KINSELLA: Joe Biden expected to become oldest presidential candidate in U.S. history

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When is old too old?

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There’ll be a lot of discussion of that, this week, because Joe Biden is widely expected to announce he’s running again for president of the United States.

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In so doing, at 81 years of age, he will be the oldest presidential candidate in American history. If he wins again, he’ll be sworn in at the age of 82.

For Biden, clearly, none of that is a big deal. He’s already the oldest president ever — only Ronald Reagan ever came as close, reaching 77 at the end of his second term.

But 82, and 86 years old at the end of his second term? That’s no Spring chicken. Is Joe Biden too damn old?

That question has gripped Democrats, mainly, ever since Biden announced his bid for the party’s presidential nomination action. (And, full disclosure, I supported him then, and worked on his campaign in 2020.)

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Speaking anonymously (of course), some Dems fret that voters will decide that Biden is ancient. Or, even worse, that he lacks the mental capacity for another term — because of his age.

Said one Florida Democrat to Politico: “I am hearing gargantuan concerns among Democratic insiders about Biden’s advanced age.”

Some aren’t as afraid to put their name behind their ageism, however.

In the New York Times, no less, Michelle Goldberg wrote: “I hope he doesn’t run again, because he’s too old … the presidency ages even young men, and Biden is far from young; a country in as much trouble as ours needs a leader vigorous enough to inspire confidence.”

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What is striking about Goldberg’s stance — and that of other American progressives, too faint-of-heart to attach their name to their criticisms — is that she doesn’t seem to oppose Biden because of his age. She opposes him because she fears American voters may think he’s too old.

The polls don’t necessarily contradict her. One she cites: “As a recent New York Times/Siena College poll found, 64% of Democrats want a different presidential nominee in 2024. Those Democrats cite Biden’s age more than any other factor.”

Other pulse-takers reported similar results. The Republican bastion of the National Review — hardly a neutral source — sniffed: “Nearly 7 in 10 registered voters (68%) now say President Biden is “too old for another term,” according to a new Yahoo News/YouGov poll — and more Democrats agree (48%) than disagree (34%) with that assessment.”

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The more Democrat-friendly NPR didn’t disagree: “A recent Associated Press poll found that, despite Biden’s lengthy list of legislative accomplishments and his party’s historically strong showing in last year’s midterms, just 37% of Democrats want the incumbent Democrat to run for reelection. Other surveys have found similar results, and many voters say Biden’s age is a factor.”

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That’s the polls, which are sometimes wrong. What about other countries?

Well, for starters, the current average of age of international leaders is 62. They range in age from their thirties to their nineties. Countries that are less free tend to have older leaders, which isn’t surprising when you think about it.

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Women tend to be younger than male leaders. And, in most countries, the leaders tend to be older than the median age of the average citizen.

Back at the beginning of time, when this writer was Jean Chretien’s Special Assistant — I’m a spritely and rather fetching 62, if you must know, and Chretien is an agile and active 89, and will be 90 on Jan. 11, 2024 — the ageism stuff came up more than once. Remember the infamous Conservative ad that showed unflattering close-ups of my boss and asked: “Is this a leader?”

So, one time, when Chretien was facing some surgery for nodules on his lungs, anonymous creeps and crawlies in Paul Martin’s camp circulated rumors he was dying. And too old.

I was upset. I told Chretien. He laughed: “Young man, the best way to show that I am not too old and dying is to keep on living!”

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And he did, historians will note. And he won three back-to-back majorities.

In Biden’s case, his age was supposed to cost him support in last year’s midterms. Remember that? Instead, American voters focused on abortion and voting rights, and rewarded Biden’s party with continued control of the Senate — and far less of a defeat in the House of Representatives. So much for the age stuff.

The best, and final, take on the is-Joe-too-old question belongs to someone who is not his biggest fan. Asked about the issue, the Biden critic said:

“Bernie (Sanders is) older than Biden. Whether you like him or not, he’s 100% sharp. So it’s not an age thing.”

Said the Biden critic: “I think they do the age thing because I’m 4-5 years behind. They say this is a way of getting (at me).”

And who is “me?” Who is Joe Biden’s defender on “the age thing,” you ask?

Well, it’s one Donald J. Trump.

Age: a youthful 77 next year.