Why Old People Can Be Great Leaders

Scott Adams, the creator of the Dilbert cartoon strip, has written a series of blog posts about the US Presidential election. In his current post he argues that whoever wins, Hillary or Donald, will be a bad president because they are too old for the job.

Being a bit older than Scott Adams, and older even than both Trump and Clinton, I have, perhaps, some qualification to comment on this theory, which in my view is mistaken. But before considering the question on the basis of any theoretical consideration or my personal experience of age, what of the historical evidence?

Consider Prince Mikhail Kutuzov, appointed Commander in Chief of the Russian Army as Napoleon embarked on the invasion of Russia in 1812. Aged 67, grossly overweight, within months of death from natural causes, Kutuzov ordered Russian forces to retreat in the face of the enemy, burning crops and grain stores as they went. Suffering from narcolepsy, Kutuzov had to be tied to his horse to prevent him falling off when he drowsed. Periodically, his staff officers would wake him and ask "what now," to which he would reply "continue the retreat."