

He is addressing the generational divide by including younger people in his cabinet, and has already elected a vice president who is decades younger.

I don't see any problem with this age influencing his image as president ”.

And it sends an optimistic message: “The country is being led by a new

experienced and thoughtful

leadership

that will help us to overcome the difficult times we are experiencing.

The age of presidents and presidential candidates should be completely

irrelevant

, what matters is the ideas they bring to the table.

I anticipate that the country will experience something of a renaissance in the coming years that will be led by the experience of President Biden. "

Washington, correspondent

ap

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