With veteran actor and self-proclaimed ‘anti-establishment’ Democrat, Dean Phillips, recently challenging Vice-President Joe Biden to a ‘Head-to-Head’ age discrimination debate, the Biden-loving Democratic party is left asking: is 80 years old is too old to be president of the United States?
Phillips, 76, took to social media to “challenge” Joe Biden, 82, to a debate on ‘ageism’. Phillips believes that challenging the ageist status quo could benefit both men, giving Biden an opportunity to prove his age is not a barrier to his ability serve in the highest capacity of public office and give Phillips the chance to ‘unseat an otherwise entrenched establishment candidate’.
Phillips believes that Biden ‘rightfully’ deserves respect for his professional experience and dedication to public service but argues that the same appellation gets him off the hook for engaging in the dialogue of whether his advanced age is appropriate for a POTUS.
The general consensus in the Democratic party seems to be that Biden’s age should not be a barrier to him being considered for President. President Barack Obama recently threw his support behind Biden saying, “We know ageism is a real thing, and if you look around the world, you don’t have to look very far to find countries that are being led by people in their 80s.”
At the same time, the same ageist belief systems that prevent discrimination against people of color and different sexual orientations remain a barrier to those approaching the age of 80 being accepted as a viable presidential candidate. Phillips insists that Biden must confront this systemic problem if he wishes to realistically hold the office of the President of the United States.
Whether Biden will accept Phillips’s offer remains to be seen. While there are some in the Democratic party who feel that Biden is too old to run for President, most appear to stand behind Biden and believe that his experience and dedication to public service trumps any potential generational divide.
In the end, the ultimate decision of whether Biden is too old to be President of the United States rests with the voters on election day. While Phillips’s challenge to Biden will undoubtedly rekindle a debate about ageism in politics, it is up to the American people to decide if it is appropriate for a man in his 80s to ascend to the highest office in the land.
With veteran actor and self-proclaimed ‘anti-establishment’ Democrat, Dean Phillips, recently challenging Vice-President Joe Biden to a ‘Head-to-Head’ age discrimination debate, the Biden-loving Democratic party is left asking: is 80 years old is too old to be president of the United States?
Phillips, 76, took to social media to “challenge” Joe Biden, 82, to a debate on ‘ageism’. Phillips believes that challenging the ageist status quo could benefit both men, giving Biden an opportunity to prove his age is not a barrier to his ability serve in the highest capacity of public office and give Phillips the chance to ‘unseat an otherwise entrenched establishment candidate’.
Phillips believes that Biden ‘rightfully’ deserves respect for his professional experience and dedication to public service but argues that the same appellation gets him off the hook for engaging in the dialogue of whether his advanced age is appropriate for a POTUS.
The general consensus in the Democratic party seems to be that Biden’s age should not be a barrier to him being considered for President. President Barack Obama recently threw his support behind Biden saying, “We know ageism is a real thing, and if you look around the world, you don’t have to look very far to find countries that are being led by people in their 80s.”
At the same time, the same ageist belief systems that prevent discrimination against people of color and different sexual orientations remain a barrier to those approaching the age of 80 being accepted as a viable presidential candidate. Phillips insists that Biden must confront this systemic problem if he wishes to realistically hold the office of the President of the United States.
Whether Biden will accept Phillips’s offer remains to be seen. While there are some in the Democratic party who feel that Biden is too old to run for President, most appear to stand behind Biden and believe that his experience and dedication to public service trumps any potential generational divide.
In the end, the ultimate decision of whether Biden is too old to be President of the United States rests with the voters on election day. While Phillips’s challenge to Biden will undoubtedly rekindle a debate about ageism in politics, it is up to the American people to decide if it is appropriate for a man in his 80s to ascend to the highest office in the land.
