Other great leaders who have been as old or older than Paul?

[lib3rtarian]

A friend of mine, whom I am trying to convert, keeps bringing up Paul's age as a factor. Yes, I know Paul is fighting fit and all that, and has told him the same, but I would have more ammo if I can prove that there were other leaders in history who have been as old, or older than, Paul. I thought Doug Wead mentioned Charles de Gaulle in an interview when asked about Paul's age. Any more info on that? Other examples?

[rgampell]

Ben Franklin was a delegate at the Constitutional Convention at age 81. (And that's like 136 in today's years!)

[RonPaul101.com]

Age is more than a number, health and genetics are the most important factors of true age.

Check out the section on Paul's age in my Yahoo News article:
http://news.yahoo.com/ron-paul-separating-facts-myths-210300783.html

Please Facebook Like and Tweet it if you approve of the article.

[fisharmor]

Charles de Gaulle became first president of the Fifth French Republic at age 79.
Benedict XVI became Pope at 78.

[refuge]

I think the best argument against Paul's age comes from Paul himself; this certainly shuts up everyone I know that thought age was a factor:
Ron Paul: I’ve offered to ride a bicycle for 20 miles in Houston when the temperature is 100° and the humidity is 100% and I will go 20 miles with them and then we’ll decide who’s the youngest.

[nasaal]

Mandela.

[noxnoctum]

Why does your friend care what his age is? If he's healthy and honest and for positions your friend likes what does it matter? Would he prefer a young tyrant?

[sailingaway]

People are different. Some people at 76 would have issues. Ron doesn't.. It isn't RON who forgot the third agency he wanted to cut, and it would astonish people if he did. RON when not campaigning exercises TWICE per day and ONE of those times rides a bike 20 miles. This is Ron:

http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/252718_10150208633031686_6233046685_7290002_727408 _n.jpg

I very much doubt other great leaders who were old could meet those standards.

[V3n]

He's in great health. Anyone of us could be hit by a car and dead tomorrow.
Age makes no difference.

[Standing Liberty]

Winston Churchill age 77 when elected UK
Prime Minister.

[Morerockin]

He's in great health. Anyone of us could be hit by a car and dead tomorrow.
Age makes no difference.

Storm Thurmond served in the US Senate for 50 years and left when he was 100 years old! He was succeeded by Lindsey Graham in SC.

[S.Shorland]

We'll tie his food to the dog's tail and the dog's food to the cat's tail.That will keep him fit and mean.

[Morerockin]

*Strom

[archlinux]

Ask your friend if he is willing to go down to Lake Jackson, TX during one of our regular 100+ summer days with insane humidity and take up Dr. Paul on his challenge for a leisurely 15 mile bike ride. I am in my 20's and that would kill even me.

[lib3rtarian]

Thank you, everyone.

Did Charles de Gaulle became first president of the Fifth French Republic at age 79? Wikipedia says that he died at age 79.

[StilesBC]

FDR won WWII from a wheelchair.

Reagan was 70 when he took the presidency. Compare the medical care in the 10's and 20's during Reagan's youth with the medical care in the 40's and 50's during Paul's youth. Reagan's life expectancy would have been lower than Paul's. Effectively putting them at nearly the same age. Maybe a year or two apart once you adjust for their life expectancies.

[brandon]

Fidel Castro? (i kid lol)

[StilesBC]

de Gaulle was born in 1890. Took the presidency in '58 at the age of 68. Held it until he was 79. Died a few days before his 80th birthday.

[jkob]

Wead mentioned Konrad Adenauer last night. Took office at 73 and served as Chancellor of Germany until he was 88.

Nelson Mandela is a good one to bring up too, he was elected at 76.

Winston Churchill was elected Prime Minister of the UK for a second time at 77

[hueylong]

Too old? Those people are just AGEISTS!!!

[Paulitics 2011]

If he's a Republican, ask him who the oldest US President was...

Reagan.

[helmuth_hubener]

Nelson Mandela is THE example to bring up on the news shows, followed by Winston Churchill. Everybody's heard of Mandela and seen that rugby movie featuring him, Invictus. That should shut down anyone saying he's too old. "What if South Africa had thought Mandela was too old?" Point, set, match.

[roderik]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_von_Hindenburg

Second president of Germany, died at age 87 - elected at age 76.

[idiom]

"What if South Africa had thought Mandela was too old?" Point, set, match.

Win.

[bbartlog]

Maybe not a universally popular choice, but Deng Xiaoping rose to leadership of China at the age of 74 and held the post until he was 88, and in my opinion did as good a job as anyone could reasonably expect given the constraints of the situation.

[KramerDSP]

Nelson Mandela, Charles de Gaulle, Konrad Adenauer, Winston Churchill, George Washington, Ben Franklin, Eamon de Valera (re-elected at 84, retired at 90 years old), and Golda Meir are the best examples. Michaelangelo and Moses, if you want to go there, are other great examples.

[georgiaboy]

per Wikipedia, Gandhi was shot and killed by an assassin in 1948, at the age of 78, as he was about to give an address. He was working for Indian independence up 'til then, even having been jailed most recently between 1942 and 1944 (age 72-74).

[Acala]

Why does your friend care what his age is? If he's healthy and honest and for positions your friend likes what does it matter? Would he prefer a young tyrant?

Exactly. What possible rational basis is there for selecting a president based on age? Worried that he might die in office? If you trust him enough to be President, you trust him enough to pick a good vice president. Problem solved.