At the ripe old age of 99, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger is opening up about fellow older folks running for president.
Veteran journalist Ted Koppel, who interviewed Kissinger for CBS News, said Kissinger is “skeptical” about anyone of an advanced age as commander in chief.
“It takes a certain capacity, physically,” Kissinger said in remarks published on Sunday. “There’s some advantages in maturity. There are dangers in exhaustion, and a limited capacity to work.”
Former secretary of state and national security advisor Henry Kissinger will turn 100 this month. He talks about today's global tensions; the hazards of AI in a crisis; and his response to critics about his record on war and peace. https://t.co/TScca9iIAW pic.twitter.com/Hb2wwqhnY8
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The issue is a relevant one, as two of the leading candidates for president in 2024 are older than 75. One of them is President Joe Biden who announced his re-election campaign last month. Already the oldest person to be president at 80, Biden would be 86 at the end of a second term. The other is former President Donald Trump, who is 76.
Some Democrats and a recent New York Times editorial raised concerns about Biden’s ability to serve a full eight years in office considering his age and signs of slowing down. Still, the president’s allies have rallied behind Biden and he received an early endorsement booster from 81-year-old Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), who is eschewing a third consecutive run for the White House.
Should there be a reason for a back-up, Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) offered a vote of confidence in Vice President Kamala Harris, saying last weekend that she is prepared to become commander in chief. “The vice president’s ready to run and ready to be president should that ever happen,” Coons said on ABC’s “This Week.” “I know our president has great confidence in her, and so do I.”
Kissinger, who is set to turn 100 this month, reportedly remains very active and visible on the global stage several decades after his time serving as secretary of state and national security adviser. Kissinger says he works about 15 hours a day following multiple heart surgeries and despite being blind in one eye and hard of hearing, according to Koppel’s report.
When asked if he would fly to Moscow to talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin upon the request of the president, Kissinger said he would be “inclined” to do it as an adviser, not as an “active person” in a role such as secretary of state.