Diane Rehm: On My Mind

How Old Is Too Old? Age And The 2024 Election


Listen Later

How old is too old to be president? It’s a question many Americans are asking as Joe Biden and Donald Trump face off for the office.
President Biden is 81. Over the last four years, his hair has thinned, his gait has stiffened. And the media, not to mention his opponent, have pounced on his verbal gaffes, like when he mixed up the presidents of Egypt and Mexico, or when he seemed to momentarily forget the name of “Hamas.”
Meanwhile, Donald Trump is 77 and has experienced his own memory lapses, including when in a recent speech he said “Nikki Haley” was in charge of security on January 6th, when he clearly meant Nancy Pelosi.
“I wish we could separate our conversation about age and competency,” says Tracey Gendron, an expert on aging and author of the book “Ageism Unmasked.” She says that these issues with recall do not necessarily signify any underlying cognitive issues, but could happen to anyone, though admittedly increase as we age.
Tracey Gendron joins Diane on this episode of On My Mind to talk about memory, mental competency, and why she feels our conversation about age this election season is missing the mark.
...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Diane Rehm: On My MindBy WAMU 88.5

  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5

4.5

2,232 ratings


More shows like Diane Rehm: On My Mind

View all
Fresh Air by NPR

Fresh Air

38,472 Listeners

The New Yorker Radio Hour by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker

The New Yorker Radio Hour

6,689 Listeners

On the Media by WNYC Studios

On the Media

9,178 Listeners

The Political Scene | The New Yorker by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker

The Political Scene | The New Yorker

4,009 Listeners

On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti by WBUR

On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti

3,939 Listeners

PBS Washington Week with The Atlantic - Full Show by Washington Week

PBS Washington Week with The Atlantic - Full Show

1,332 Listeners

The Diane Rehm Show: Friday News Roundup by WAMU

The Diane Rehm Show: Friday News Roundup

187 Listeners

Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts by Slate Podcasts

Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts

3,481 Listeners

Here & Now Anytime by NPR

Here & Now Anytime

1,003 Listeners

WAMU: Metro Connection by

WAMU: Metro Connection

11 Listeners

Science Friday by Science Friday and WNYC Studios

Science Friday

6,351 Listeners

Metropocalypse by WAMU 88.5

Metropocalypse

29 Listeners

Breaking Ground by

Breaking Ground

5 Listeners

1A by NPR

1A

4,671 Listeners

Radio Atlantic by The Atlantic

Radio Atlantic

2,307 Listeners

Stay Tuned with Preet by Preet Bharara

Stay Tuned with Preet

32,390 Listeners

The Pod Shop by WAMU

The Pod Shop

5 Listeners

The Politics Hour with Kojo Nnamdi by WAMU 88.5

The Politics Hour with Kojo Nnamdi

42 Listeners

The Al Franken Podcast by The Al Franken Podcast

The Al Franken Podcast

8,567 Listeners

What's With Washington by WAMU 88.5

What's With Washington

101 Listeners

The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

The Ezra Klein Show

16,152 Listeners

The Interview by The New York Times

The Interview

1,542 Listeners