What age is too old to be president? Scituate seniors say by 75, some have it, some don't

SCITUATE – Mary Sullivan and a friend were sitting at the bar in a restaurant, chatting away, when a lady walked up and said, "You two look so cute! Keep doing what you're doing!" and walked on.

Sullivan told the story recently in the cafe at the Scituate senior center and it drew immediate groans of "Oh no!" and laughter from her peers.

"We don't need this!" Sullivan agreed. "Maybe she (the lady) thinks it's great if you are old and you're up walking around."

"And drinking margaritas," someone said.

Sullivan had just revealed to the group that she would turn 89 the next day, prompting applause and "Wows!"

The seniors sitting together had come from a morning yoga class. They often gather before lunch and talk about the topics of the day.

On this morning, they were asked what they thought of the ongoing debate over age limits for politicians, as more live to advanced ages and stay in office longer, sometimes past not just their prime but also their time.

They were asked about recent news coverage of the illnesses of Sen. Mitch McConnell, 81, the longest serving Senate party leader in U.S. history who seems to have recovered, and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, in public office for a half-century, who has since died at age 90 of natural causes.

"You would hope that they would resign, but they don't," Sullivan said.

Some also offered opinions about whether President Joe Biden should run again at age 80. Depending on political views, he either proves that age doesn't matter in doing a good job, or shows that age limits are needed. A few mentioned Sen. Mitt Romney, 76, who is not running again, reluctant to serve until age 86, wanting to make way for "the next generation."

Newspaper columns, radio and television commentary, and the Oct. 2 cover of the New Yorker Magazine – Barry Blitts' cartoon "The Race for Office" shows Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell, Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden all racing with walkers – have had their say.

In the Oct. 2 issue, New Yorker editor David Remnick writes: "In a declining society, the images of an aging leadership can come to embody a general sense of withering and decay. A civic nightmare becomes the caricaturist’s dream.”

Age is an easy target but we still make good decisions

Not quite so fast, the Scituate seniors suggested.

"Age is an easy target, and I'm not sure what to do about it," Marianne Smith, 75, said. "Everyone makes adjustments in their personal lives by what stage of life they are in" – students, young adults, middle-agers, parents, retirees.

"And that is the thing that some people don't see with elderly people," she said. "That they are able to make good decisions about what they're going to do and how they are going to do it."

Newspaper columns have commented on the indignities of getting out of taxis at age 83 (raising the specter of Charlie on the MBTA); and have tracked the new "national sport" in making fun of indignities of age, ignoring the strengths.

"When you get to be my age, you know, they immediately categorize you as being old, and needing help, even though you don't need help" Sullivan said. "Driving is the worst. People say it to you all the time – 'You still drive?' with disbelief. It puts the thought in your mind, 'Maybe I shouldn't be driving.' But why? Why shouldn't I be driving?"

A woman sitting next to her patted her upper arm and said, "Run for office!"

If there was a consensus among this small group of 10, it was that there probably should be an age limit for running for president and possibly other federal offices. Age 75 might be reasonable.

"Politicians sometimes think they can do everything," Smith said. " Like that woman thing, you know, she can do everything and all at once? No, that's not the way it operates. "

Lena Young, 78, finds voters "short-sighted" about seniors but admits placing restrictions is "tricky."

"We have a lot to offer with our experience"

"Younger people feel seniors have nothing to offer, that they are past their time," Young said. "But I think we have a lot to offer with our experience and background." In evaluating candidates, she looks at how politicians "present themselves ... I think age should not have anything to do with it, if you are able and you are in good health. But we all slow down, no two ways about it, it is a natural process that we go through."

While others agreed that "some people are more on the ball" than others at age 80 or 90, they placed little trust or confidence in a politician's inner circle or medical doctor to make an objective judgment of their fitness for office. "I believe any problems would tend to be covered up and that the only reason the public knew about the recent cases (of McConnell and Feinstein) was that these things happened in public," a woman said.

"If someone (in elected office) is having trouble and other people are doing the job for them, then they are not doing the job they were elected to do."

"An age limit is not ideal, but it is practical for the outcome of things," another added.

One voice of dissent was that of David Stangl, 73, who does not believe in an age limit but supported "a definition of competency or an actual test of competency.

"Age is synonymous with experience, some say."

Butterflies and colorful fungi on my mind

Fall's arrival brings nostalgic thoughts of favorite late summer activities that continue into early autumn. One of these is butterfly watching. The other is finding the colorful fungi in the woods this year due to all the rain.

This summer program coordinator Tony Kelso and the Duxbury Senior Center had a fun new offering: going out to look for butterflies at Bay Farm with Blake Dinnius, Plymouth County Extension Entomologist. Dinnius believes that this is a good activity for seniors and for families (grandchildren.)

It was rewarding to wander about and see what we could find. Dinnius logged this list: pearl crescent, red-spotted admiral, dun skipper, tiger swallowtail, monarch, American lady, clouded sulphur, cabbage white, summer azure.

Marilyn Kozodoy, of Kingston, expressed what it meant to her. "Butterfly watching is an opportunity to get out and enjoy the out of doors," she said.

"I never lose my sense of wonder as I try to spot these beautiful, fragile-appearing creatures who are capable of extraordinary migration distances.

"I love learning their names , feeding habits, and habitats . My garden includes plants they eat.

"Knowing about the loss of habitat and subsequent decrease in populations reinforces my commitment to do what I can to advocate for them and all wildlife – in the hope that they will not become another statistic. I would miss them." Thank you, Marilyn.

Last week I was at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge on a cloudy, drizzly late afternoon and was delighted as I walked the path around Willow Pond past the Butterfly Garden and came upon a monarch butterfly firmly attached to an Echinacea purpurea, or purple coneflower, its wings closed as it drew nectar.

For one, two, three minutes, it barely moved, quivering slightly. Then it opened its wings so I could se the more colorful upper side and it held that position for several more minutes. I finally left, in wonder. When I circled back an hour later, the Monarch was gone. I knew I would return and others would be there.

Reach Sue Scheible at sscheible@patriotledger.com.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Scituate seniors suggest 75 might be good limit for a president's age