The questions about Biden's age and fitness are reminiscent of another campaign: Reagan's in 1984

The property question for statesmanlike candidates is much than 4 decades old. President Ronald Reagan answered it with a pledge to resign if helium became impaired, and aboriginal with a clever gag that reset his run from a stumbling statement show to a 49-state landslide and a 2nd term.

"I volition not marque property an contented of this campaign," Reagan said to the question helium knew was coming successful possibly the astir celebrated mic-drop infinitesimal successful run history. "I americium not going to exploit for governmental purposes my opponent's younker and inexperience."

The assemblage roared, adjacent Democratic Vice President Walter Mondale laughed — and Reagan's reelection was backmost connected track.

Today, Democratic President Joe Biden, 81, is struggling for specified a redemptive infinitesimal aft a disastrous statement show against Republican erstwhile president Donald Trump, 77. Those 90 minutes past week acceptable disconnected alarms among Democrats hoping Biden would support Trump from returning to the White House — and heightened interest among voters agelong skeptical of however either aged antheral would govern a analyzable federation of much than 330 cardinal radical for 4 much years.

At its heart, the question — however aged is excessively aged to beryllium president? — is astir competence. And Americans person ne'er had wider idiosyncratic acquisition with the effects of aging than they bash today.

A surge of retiring baby boomers means that millions much Americans cognize erstwhile they spot idiosyncratic declining. For many, this wide acquisition made Biden’s halting show during Thursday’s debate a acquainted world check.

Trump seemed much vigorous, adjacent though he lied astir oregon misstated a agelong database of facts. When helium challenged Biden to a cognitive test, Trump flubbed the sanction of the doctor who had administered his.

“Is this an episode, oregon is this a condition?” Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., 84, wondered connected MSNBC, reflecting the question dominating Democratic circles this week. "It’s morganatic — of some candidates.”

Reagan faced the aforesaid questions adjacent earlier helium was elected arsenic the oldest president to that point. In 1980, astatine 69, helium pledged to resign if helium sensed superior cognitive diminution portion successful office.

“If I were president and had immoderate feeling astatine each that my capabilities had been reduced earlier a 2nd word came, I would locomotion away,” helium told the New York Times connected June 10, 1980. "By the aforesaid token, I would measurement down also.”

That didn't happen. Reagan served 2 afloat terms, leaving bureau successful 1989. He announced successful 1994 that helium had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. He died successful 2004.

Neither Trump nor Biden has made a akin pledge, and their campaigns did not respond to requests for remark Wednesday.

For Reagan, the property contented faded successful his archetypal word arsenic immoderate wellness questions focused connected his betterment from a astir fatal assassination effort successful 1981. He seemed headed for an casual reelection. And debates seemed earthy settings for the smooth-talking erstwhile Hollywood actor. But his show successful the archetypal showdown with Mondale successful the 1984 run brought the property contented roaring back.

The president, past 73, rambled and hesitated. He seemed to suffer his bid of thought astatine 1 point, and appeared bushed astatine others. No 1 had seen him execute publically successful specified a way, recalled Rich Jaroslovsky, who was past White House analogous for the Wall Street Journal and co-author of a communicative headlined: “New Question successful Race: Is Oldest U.S. President Now Showing His Age?”

Reagan's property — really, his fittingness for a 2nd word — was present indelibly portion of the 1984 race, a striking parallel to what is happening successful 2024 successful the aftermath of Biden's shaky statement performance. But determination are cardinal differences.

Reagan was starring going into the archetypal debate, portion Biden and Trump were virtually tied. Onstage, "Biden was unspeakable retired of the gate,” said Jaroslovsky, present the laminitis of the Online News Association and teaches a people connected the past of integer journalism astatine the University of California Berkeley.

Then, arsenic now, Jaroslovsky said, the embattled president's supporters provided vigorous spin.

Reagan's cognition said helium had been tired. There was sniping astir the unit overpreparing him, Jaroslovsky said. Biden's squad cited fatigue from 2 overseas trips that had exhausted adjacent younger staffers. It was a atrocious night, they said. Blame flew astatine the president's aides. Democrats connected Capitol Hill griped that Biden's show had damaged their chances astatine the polls. And property critics asserted that reporters had failed to clasp the president and his unit to account.

By Tuesday, pressure was gathering connected Biden to retreat from the contention and unfastened a difficult process for Democrats to nominate idiosyncratic else. The situation rippled crossed the Democratic Party conscionable implicit six weeks earlier its normal successful Chicago. It's not wide that Biden and Trump volition statement a 2nd time.

Reagan's infinitesimal successful 1984 came astatine the 33 minute-mark, erstwhile The (Baltimore) Sun's Henry Trewhitt said: “You already are the oldest president successful history, and immoderate of your unit accidental you were bushed aft your astir caller brushwood with Mr. Mondale." Here, Reagan squared his feet and suppressed a smile. He was ready.

Trewhitt noted that President John F. Kennedy (the youngest American elected president) got hardly immoderate slumber during the Cuban Missile Crisis: “Is determination immoderate uncertainty successful your caput that you would beryllium capable to relation successful specified circumstances?”

“Not astatine all, Mr. Trewhitt," Reagan said. Later, helium declared, “I americium successful charge.”