Aviva Fried / Photo credit: POOL / GETTY IMAGES ASIAPAC / Getty Images via AFP
As 81-year-old Republican Senator Mitch McConnell mysteriously froze in the middle of a speech a few days ago, the debate around the age of American politicians has been reignited. 21 out of 100 senators are over 78. A worrying average when President Joe Biden is also criticized for his advanced age.
The debate around the advanced age of politicians in the United States was reignited when the leader of the Republicans in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, had a long absence in the middle of a speech at 81 years old. While the country is governed by the oldest president in American history, Joe Biden, 80 years old, the latter multiplies blunders and falls. A behavior that leaves doubts about his mental and physical acuity. And they are not the only elderly people in power in the country.
“We have to do mental skills tests”
In the United States, 21 out of 100 senators are over the age of 78. Starting with Mitch McConnell, the boss of the Republicans, who won his seat for the first time in 1984. On the side of the Democrats, Dianne Feinstein is 90 years old and the situation is not more reassuring. Sick, in the middle of a speech, another senator told her what she should do and how she should vote. A worrying finding for Nikki Haley, the Republican presidential candidate, who hastened to relaunch the debate.
“We need to limit terms in Congress and we need to do mental skills tests for anyone over 75. We need to stop electing people because we like them and they’ve been there for a long time. a long time. You have to know how to leave,” she explained. Aged 51, Nikki Haley looks like a small young person compared to other politicians. Donald Trump, who constantly criticizes the age of Joe Biden, is himself 77 years old. Between them, the likely candidates will therefore be almost 160 years old at the next election. A figure far from the average American age, set at 39 years.