“Mr President, I want to raise an issue that I think has been lurking out there for two or three weeks and cast it specifically in national security terms…” said the journalist Henry Trewhitt, as he locked President Ronald Reagan with a steady, serious gaze.

It was October 1984 and Reagan was on the debating circuit, battling to remain in office for a second term. He had already performed poorly against his main rival a few weeks earlier. Now there were whispers that, at 73 years old, he was simply too old for the job.

After all, at the time, Reagan was already the oldest US President in history. His predecessor had gone for days without sleep during the Cuban missile crisis. Trewhitt wanted to know: did Regan have any doubts that he could function in such circumstances?

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“Not at all, Mr Trehwitt,” replied Reagan, holding back a smile. “And I want you to know that also I will not make age an issue of this campaign – I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent’s youth and inexperience.” His response was met with raucous laughter and applause – and preceded a landslide victory in the election.