Thread by @PhilippeReines

1/9 Thread Subject: Age

With candidates’ age being discussed & considered (legitimately), here’s a quick historical & factual thread on the topic. No commentary

[Note: I did the research & math myself, apologies if I’m off here or there — especially intra-year comparisons.]

2/9

Current age:

78 Sanders
76 Biden
[73 trump]
70 Warren
67 Sestak
67 Williamson
63 Steyer
59 Klobuchar
58 de Blasio
56 Delaney
54 Harris
54 Bennet
53 Bullock
50 Booker
46 O’Rourke
46 Ryan
45 Castro
45 Messam
44 Yang
38 Gabbard
37 Buttigieg

3/9

Tweet #4 includes 6 Democratic presidents. Notes:

1. 1900-present

2. Only presidents ELECTED DIRECTLY TO OFFICE, not by ascendancy (TR, Truman, LBJ); because voters could not consider their age at the time they became president

3. Their age 16 months prior to inauguration

4/9

78 Sanders
76 Biden
[73 trump]
70 Warren
67 Sestak
67 Williamson
63 Steyer
59 Klobuchar
58 BdB
56 Delaney
➡️55 WILSON
54 Harris
54 Bennet
53 Bullock
➡️50 CARTER
50 Booker
➡️49 FDR
➡️46 OBAMA
46 O’Rourke
46 Ryan
➡️45 CLINTON
45 Castro
44 Yang
➡️42 JFK
38 Gabbard
37 Pete

5/9

6 Dem presidents — Wilson, FDR, JFK, Carter, Clinton, Obama — were an avg of 49 yo when they were inaugurated.

2008 Obama (47)
1992 Clinton (46)
1976 Carter (52)
1960 JFK (43)
1932 FDR (50)
1912 Wilson (56)

Next tweet shows the differential in age vs who they beat.

6/9

2008: -26 (Obama 47 v McCain 73)
1992: -18 (Clinton 46 v HW Bush 62)
1976: -11 (Carter 52 v Ford 63)
1960: -4 (JFK 43 v Nixon 47)
1932: -8 (FDR 50 v Hoover 58)
1912: 0 (Wilson 56 v Taft 56)

5 of 6 were younger than Republican opponent.

Average of all 6: 11 years younger.

7/8

GOP presidents’ age (differential to Dem opponent):

2016 Trump 70 (+1)
2000 Bush 54 (+2)
1988 HW Bush 64 (+9)
1980 Reagan 69 (+13)
1968 Nixon 56 (-1)
1952 Ike 62 (+10)
1928 Hoover 54 (-1)
1920 Harding 55 (+5)
1908 Taft 55 (+7)

Avg age: 60
7 of 9 older
Avg differential: +5

8/9

Differential v trump 73:

+5 Sanders (78)
+3 Biden (76)
-3 Warren (70)
-6 Williamson (67)
-10 Steyer (63)
-14 Klobuchar (59)
-15 BdB (58)
-19 Harris & Bennet (54)
-20 Bullock (53)
-23 Booker (50)
-27 O’Rourke (46)
-28 Castro (45)
-29 Yang (44)
-35 Gabbard (38)
-36 Pete (37)

9/9

That’s it. Like I said, no commentary.

###

Another factoid, not directly related to age:

Reagan, HW Bush & Nixon are often cited as presidents who needed multiple attempts to win.

But you know what? To the best I can figure no Dem in the modern two-party system has needed more than one shot*.

(*FDR was 1920 VP nominee)