What is the ideal age for a president?

mfs378

Senior member
May 19, 2003
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It seems like there is quite a spread this time around, so I'm curious as to what the thinking is around here...
 

Stunt

Diamond Member
Jul 17, 2002
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Maximum 60-64
Minimum 45-49

Must have the experience the postion demands but show strong healthy leadership.
 

TheRyuu

Diamond Member
Dec 3, 2005
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I believe that a young president (40-45) is a good thing from time to time, like JFK.
 

BoberFett

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
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I'm ready for a younger president. It's one of the reasons I'd give consideration to voting for Obama. The baby boomers have had their chance, and they've pretty well fscked everything up. It's time to give us lazy slackers of GenX a chance.
 
Dec 10, 2005
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I think the founding fathers had it right in terms of requirements:

No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty-five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.

Ideally, the age does not mean anything to me. As long as he/she is healthy and has a good head on his/her shoulders and ideas that I agree with, then why not let him/her be president (provided he/she also fulfills the requirements laid out in the Constitution).
 

Moonbeam

Elite Member
Nov 24, 1999
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Originally posted by: BoberFett
I'm ready for a younger president. It's one of the reasons I'd give consideration to voting for Obama. The baby boomers have had their chance, and they've pretty well fscked everything up. It's time to give us lazy slackers of GenX a chance.

Sounds good to me.
 

compuwiz1

Admin Emeritus Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Only a fool would believe wisdom and age are in direct correlation with each other.
 

ProfJohn

Lifer
Jul 28, 2006
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50-60 seems to make most sense.

Old enough to have a strong base of experience and still young and healthy.

We have had older (Reagan) and younger (Clinton-JFK) and they both did ok so I don't think age matters too much.

Although it seems like both the younger Presidents had problems with Foreign policy.
JFK had pay of pigs and Vietnam, Clinton had problems dealing with terror and North Korea.

Maybe the younger President are too idealistic when it comes to how the world works?
 

Siddhartha

Lifer
Oct 17, 1999
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Youngest Oldest
Women 45 60

Men 50 60

Men mature later than women. I figure that most males have reach their emotional maturity by 50.
 
Jun 27, 2005
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Why does age matter? Either (s)he's ready or not.

I almost look at this in similar terms to "what is the right age to get married?"

Some people are ready at 18. Some people are never ready. My dad is the perfect example of the latter.
 

43st

Diamond Member
Nov 7, 2001
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Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
Why does age matter? Either (s)he's ready or not.

I almost look at this in similar terms to "what is the right age to get married?"

Some people are ready at 18. Some people are never ready. My dad is the perfect example of the latter.

Yup... either you've got it or not.
 

steppinthrax

Diamond Member
Jul 17, 2006
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I don't understand why many people feel you have to be dead and old to obtain a high/noble position in society. I mean I supervised a Hilton Hotel resturant at the age of 17. That included 2 waitresses, 1 line cook and a dishwasher. At that time I was getting a little flack (more/less jealousy) from people regarding I'm so young. Ovbiouslly it's far from compare to The President of the U.S.

If it's a matter of younger crowd screwing up. Honestly I don't see how much more a younger person can screw up v.s. what's going on right now.