Carole Simpson

Old White Men

Feb 27, 2020 | 2020 Election, Democrats, Elections, Something. To. Say.

Old White Men

Hello everybody. I have something to say about the majority of candidates for president. They are old, white men. I can say this because I’m an old black woman.

I watched the Democratic debate in South Carolina and looked at the array of candidates and they were mostly men, who were old, with white or gray hair and wrinkled white skin.

You had 78-year-old Bernie Sanders; Joe Biden and Michael Bloomberg are both 77, Tom Steyer, a mere 62. Pete Buttigieg looked like a young boy, though he doesn’t talk like one, he looks like one at age 38. On the Republican side, Donald Trump wants a second term and he will be 74 in June. The race seems to be all about the old, white men. Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar are now, pretty much the also-rans. Most pundits don’t think either woman has a snowball’s chance in hell of becoming the Democratic nominee or beating Donald Trump.

So, the country has taken a big step backwards. No women or people of color are in the presidential mix. It may as well be 1960… or 1791 when the prerequisite for becoming president was being an old, white man…and being rich didn’t hurt, not one bit. I hate to say it, but “Goodbye, Ladies.”

 See you next time.

Too Old To Be President?

Oct 11, 2019 | 2020 Election, Ageism, Democrats, Elections, Politics, Something. To. Say. | 0 comments

Too Old To Be President?

 Hello Everybody. I have something to say about old presidential candidates.

     “Age ain’t nothing but a number,” is a song popularized by the late singer, Aaliyah.” The phrase has particular relevance today when voters are beginning to focus on the ages of the frontrunning candidates for President. It hadn’t been talked about too much, until Bernie Sanders suffered a heart attack on the campaign trail.  His image as a robust, energetic 78-year-old was shattered in 24 hours. He’s the oldest candidate. Joe Biden is 76, Elizabeth Warren is 70. And Donald Trump is 73. Never before have so many septuagenarians run for president.

        I think ageism is likely to become a factor for each of them, because we in America think old people aren’t physically or mentally capable of being president. But do you have any idea of how many sick younger men were president and had serious health problems? 

         Franklin Delano Roosevelt came down with polio at age 39 that left him paralyzed in both legs, but he hid his condition from the public.

       Dwight Eisenhower, while he was in office, suffered a heart attack, a stroke and Crohn’s Disease.

      John F. Kennedy was only 43, but he kept secret his Addison’s disease, chronic back pain and addiction to painkillers.

        (Photo) Nobody knew Ronald Reagan was unhealthy, but he had bad arthritis, and while occupying the White House he had surgery for skin cancer, prostate cancer and colon cancer. And he was shot in the chest.  He also began showing signs of Alzheimer’s at the end of his second term.

      Young or old, people have health challenges, but should that rule them out for America’s top job? Don’t we care about intelligence, open-mindedness, compassion, and honesty in candidates? I think we do. Age ain’t nothing but a number.

Until next time.