Updated: 7/15/2024
Originally Published: 9/21/2020
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. was born on November 20th, 1942.
And Joe Biden is old. He’s so old that “Robinette” probably seemed like a reasonable thing to put in the middle of your kid’s name back when he was born.
The fact that our two options in the 2024 election to lead us are men who are both more than 35 years older—and about 40% whiter—than the average American, is a damning indictment of our political system. But with both men widely accused by their critics of losing a step and declining into senility, should age be a defining issue in this election? Is Joe Biden, 77, so much older than Donald Trump, 74, that he should be disqualified?
The question of age — old age, to be precise – is garnering a lot of attention lately. And for good reason: the fate of the Western world very possibly hinges on it.
This autumn, Americans will most likely have to choose between two old white men for President of the United States. One is in his early 80s. The other is in his late 70s. Both are showing signs of physical and mental aging. Both claim to be in great shape and ready for the Herculean demands required of the most powerful leader in the world. Both claim the other isn’t.
Whether you think this is a clash of the Titans or merely a pillow fight in a senior care facility, there’s no denying that our nation’s oldsters have accomplished some amazing things. Here are only a few of the performers, politicians, athletes, tycoons, and scientists who saw no reason to rest on their laurels. They can inspire us all.
Betty White – Won a Grammy at 90
Betty White had been a working actor since the 1940s, but she didn’t win her first Emmy until 1975 for her role as Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Ten years later she was starring in the sitcom classic The Golden Girls. Eighteen years after that she was appearing in Hot in Cleveland. When she was a kid of 90, she was honored at the 54th annual Grammy Awards for Best Spoken Word Album for the narration of her audiobook If You Ask Me (And of Course You Won’t).
Tao Porchon-Lynch – Taught yoga at 101
Of French and Indian descent author and yoga teacher Porchon-Lynch was also a model, an actor, a cabaret performer mentored by Sir Noel Coward, a ballroom dancer, a social activist, Hollywood actress, wine expert, and magazine publisher. At 93 she was named the world’s oldest yoga teacher by the Guinness Book of World Records. She was also one of the best.
It’s a life of such variety and depth it could only be true. You wouldn’t believe it in a novel!
John B. Goodenough – Won a Nobel Prize at 97
Chemist and Materials scientist John B. Goodenough is noted for his contributions to the development of Random Access Memory in computing and Lithium-Ion battery technology. In 2019 the Nobel Prize committee presented him with the Nobel Prize in chemistry.
Goodenough was still working at the age of 98, developing new battery technology at the University of Texas. When his Nobel prize was announced, his advice to young scientists was “don’t retire too early.” Good advice whether you’re in the laboratory or not.
Christopher Plummer – Won an Academy Award at 82
Beginners exemplified how much living can be done later in life. Christopher Plummer plays Hal Fields, a gay man who lived his life in the closet until coming out after the death of his wife.
Fields discovers new love and how to live his authentic self in his 80s.
At 82, Plummer was awarded the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor – and became the oldest person to ever win the award. In 2018, at 88, he became the oldest person to be nominated for the same award for his role in All the Money in the World.
Ed Whitlock – Ran a Sub-4-Hour Marathon at 85
Could you run a marathon? If your answer’s yes, could you do it in less than 4 hours? Ed Whitlock did exactly that. He ran the 2016 Toronto Waterfront Marathon in 3 hours, 56 minutes, 34 seconds, at the age of 85.
He ran a distance famous for killing an ancient Greek messenger after surviving the Great Depression, World War II, and 24 James Bond movies. He ran 26 nine-minute miles in a row…again, after also traveling around the sun 85 times. Ed Whitlock passed the next year, probably moments after deciding he was finally ready to retire from running.
In a piece about Whitlock’s career as an older athlete, the Services for Runners website referred to “the prime of the ancient marathoner.” A witty description of an indomitable figure.
Jimmy Carter – Building Houses at 95
Several years ago former president Jimmy Carter fell in his home, sustaining a black eye and a cut that required 14 stitches. Days later, he returned to the construction site where he was building homes for those in need. He was 95 years old at the time.
It’s been said that Carter accomplished more out of office than he did as the main resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. That may or may not be accurate, but Carter’s dedication to Habitat for Humanity, his modesty and concern for his fellow citizens stands in stark contrast to the criminal buffoons who view the Presidency as nothing but a giant ATM card. According to his grandson, Carter is nearing the end of his life. Plains, Georgia’s most famous son has proven how much difference one person can make.
Bernie Sanders – Transformed American Politics at 78
For fans of Bernie Sanders, the coalescing of the entire Democratic party around moderate candidate Joe Biden in March of 2020, just when it seemed like Sanders was about to secure frontrunner position, was heartbreaking.
Consolation can be found in Sanders’ effect on the nation’s progressive politics. He’s been a consistent voice for Medicare
for All, a livable minimum wage, cannabis decriminalization, and bold climate legislation. It’s clear he’ll keep fighting the good fight until his last breath. He is anything but shy – and Democrats could use a dose of his feisty approach to politics.
Aida Germanque – Ran in Olympic Torch Relay at 106
In 2016, Aida Germanque participated in the Olympic torch relay in Brazil in the lead-up to the 2016 Olympic games in Rio. At 106 years old, Germanque was the oldest person to ever take part in the ceremony. She reportedly broke the record for oldest skydiver at 103.
But while it’s true that Germanque didn’t exactly sprint through her portion of the relay, the significance of her achievement is in the symbolism of the relay. It’s about passing the torch to the next runner. And as Joe Biden has already hinted, that’s what he intends to do with the presidency—serving one term, before passing it to the next generation of Democratic politician, whether that’s Kamala Harris or (fingers crossed) Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who will be eligible to run for president in 2024.
It should be clear by now that age needn’t be an impediment to a healthy and productive life. How this plays out in November is something we’ll all be watching closely. Age will certainly be a factor in the presidential race. It shouldn’t automatically disqualify a candidate for office. Leave that to other, far less savory things like inciting violence, threatening to open concentration camps, and “joking” about running for a third term.
The moral of the story is a simple one.
Lay off the Big Macs. Help others. You’ll live longer and enjoy it more!
So, clearly, being 77 or 81 does not mean you’re done doing amazing things. That said, there is such a thing as “biological age.” If a person were to work out five times a week —as opposed to living off Big Macs and (allegedly) amphetamines and only working up a sweat by ranting from the podium and on Twitter — that person could be much “younger” than someone born a few years after them.
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