An Age Old Story

By this time next week one can safely say that we will know who the next President of the USA will be. Donald John Trump was the oldest President ever elected and stands for Second Term at 74 years of Age. If Biden wins aged 77 he will be the oldest ever President elected. This is in the 21st Century when Male life expectancy is 73 years not 66 years as in the 20th Century.

Trump has proven to be an enigma. His physical and mental strength absolutely amazing. Bearing in mind he has little sleep and tweets throughout the night and day his stamina is awesome. This is a man who recovered from Covid19 in three days. Is it because his wife is 24 years younger than him. Not aware of the facts but Danish research says that men who marry older women die younger than norm and vice versa. In America men on average are 2 years 4 months older than their wives.

Biden at 77 years of age will be 85 if he serves two terms. Alas he has shown unlike Trump poor brainpower and his memory even poorer. The reality is that short term memory of any man begins to decline at 35 years of age and Male all round peak is 40. The vocabulary of man peaks at 60 years of age and between 60 and 70 crystallised intelligence accumulates at its peak. In short up to 70 you gain max knowledge but you may begin to forget it at half that age.

Trump and Pence ticket averages 67 and Biden / Harris 69. Biden frankly is too old to be President and it’s a high probability that Harris will be stepping into his shoes if he wins. Mrs Biden is 69 and she’s pushing her husband up that hill of ambition. Roosevelt was the youngest ever President after the McKinley assassination at 42 years 322 days but J F Kennedy the youngest elected at 43 years 236 days.

Trump and Biden both at over 70 are today in the elderly bracket. Rocket Man from North Korea is 36 , MBS from Saudi Arabia 35 and Xi Jinping from China 67. All younger than the two USA contenders. If good all round health decides the USA election Trump must win.

Putin of Russia is fit and at 68 years old is likely to be there forever as Russian leader. Both he and Xi are there and not going anywhere. James Bond in the form of Sean Connery died at 90 finally shaken and stirred and Trump whose Father Fred died at 93 could live a long life. I could say Donald has the genes but his two brothers died 42 and 71.

Many say that your as old as you feel but as Leonard Cohen famously said that as you age you ache in the places you used to play. Leadership requires strength and experience , qualities that rarely combine though Moses stepped up to the plate at 80 and lived till 120 spending 40 years in the desert of Sinai.

Either Trump or Biden is heading to the metaphorical desert next week. My guess it’s Biden and Trump will continue to full Second till term 2025 when the world will be even more unrecognisable.

God Bless America and God save the Queen 94 years old and her husband Phillip 99 years, 100 in June next.