Let's talk about age and the Presidency, shall we? Democratic Presidential candidates are gathering to debate tonight in Houston, so the subject is timely. First, a couple of historical notes. This will be a thread.
-
-
11. A Presidential nominee over 70 would mean, for the Democrats, passing up a major advantage in electoral politics. It is also a risk in terms of being sure the next President will be able to handle the burdens of the office, during what is likely to be a very difficult time.
Show this thread -
12. Now, full disclosure: if I had to choose right now among all the Democratic candidates now in the race, my pick would be Warren. She seems to me, in brief, to be the smartest and have the clearest idea of how she wants to run the Executive Branch.
Show this thread -
13. If I didn't think that I wouldn't go near a 70-year-old candidate; even thinking it, some discomfort accompanies my preference. It is passing strange to me that the logical successors to an historic, popular, and relatively successful Democratic President should all be....
Show this thread -
14....people much older before they faced the voters than he was when he left office. This isn't how succession normally works. But those are the cards on the table; I'm just saying we ought to look at them honestly, and not deceive ourselves. [end]
Show this thread
End of conversation
New conversation -
-
-
The mid 80s were not exactly a benign period. The USSR still had a thousand tanks a week from the Rhine, there was political conflict in Europe over Pershing and Cruise, hard fought proxy wars in Central America, Africa and Afghanistan plus Iran in Lebanon.
-
also, elliott abrams was fairly busy overseeing mass murder in central america
End of conversation
New conversation -
-
-
reagan's reign wasn't particularly benign if you were murdered by a death squad
Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
-
-
-
Reagan diffused those concerns during the campaign only to be unable to do his job the last two years. If the internet existed in 1987-88 Reagan’s out of it would have been a significant story with a ton of inside tips floating around Twitter about his decline.
Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
-
Loading seems to be taking a while.
Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.