Whatever the outcome, the next president will be the oldest in U.S. history. Back in 1984, Ronald Reagan shot down age critics with one memorable joke…
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00:00This is the story of how a joke cost this man an election and guaranteed a second term
00:09for a president who many thought was too old to lead.
00:13You may have heard of him.
00:14His motto was let's make America great again.
00:18Many have dubbed him the greatest Republican president in history.
00:22You know who I'm talking about.
00:24This is Ronald Reagan, president of the United States.
00:26Well, let's take them on a little stroll down memory lane.
00:30So here's the thing.
00:31It was October 1984 and Reagan was in trouble.
00:35His performance in the first debate against his Democratic challenger, Walter Mondale,
00:40was, let's just say, underwhelming.
00:44He went in riding high with a 23-point lead in the polls and had little to gain and everything
00:50to lose in their faceoff.
00:52The great communicator, that's how he was known, struggled to, well, communicate.
00:57At 73, it seemed the Hollywood star had lost a bit of his shine.
01:02It's time that some people were reminded that actors are people.
01:06He seemed confused throughout the debate and stumbled over his words.
01:10What exactly were his gaffes, you're wondering?
01:12Well, for starters, he took credit for passing laws as governor of California that were actually
01:18passed by his Democratic predecessor, Pat Brown.
01:22He also said that a large portion of the military budget was for food and wardrobe.
01:28He didn't even remember what city he was in.
01:31It was Louisville.
01:32After an hour and a half, the president seemed flustered.
01:35No, I might as well just go with.
01:38You want to go with you?
01:39Okay.
01:40You want to wait?
01:41I'm all confused now.
01:42The next day, it seems the American people were confused too.
01:45Newspaper headlines across the country asked the question that was on everyone's lips.
01:51Was the president too old to lead?
01:53Well, two weeks later, they'd meet for the second debate.
01:5856 year old Mondale was riding high on the age question while the 73 year old president
02:03wanted to put it to bed once and for all.
02:07The president seemed ready this time, drawing on the skills that made him famous in the
02:11first place, his comedic chops.
02:14You already are the oldest president in history and some of your staff say you were tired
02:18after your most recent encounter with Mr. Mondale.
02:21I recall yet that President Kennedy had to go for days on end with very little sleep
02:25during the Cuba Missile Crisis.
02:27Is there any doubt in your mind that you would be able to function in such circumstances?
02:32Not at all, Mr. Truitt, and I want you to know that also I will not make age an issue
02:38of this campaign.
02:39I am not going to exploit for political purposes my opponent's youth and inexperience.
02:49The moment would go down in debate history, but Reagan wasn't content to just ride that
02:54wave to election day.
02:56I'm terrified by the polls.
02:59Please don't read them anymore.
03:02Don't get complacent.
03:04Don't think your vote isn't needed.
03:05Go and vote and take others with you to do that.
03:10So, what happened next?
03:12More voters!
03:14More voters!
03:16I think that's just been arranged.
03:20Reagan's win was historic.
03:23He got the largest electoral college victory ever with 525 of 538 votes.
03:30To put that into perspective, he carried 49 of the 50 states.
03:35Mondale got just one, his home state of Minnesota, oh yeah, and the District of Columbia.