Biden and Trump — Does Age Matter?
By Dr. Glenn Mollette
John F. Kennedy was 43 years old when he was elected to serve as President of the United States in 1960. His age did not hurt him on election day.
Barack Obama was 47 years old when he became President of the United States in 2008. His age, skin color and limited number of years that he had served in the United States Senate did not hurt him when it came to election day.
Donald Trump was 70 years old when he was elected in November, 2016 as President of the United States. He had never held a public office. He has gone through two divorces and had some ups and downs in his life, which did not prevent him from becoming President of the United States.
We place a lot of emphasis on age. Youth always impresses us. Remember Tiger Woods? He was just 21 years old when he won The Masters in record breaking fashion in 1997.
When we see a great singer like Tony Bennett at the age of 94 still singing and dancing, we can't help but ask the question, "How old is he?" Because we are amazed at what a 94-year-old can do. His age doesn't stop him.
By the way Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is 87. Loretta Lynn is 88 and Sophia Loren is 85.
The bottom line is age is just a number. There are talented and very capable people at every age category of life. Some people are too old when they are 45 years old and some people never get old. Some old people have never matured. While they are old in age they have never mentally grown up.
We all have to move beyond age. We have to ask is the person up for the job mentally and physically? Do they have the energy? Do they have the career and educational background? Do they possess the skills necessary to perform the tasks? Is the person hungry enough to work hard and do a good job or are they merely looking for a title?
Americans want a President who will pull out all the stops to find a vaccine for Covid-19. Laboratories are working now. This disease has devastated our nation. No President would have been prepared for this pandemic.
Americans still want a slice of the American dream. We want a place to live, a paycheck, good medical care and retirement. We also want to be safe. We don't want thugs and gangs taking over our towns and neighborhoods. A strong police force and military are essential.
Americans will go to the polls in November and vote for President Donald Trump or former Vice-President Joe Biden. What will matter is what you believe in, who you believe in and your hopes for America. Trump and Biden both have track records and their age won't matter on election day.
Dr. Glenn Mollette is a graduate of numerous schools including Georgetown College, Southern and Lexington Seminaries in Kentucky. He is the author of 12 books including Uncommon Sense. His column is published weekly in over 600 publications in all 50 states.
