2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: Romney won't be able to let go. [View all]JDPriestly
(57,936 posts)At the end of an eight-year presidency in 2020, he would be 77 years old. No. He won't be running in 2016.
Neither will Hillary Clinton who was also born in 1947 and will be 69 in 2016 and 77 in 2020.
There may have been a time when people of that age could serve as president.
But the job is too stressful now. It requires an incredible amount of energy.
One of the advantages that Barack Obama had when he campaigned against McCain was superior stamina and energy. Voters don't like someone who moves and speaks slowly and does not project strength and robustness. Not today. Not in this day of videos and cameras and TV and YouTube. Remember when Ford fell. A physically weak, awkward or stiff candidate does not inspire confidence.
Neither Romney nor Clinton will be fit enough to run in 69 -- not unless they start working out and dieting a lot as of today -- not unless they have unusually good genes.