Mitch McConnell, the 81-year-old Republican Senate leader, has suffered two public freezing episodes in recent weeks, yet Democrats have been reluctant to question his fitness, aware that their own leader, Joe Biden, is 80 and the oldest president in US history.
Biden, who would be 86 at the end of a second term, faces similar worries. A recent poll found over 75% of Americans think he would be too old to be effective. His response to the Maui wildfires was criticised as rambling, and he has admitted to feeling tired occasionally.
Political consultants say both parties are 'pulling their punches' for fear of reciprocal attacks. Republican strategists want to focus on Biden's age but are hampered by McConnell's lapses. If either leader were to step down, internal party battles would ensue.
The Senate, average age 64, is one of the oldest parliamentary bodies globally. With no clear successors, both Biden and McConnell remain in place despite growing public concern over gerontocracy.
