No dementia for president, please: Washington Post opinion / Garrison Keillor

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How did we wind up with these old people running for president? In 1960, the first election I voted in, Richard Nixon was 47 and John Kennedy was 43 and now, 56 years later, the candidates are mostly my age. Young people are flocking to Bernie Sanders who, given two terms in office, would be Leader of the Free World until age 83, setting a new record -- Ronald Reagan was just shy of 78. Where is that new generation of leadership we keep hearing about at college commencements?
They say the voters long for a leader unlike the previous one and so after Nixon the schemer we elected the Baptist deacon. He turned out to be a detail guy and so was succeeded by a guy who thought in terms of Shining Good vs. Very Very Bad. After W, we elected a man who spoke in whole paragraphs. He was 47 when he took office. So now we're longing for elder care and the full disclosure of the presidential prostate and colonoscopy analysis?

Speaking as an old guy, let me just say: Blecchhhhh.And let me add to that: Arghhhh. I don't want a president who is groping for the word that means "no" and rhymes with "mosquito" or who needs to lie down every afternoon. Tell me I'm an ageist and you're right -- I come by it honestly, I am that age. It's a cruel age when you go out to dinner with friends and someone says, "Elevator or stairs?" and you shrug and take the stairs though you do feel short of breath and sit down in the restaurant which is clamorous and you can't hear, which is a blessing, because your friends are telling bald-faced lies about how busy and happy they are, writing bad poetry and walking briskly with no particular place to go.



for all of it go to:
http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2016/04/no_dementia_for_president_plea.html