Sanders will be 75 years old on election day 2016.

[Renew Deal]

He would be the oldest president elected by 6 years. He would be the first president elected over the age of 70. Life expectancy of men in the US is 76.

How does Sanders plan to address concerns about his age? Would Americans re-elect a 79 year old president? Is Sanders only planning to serve one term?

[phil89]

1. Ageism is unbecoming.

grow up.

[Renew Deal]

4. Not in presidential politics.

<snip>
Roughly one-third of respondents in most recent national polls say that McCain's age could impede his ability to effectively govern the nation.

These percentages are in line with historical trends. Approximately one-third of voters expressed similar concerns about Bob Dole's age in 1996 and Ronald Reagan's age in 1984. (Dole was 73 years old in 1996. Reagan was 73 in 1984.)

The importance of the age question may be magnified this time around because it threatens to sap McCain's support with one of his most critical constituencies: older Americans.

According to the latest CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll, voters age 65 and older currently support McCain over Obama by 8 points (51 to 43 percent).
<snip>

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/06/15/mccain.age/index.html

[onenote]

11. You weren't here in 2008.

I don't recall seeing a lot of criticism directed at comments about McCain's age.

[gollygee]

13. True

I think I saw him referred to as "gramps" more than his actual name.

[brooklynite]

20. "Get off my lawn" was another popular refrain...

...and can we distinguish between a personal opinion and an analysis of what the voters' opinions might be?

[snooper2]

14. nothing wrong at all to say he and Hillary are old enough to be out-of-touch

new young blood-

MARTIN O'MALLEY!

[Renew Deal]

19. Sanders to some degree has taken Hillary off the hook for the age issue.

He did Democrats a favor.

[a la izquierda]

23. I don't know. I'm a 37 y/o female and I don't think either Hillary or Bernie are old and out of touch.

But that could just be me. I just spent two weeks with my students on study abroad. They didn't seem to think age was much of an issue either; politics and beliefs were (and we talked about that a lot, since we compared corruption in the US to Mexico).

I like O'Malley, but I'm pulling (and will campaign) for Sanders.

[yeoman6987]

39. Do you think it was not discussed with McCain?

I'd imagine if was on here to.

[TreasonousBastard]

2. I would take great care to look at his VP choice.

[Hiraeth]

26. who would you like to see him choose for veep? I think he will choose Hillary but, I am not worried

about the age card. Someone has to play it, I guess but, it was not dealt to my hand.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

33. Why on earth would he choose Hillary?

If he wanted her in the White House, he simply wouldn't have bothered to run.

[Hiraeth]

38. I could be wrong but, I think he and Hillary have already had a private conversation about all this.

I think veep is a dead end job but, I think Hillary will be satisfied to end her political career as veep leaving it open for Warren to become the first woman President in 2020.

I think Sanders will be a one term President and will set the stage for Warren to take it in 2020.

[reddread]

3. if we do not respect and honor our elders

we deserve what we already have.

[LanternWaste]

5. What then, is the relevant and specific age at which you believe candidates

What then, is the relevant and specific age at which you believe particular candidates should plan to address these concerns, and on what objective measure is that number arrived at?

[Renew Deal]

7. That's a good question

I don't have a good answer to that. I'm sure if we polled 1000 people we could come up with an average number. That said, any candidate whose second term comes within 10 years of life expectancy averages will probably get these questions. That puts it at 60.

[LanternWaste]

12. I'll perceive at his age as simply another non-issue.

All thing being equal then, a rational mind will perceive his age as simply another non-issue... until or unless an additional contributing and relevant factor is indicated.

[treestar]

8. 65?

Most people are thought of as retiring then. Obviously being POTUS is pretty non-retired. We think of other jobs as something we give up doing due to age.

[treestar]

6. If his health is good

If he's lived in DC and had good health care all his life and a good history, he's likely to be effective at his age. And his mind would keep working due to the demands on it. Going into his early 80s in the second term might be a bit much, but some of the SCOTUS justices stay that late.

[Renew Deal]

9. The latest pope was selected at age 73.

And has shown that he can lead a large organization. But I don't think people look at it that way.

[onecaliberal]

10. Is this all you got?

[Greybnk48]

15. Reagan seemed older than Bernie

at his almost 70 years.

[Renew Deal]

18. I agree, though I think we remember 77 year old Reagan.

How one carries themselves definitely affects perceptions. The latest pope was selected at 73, but is youthful. McCain was 72 in 2008, but moved slowly at times and wasn't always sharp.

[LuckyLib]

24. Reagan was out in the poppies at 50. Enabled by his cabal. By the time it was getting obvious

that he was struggling, Nancy had been covering for him for years.

[TheCowsCameHome]

16. What a nice birthday present being elected would be.

I can't sing for *&%#, so don't even ask............

[cali]

17. fair question. he will have to address it.

[sufrommich]

21. I imagine his VP pick will be considerably younger. nt

[Agschmid]

25. Who do you think?

[sufrommich]

27. I honestly don't have a clue. I would guess someone

from the Midwest because he would have great appeal in this region. Virg Bernero,mayor of Lansing,Mi. and former candidate for Michigan governor would be a good pick. It broke my heart when Bernero lost to Snyder.

[Agschmid]

30. I think that midwest/south would balance the ticket.

Also a governor might be a good idea as they have that executive experience a senator might "lack" at least when it comes to perception. Not a lot of D Governors out there though...

[sufrommich]

34. I think our lack of democratic governorships

is very worrying. Who do you think his southern pick could be?

[Agschmid]

37. There are NONE south of Mason/Dixon so I have no idea!

Maybe Jay Nixon (MO) I don't know much about him.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_United_States_governors

[JaneyVee]

22. I don't think his age is a problem, but....

It wouldn't surprise me to see most Americans view it as somewhat problematic. We know the energetic Bernie, hopefully America will see it too.

[JustAnotherGen]

28. And he could live to be 96

I'm the wrong person to ask this question of - as I had all of my maternal great grandparents well into their mid/late 90's and those were 'GOOD' years. Like these folks were still swimming and jogging and working out at the Y. Three smoked and all four drank.


Average is average - this is a non issue to me if Sanders wins the nomination - I'm going to vote for him as long as he has a big fat D after his name.

[CountAllVotes]

29. Happy Birthday Bernie Sanders!

Enjoy and we'll be right alongside you partying away! YES WE WILL!!!

[rogerashton]

31. Age specific life expectancy --

Among those who have survived to be 75, the expectation of life is for 11.6 more years, i.e. Bernie's life expectancy is 86+.

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr62/nvsr62_07.pdf

I'm 73. Mine is 85+. The figure given in the OP ignores the fact that, by the time one is 75, people who live to be less than 75 have already been eliminated from the sample.

Of course, the probability death within 4 or 8 years is greater than it would be for a person of, say, 42. I'm taking some precautions in case I'm one of the unlucky ones. A careful choice of a vice presidential candidate would be good. Kshama is young and vigorous.

Dementia is really the greater worry. We have lived through two presidents with probable dementia -- Wilson and Reagan -- and the real danger is that, by the time the person's cognitive function is seriously deteriorated, she or he may be unaware of that, and the evidence may not be clear enough for constitutional procedures to remove the sitting president. Bernie seems to me to be pretty sharp, though.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

36. Good rebuttal. nt

[ChairmanAgnostic]

32. so . . . almost as old as Hilary

[TheNutcracker]

35. i don't care if he's 100!! I will choose old over sellouts any day!

[kenfrequed]

40. He seems cagey enough to me

Mentally he seems fairly cagey and intelligent and physically he seems fit for his age. Do we really want to bring up his age as a negative here?

[grasswire]

41. which is why he needs to run with Elizabeth Warren.

Unbeatable.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

42. How did JFK address concerns about his age?

I remember hearing "too young" when he was running.

[bobjacksonk2832]

43. People elected Ronald Reagan despite his old age.

I'm sure Bernie will be fine, as long as he performs well during his campaign.

[99Forever]

44. And yet his movement connects with voters of all ages...

....even those who will be voting for their very first time.

Way cool, huh!!!