The Septuagenarian Sweepstakes

by

Yesterday, I turned 70.

Aging, of course, is both anticipatable and nonetheless surprising. Seventy? How the hell can I be 70?

Even more surprising, however, is this: With Amy Klobuchar’s withdrawal from the presidential contest yesterday, exquisitely timed to my birthday, I enter my eighth decade still younger than any of the serious candidates for president who remain in the running. Bernie Sanders and Mike Bloomberg are both 78. Joe Biden is 77. Spring chicken Elizabeth Warren is 70 (she’s about half a year older than I). Donald Trump is 73.

This is a field that lends itself to age-specific critiques. Some Biden backers point out that Bernie is a heart attack survivor (and presumably, a heart attack risk), while some Bernie backers note that Biden doesn’t seem as sharp as he once was (however sharp that may have been). Many assert that Trump is a dangerous lunatic, though most believe that’s not a function of his age.

Never before in our history has the nation been confronted with a choice of leaders all of whom were 70 or more. In the 19th century, people didn’t live that long, but it wasn’t until 1960—Eisenhower’s last year in office—that a president reached the big seven-o, and that was when Ike was outward bound. The only incoming president who’d surpassed the 70 threshold before he moved into the White House was Reagan, but years of Hollywood makeup had made him look younger, shinier, and better coiffed, and he’d had to fend off rival candidates all of whom were a good deal younger, if not so well coiffed.

In all my now 70 years, it never once occurred to me that by the time I would age out of my sixties, I’d still be younger than an entire presidential field. Should this make me feel better as an individual? (The possibilities before me are still limitless!) Or worse as a citizen? (Prepare for Geezer-ocracy!) Years of experience tell me to bet on Geezer-ocracy.

There's too much at stake this November for us to quit. As we navigate another presidential election year, thoughtful independent journalism is more important than ever. We're committed to bringing you the latest news on what's really happening across the country this election season, shining a light on the stories corporate media overlooks and keeping the public informed about how power really works in America.

Quality reporting doesn't come for free, and we don't have corporate backers to rely on to fund our work. Everything we do is thanks to our incredible community of readers, who chip in a few dollars at a time to make what we do possible. This month, we're trying to raise $50,000 to help fuel our election coverage, and we've fallen behind on reaching our goal. Any amount you give today will bring us closer to making our reporting possible—and a generous donor has agreed to match all online donations, so your impact will be doubled.

You can help power this newsroom by making a donation today.