Biden parallels: Reagan's age was a problem until it wasn't in 1983-4, inflation changed everything

[andym]

Ronald Reagan was the oldest President elected up to that point in history. He faced a strong negative public perception of his "advanced" age (73 in 1984) which he even joked about during a debate with Mondale. Back then, people did not quite live as long (life expectancy was several years less) and perceptions of what was old was set at a younger age.
In 1983, Reagan was polling at 43% favorability and Mondale and other Democrats were leading him in potential match-ups. However, the real problem then was high inflation, gas prices and interest rates. The era of stagflation had not quite ended in 1983, but was soon to end due to Fed Chairman Paul Volcker's hawkish monetary policy which started in 1979--he was appointed by Jimmy Carter. Volcker's policies caused sky high, interest rates and a recession, but eventually created the lower inflation high growth economy that Reagan took credit for this with the in reality ineffective "Reaganomics."

In 1984, inflation was under control, interest rates and gas prices were coming down and Reagan got the credit. Reagan's age was significantly downplayed and became a non-factor because people felt things were going well. Reagan won in 1984 in a landslide. The party in power gets the credit or blame for the economy.

I believe that we are in a similar situation, and Joe Biden is setting himself to take credit for the improving inflation by touting Bidenomics. If interest rates and gas prices come down next year, Biden gets credit and his age becomes a non-factor for many Americans.

[brooklynite]

1. No it wasn't

I dale tried to make it an issue but voters weren’t terribly concerned about it.

[andym]

2. Your personal experiences may be less representative than what people actually thought

https://www.csmonitor.com/1980/0623/062345.html
Reagan age issue worries GOP leaders June 23, 1980

After the 1984 debate when Reagan seemed lost, the issue re-arose:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1984/10/10/age-emerges-as-new-issue-in-campaign/87ce695b-e233-4cc9-82c5-8ff1b3c894a0/
October 10, 1984
"The question of whether Ronald Reagan is too old to be president emerged yesterday as an overt issue in his reelection campaign after a Sunday debate performance that even some of his aides described as halting and ineffective."
He recovered in the last debate, and the issue vanished.

watch this video:
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/reagan-age/
"As the 1984 election approached, many voters voiced their concerned with Reagan's age. At 73, he was already the oldest President in history."

[awesomerwb1]

3. Good post.

[SKKY]

4. If gas prices are below $3.00, and inflation is coming down this time next year...

...Biden wins in a landslide against (Any GOP Candidate). Speaking only for myself, I hope Trump is the nominee.

[Johnny2X2X]

6. In a year

Inflation probably won't be coming down, because it already came down most of the way. Probably will be between 1 and 2% next Fall.

I think the economy grows strongly for the next few quarters, but might falter in Q1 or Q2 of next year causing the Fed to lower rates a little more quickly than planned. People complain about interest rates, but all the Fed has really done is get them back to nearer normal after a couple decades of being really low because of a weak economy.

Prediction, Cons whine incessabtly most of next year because Powell will be lowering interest rates. They'll cry he's just doing it to prop up the economy so Biden can win.

And funny how all the "buy gold", it's all being propped up by cheap money and printing money have been mute now that the Fed has tightened monetary policy and raised interest rates so there's no more cheap money.

[maxsolomon]

5. Gas prices won't come down much if at all. I expect to see them ramp up next summer.

Oil and Gas doesn't want Democratic control; they'll tighten the screws as the election approaches.

[demosincebirth]

7. OPEC is in cahoots with Russia and all authoritive regimes

[LetMyPeopleVote]

8. If TFG is the GOP nominee, President Biden's age will not be a big issue

The Biden campaign will be glad to compare the physical condition of President Biden to TFG

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