McConnell lapse, Biden stumble highlight advanced age of US leaders

WASHINGTON – Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell’s unexplained freeze-up while speaking in Congress this week is the latest reminder that America’s most powerful political leaders are much older than many in other democracies.

Mr Joe Biden, 80, is the oldest US president to ever serve in the White House, and nearly two decades older than the median age of the world’s national leaders, 62, Pew Research found.

While Mr Biden is younger than 89-year-old President Paul Biya of Cameroon, the world’s oldest head of state, he could be a grandfather to Chilean President Gabriel Boric or Ms Sanna Marin, who stepped down as Finland’s prime minister in June. Both are 37.

Yet, Mr Biden is years younger than some members of the US Congress.

Mr McConnell, 81, stopped talking mid-sentence at a news conference on Capitol Hill on Wednesday and stood mutely for 21 seconds until he was led away from reporters, only to return later to report, “I’m fine”.

The moment sparked worries about his mental fitness, especially after he was hospitalised and treated for a concussion after a fall in March.

Mr McConnell’s office said on Friday he plans to serve out his full term, which runs up to and including 2026, when he would turn 84.

Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, 89, Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, 89, and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, 81, are older than Mr McConnell.

Many congressional lawmakers are in their 70s, and the median age of the Senate is 65.3, opinion poll analyst FiveThirtyEight calculated. It is the oldest median age ever in the Senate, versus 38.8 years in the United States as a whole.

At 64, the US Senate has the seventh-highest average age of any parlimentary body, the Inter-Parlimentary Union calculates, topping countries with much older populations, including Japan, Italy and Greece.

Mr Biden’s advanced age has raised questions about whether he should stand for a second term. The President tripped over a sandbag on stage in June, walks with a careful gait and is prone to verbal slip-ups.

He may face Donald Trump, 77, as the Republican nominee in the 2024 election.

Reuters polling shows many Americans think neither should run because of their age.

Asked about Mr Biden’s age, the White House points to accomplishments, including the 2020 presidential election, helping Democrats stave off loses in the 2022 elections and getting a host of legislation through Congress as president.

Mr Biden does not make the top 10 of the world’s oldest currently serving leaders, according to Pew, which in addition to Mr Biya is led by Mr Mahmoud Abbas, 87, president of the Palestinian Authority. REUTERS