(Patriot.Buzz) – Following Joe Biden’s increasing gaffes putting into doubt his mental acuity, President Reagan’s daughter proposed that the United States subject presidential hopefuls to cognitive evaluations.
During a discourse broadcast of NBC News’s “Meet the Press,” Patti Davis replied “Probably” when she was asked whether cognitive assessments should be a prerequisite for contenders for the nation’s highest office.
She elaborated on the adverse effects of time, suggesting, “It doesn’t always do that, but it would probably be a good idea.” Reflecting on her father’s tenure, she mused, “My father was 77 when he left office after two terms. It seems so young now, doesn’t it?”
The debate centered around 81-year-old Biden who surpassed previous records to become the oldest president inaugurated since he was 77 at his election. Former President Donald Trump initially broke Reagan’s record after being inaugurated at 70, only for Biden to reset the benchmark in 2020.
With Biden and Trump poised as frontrunners for their respective parties’ nominations, the prospect of an octogenarian presidency has heightened scrutiny on age as a factor in both electoral viability and presidential competence.
Leveraging her age as a campaign asset, 52-year-old Nikki Haley stands as Trump’s primary Republican challenger and advocates for age and mental fitness screenings alongside term limits.
Reflecting on her father’s significant Cold War contributions Davis remarked, “So, that was not someone who was, you know, fractured in age.”
She added a personal note, “I mean, yes, I probably thought he was old because he was my father, and we think that about our parents. But, you know, not in the way that we’re talking about now.”
Reagan’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis was revealed in 1994 and the retrospective speculation about his cognitive health during his presidency has fueled debates about the importance of mental acuity for the role.
Despite denials from Reagan’s medical team and spokespeople, investigative reports and White House insiders expressed concerns about his attentiveness and conduct, with some discussions even broaching the 25th Amendment—though such considerations were promptly dismissed by his chief of staff, as noted by the History Channel.
