Age came up in the 2008 presidential election in the form of
fears John McCain would die while in office. President Barack
Obama benefited from these fears, not because of his status as
one of the youngest presidents ever elected, but rather because
his opponent was seen as too old. I think this is an oversight,
and that youth may become a more desirable quality in a
presidential candidate, especially when American foreign policy
requires anticipating hostile countries by understanding their
leaders. The foreign policy environment is changing, and many of
the countries and leaders most opposed to U.S. interests will be
led by comparatively young dictators. For example, Iran’s
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is 54, Syria’s President Bashar
al-Assad is 45, and Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev is 45.
Heck, Osama bin Laden was 44 on 9/11. There are even more
extreme examples when one considers the succession drama that is
likely to play out in some of the U.S.'s most persistent rivals.
Former Cuban President Fide