As a card-carrying senior citizen in Southern California for Thanksgiving, I read with interest an Orange County Register opinion column by former California Congressman Gary Franks titled "Is Octogenarian Control of Government Good or Bad?" I think it's bad, but that's only my opinion for what it's worth, if anything.
Although some of my best friends are fellow octogenarians – 80-somethings, that is – I realize that we've slowed down a bit over the past 30 or 40 years, and I don't think we should take on responsibilities that we're incapable of fulfilling. Because, as Franks wrote, "American leadership has grown extremely old, which is unprecedented (and) they hold unprecedented power that is not healthy for America."
Let's face it, 79-year-old President Joe Biden walks and talks like an old person. I sympathized with him when he dozed off at the stultifying Glasgow climate fiasco but I'm glad he gave up that silly jogging/trotting thing he was doing during last year's presidential election campaign. I was always afraid he'd fall flat on his face, or his rear end, as I did early this year when I tried to show my twin grandsons how to shoot a running hook shot. No more hook shots for me; set shots only.
But seriously, let's look at some numbers: Biden is an old 79, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is 81 and her deputy, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, is 82. The third-ranking Democrat in the House, Jim Clyburn, is 81, Climate Czar John Kerry is 77, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is 79. California Sen. Dianne Feinstein has lost a step at 88 but Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley does pushups and will run for another term next year at 89. But wait, there's more: Coronavirus Czar Dr. Anthony Fauci is a young 80, and former President Trump will be a chunky, self-centered 78-year-old if he runs again in 2024. And on and on it goes… so where are all the young leaders?
Many Democrats are already anointing 40-year-old Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Ind., as Biden's heir apparent, preferring him over unpopular 57-year-old Vice President Kamala Harris, whose approval ratings are even lower than Biden's. And then there's New York City Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a 32-year-old socialist. Help!
On the Republican side of the aisle, those who don't want Trump to run again are choosing between Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, 44; former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, 51, and Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton (my favorite), 44, among several others including a couple of Trump clones who shall remain nameless.
And speaking of Trump clones, we're going to have to deal next year with far right Republican gubernatorial candidates "Fightin'" Joey Gilbert and pistol packin' Las Vegas Councilwoman Michele Fiore, both of whom actually believe Trump won last year's presidential election "by a landslide." I'm not going to lump ex-Attorney General Adam Laxalt in with Fightin' Joey and Ms. Fiore, but he also promotes Trump's "Big Lie" from time to time. Let's support moderate, sane gubernatorial candidates like former U.S. Sen. Dean Heller and/or Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo. What about Gov. Steve Sisolak? Don't ask.
And now, back to my original question: Is octogenarian control of government good or bad? The answer isn't about chronological age; rather, it's about mental acuity. And unfortunately, I think Biden is on the borderline of that question. I hope I'm wrong because if he doesn't make through his first term – forget a second term – we'll get President Kamala Harris, who is clearly incompetent and unprepared for such responsibility.
Confessed octogenarian Guy W. Farmer is the Appeal's senior political columnist.
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