The Septuagenarian race to win/keep the White House: all older than Vladimir Putin

The US election is on November 3rd, 2020. 

The democrats have:

1. Bernie Sanders (from September 1941). His change of winning increased after his last heart attack.

2. Joe Biden (from November 1942). Obama's vice-president.

3. Elizabeth Warren (from June 1949) - only 70.  She is the youngest.

When electing a president I would have liked someone who'd be around during the mandate and for some time after that to be able to advise future politicians.

Two younger people colour the picture:

Pete Buttigieg (born in 1982) is 38. I have not heard of him before. He is enthusiastic and able to hold an audience, and to raise plenty of funds for his champaign. He is also religious, happily married with a supportive partner and a dog and openly gay. He would be the youngest US president to date. So far they say he trails the septuagenarians even when polling the younger generation. He does not bring a clear picture on how to shape American's future beyond how to argue with Donald Trump, and focusing on the argument for me signifies a bit of a weakness - like there is no expectation of winning it and doing anything beyond that.

Andrew Yang (from 1975) is the son of immigrants from Taiwan. He seems to be the only one who has a timely plan. He proposes some basic income for all Americans to support them when large companies close. Something similar exists in Canada. Obama supports him as do some of my former colleges. Unfortunately, people are biased enough against immigrants and sons of immigrants that he is unlikely to win, but perhaps he will play a more prominent role in American politics in the future. In mid February, the numbers where not in his favor and he quit the presidential race.

Will any of them address climate change? I have not seen much discussion on potential solutions in the US press beyond the occasional pictures and videos of Greta Thunberg who is 17 and Swedish and cannot candidate for the US presidency.  The various political campaigns were always funded by oil and car companies and so climate change seems to be a taboo topic that nobody really addresses.

The republicans have Donald Trump  (born in 1946; 73 years old). He is going through impeachment, which might help him gain publicity and support. War tactics like killing Iran's general also make him seem strong. They might also bring another war in the middle East. Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and discusses his military strikes with them before mentioning them to members of his own congress. Trump is ill with dementia, and will be struggling to be physically fit and mentally fit to be seen in public if re-elected. This might be a problem during the campaign as well. 

The Russian president Vladimir Putin (born 1952) is 67 and struggles to prove the world how fit he is. Recently, the Russian parliament quit in an attempt to stop him from retaining power indefinitely. Continual dictatorship means an increased risk for war and instability. What role does he play in American politics? Perhaps people from the same generation (and particularly those born in the previous decade) are easier to understand, control and predict. These people were the ones around when Putin was growing as a/becoming the politician he is today and it must be comforting to have them still lead the scene.

In the past life at 80 was considered over, and it's still close to over for those who make it to that age. The chance of living another 10 years is fairly small and the chance of accomplishing changes in those years is even smaller. Yet today instead of spending time with grandchildren and being advisors and enablers for the next generations, the presidential race is dominated by people at the end of their careers. I imagine candidates holding political debates in wheel chairs in the recovery ward of various hospitals if we insist in having presidents that are ill and old or perhaps they would just be seen as little as possible and be represented through random twitter feeds and pictures and videos of them when they were young. Should a nation's future be shaped by people who don't have a future?

My father is 69. He is two years older than Putin. When I was a child, I would imagine him running for president. Of course, my father was a doctor and not a politician, but that never stopped me from dreaming. Today, as I help my mother prop him up in bed and change his diaper after a stroke from two years ago that he's never recovered from, I know those dreams are gone. Most of his colleagues in the same age range are either gone, ill or still sort of functional, but they are all shadows of what they used to be when they were young. So, why should the greatest nation in the world have a shadow for president? unless their role is similar to that of the queen - to pose, make news, but try not to interfere with those behind the scene - and even she does not do all her posing alone. Her children, grand-children, and cute great-grandchildren play some role as well and add some balance to her age. Will a nation remain great if we abuse its leadership so?

Instead of ending with deep thoughts, I will end with a joke.

In a snail catching competition for people over 80, the one who caught two snails received first prize, the one who caught one snail won second prize, and the one who won third prize caught no snails, but won the prize anyhow for trying. When they interviewed him they asked how he failed to catch the snails. He answered: "You see young lady...Until I stretch, until I bend the snail rushes away". (Romanian version: "Pana ma aplec, pana ma intind ... melcul tusti").