Biden and Trump aren't the only old politicos

+ the meaning and message behind Trump's raised fist US Edition - Today's top story: Why is Congress filled with old people? [View in browser]( US Edition | 11 July 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Presidential candidates aren’t the only old politicians in the U.S. According to Boise State political scientist Charlie Hunt, you can add a significant percentage of members of Congress to that category as well. “[Nearly 20% of House and Senate members are 70 or older](, compared with about 6% who are under 40,” writes Hunt. Hunt, an expert on Congress and elections, has spent the past six months writing [a series of stories]( for The Conversation about just those things. He’s looked at [why New Hampshire and Iowa don’t make sense]( as the opening rounds of presidential campaigns. [He examined Nikki Haley’s claim]( that she could lose her home state of South Carolina in the GOP primary and still clinch her party’s nomination. The short answer: That would defy history. Longer answer: Hunt’s written a book, “Home Field Advantage,” about the effects of legislators’ local ties on their campaigns, elections and representation. In his latest story, [Hunt details the many reasons]( this age imbalance exists in Congress, providing revealing details from a discussion he had with U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, a Florida Democrat who is the first Gen Z member of Congress. And Hunt stresses that voting younger people into Congress has benefits: “Seeing people who are ‘like us’ in Congress or other offices helps us to feel properly represented and to view our political institutions as more legitimate.” Naomi Schalit Senior Editor, Politics + Democracy Lots of old representatives and senators in this building; very few in Congress are young. Douglas Rissing/iStock/Getty Images Plus [Why is Congress filled with old people?]( Charlie Hunt, Boise State University Nearly 20% of House and Senate members are 70 or older, and only 6% are under 40. What explains Congress’ advanced age? The 2024 Republican National Convention will start on July 15 in the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. AP Photo/Morry Gash [How political party platforms – like the Republicans’ Trump-inspired one for 2024 – can help voters understand American politics]( Marjorie Hershey, Indiana University Though largely unread, party platforms are a vital clue about which groups hold real power in the two major national parties and can help predict what the government will actually do. Former president Donald Trump speaks as potential vice presidential hopefuls Vivek Ramaswamy and Sen. Tim Scott look on. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images [Why you should ignore most news articles about who Trump will pick for VP]( Christopher Devine, University of Dayton Media coverage of vice presidential candidates tends to focus on who can help win the election rather than who is qualified to help govern once in office. [Trump’s raised fist - how one gesture can be used by Republicans, socialists, fascists, white supremacists and Black athletes]( Roger J. Kreuz, University of Memphis The raised fist has been used by fascists, socialists, communists, Black Power advocates and even golfer Tiger Woods. It’s also Donald Trump’s favorite public gesture. [Joe Biden commits to staying in the race – like Nixon, his biggest threat comes from within his own party]( Philip Klinkner, Hamilton College Politicians often are firmly committed to what they say they will do – until they announce otherwise. [Nevada is a battleground state – and may be a bellwether of more extreme partisanship]( Thom Reilly, Arizona State University From one perspective, Nevada’s political history is balanced. From another, it’s s pendulum swinging back and forth as people split their votes across party lines. [‘The immortal Gods alone have neither age nor death’: Wisdom from Greek tragedies for Joe Biden]( Rachel Hadas, Rutgers University - Newark In the ugly spectacle of American politics, it’s hard to keep humanity in sight. But literature, says a poet and scholar of the classics, can remind us of what we know about growing old. - [One memorable speech can turn around a faltering campaign − how Nixon did it with his ‘Checkers’ talk]( W. Joseph Campbell, American University School of Communication Facing an uproar over use of a private fund to cover expenses, vice presidential candidate Sen. Richard Nixon invoked the family dog, Checkers, to salvage his political career in 1952. - [Trump’s criminal conviction won’t stop him from getting security clearance as president − but Biden can still control his access for now]( Dakota Rudesill, The Ohio State University Under normal circumstances, Trump’s criminal record and other aspects of his life, including financial history, would disqualify him from getting access to classified information. - [Surprise: American voters actually largely agree on many issues, including topics like abortion, immigration and wealth inequality]( Dante Chinni, Michigan State University; Ari Pinkus, Michigan State University On issues and policies in which government has a serious role – taxes, immigration, the state of the economy and even abortion – a 2023 survey found a great deal of agreement among Americans. - [Why are journalists obsessed with Biden’s age? It’s because they’ve finally found an interesting election story]( - [From the ’60s till now, TV news coverage of large-scale university protests doesn’t look so different]( - [2024 is not 1968 − and the Democratic convention in Chicago will play out very differently than in the days of Walter Cronkite]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our other weekly emails: • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Giving Today]( • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Follow us on social media: • [Threads]( • [Bluesky]( • [Mastodon]( • [Post.news]( • [LinkedIn]( • [Instagram]( • [Facebook]( • Or [get a daily text from us]( - - About The Conversation We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to [helping academic experts share ideas with the public](. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. 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