MARK KIESLING: Judge candidates by their ability, not their age

I've pretty much given up on expecting rational responses to columns and articles, but I was curious to know what people thought of Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels' response to Tuesday's State of the Union address by President Barack Obama.

I wasn't disappointed. The same chowderheads were busy on the boards.

I wouldn't have much disagreement if they disliked Daniels' policies or protocols, but instead many chose to focus on his age.

"Mitch was born in 1949. In 2016 he'd be 67," said one of the writers who (unlike myself) can hide in anonymity. "I'd argue he would be past his prime by then."

Another on the Reagan White House: "Who really ran the country?"

But there was a measured response from a person claiming to be a septuagenarian, which I think it would be well to read:

"As one starting the seventh decade of life I believe that I am still thinking as clearly. Obviously, I have a computer and can write some too. Much of the ability to function at an older age depends on both one's physical condition and applying the thought processes to current events on a daily basis.

"Many Nobel Prize Science Award winners are quite old, and President Eisenhower [born in 1890] held office from 1953-61, although he did experience some heart problems. Reagan died of Alzheimer's, and who knows, he may have had it while in office.

"Certainly, if one is advanced in years and aspires to political office it is reasonable to insist that such person demonstrate her/his physical and mental fitness for office, but that having been done, if the candidate is legally elected, then the older candidate should be allowed to hold office."

He was not particularly a Daniels fan, by the way.

We say that a person cannot be younger than 35 years old and become president, but there is no place where the candidate tops out.

"His supporters will invoke Reagan," wrote another ageist. "But Reagan made his run at the end of the '70s, and held the presidency in the '80s, some 30 yrs ago. The world back then was much slower."

So Reagan was unable to deal with Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev? Was unable to play a part in the destruction of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Germany?

Yes, Reagan's final years were sad beyond the belief of anyone who has never experienced a person near and dear with dementia.

But to say a man like Daniels, at 67, would be incapable of holding office? We might as well complete the sweep of the Senate, the Supreme Court and the House of Representatives, not to mention the lower elected houses of state and local government.

Judge on ability, not age. To do otherwise is no different than judging ability to serve on race, religion or ethnic background.

What a shame we have come no further than this.

The opinions are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at mark.kiesling@nwi.com or (219) 933-4170.