THE AWKWARD SUBJECT – AT 8:58 A.M. ET:  Emerson said there's a party of hope and a party of memory.  We've pointed out here that the Democratic Party used to be the party of hope.  Today it's the party of memory.  Let's go back to the sixties.  Abortion for all, even men if possible.  Hey, the personal is political. 

We bring up the awkward subject of age.  Americans are learning just how old the Democratic leadership is.  It is going to be noticed as 2016 approaches.  Consider, from the Washington Free Beacon:   

Grandmother Hillary Clinton, 67, is vying to become one of the oldest world leaders in history. In order to achieve that goal, however, she may have to defeat a slate of Democratic challengers who are even older than she is.

That sounds hard to believe, but it’s true. In addition to Clinton, the 2016 Democratic field could include: California governor Jerry Brown, Vice President Joe Biden (the presumed frontrunner), and Socialist Senator Bernie Sanders.

In such a scenario, Brown would be the oldest Democrat in the race; he’ll be 78 in 2016. Biden will be 73. Sanders will be 75. Hillary, who will be 69 on Election Day, would be younger by comparison. If Elizabeth Warren decides to run, she would be the youngest Democrat, thought not by much. Warren will be 67 in 2016.

Democratic leaders in Congress, meanwhile, are also very old. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi will be 76 years old in 2016. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid will be 77.

COMMENT:  It's been noted by some pundits that almost the entire young leadership of the Democratic Party has been demolished in two disastrous (for Dems) midterm elections – 2010 and 2014.  It is a party run by the sixties generation, hopelessly out of date, with no new ideas.  It depends on identity politics, seeing people as members of "oppressed" groups, low-information voters who can sell a bill of goods.  It's pathetic. 

A man like Jack Kennedy couldn't get anywhere near a Democratic presidential nomination today.  He'd most likely be a Republican.  Harry Truman wouldn't be let into the party.

November 19, 2014