Jill Biden Once Called the Mental Competency Tests For Older Politicians a 'Ridiculous Idea'
Last year, Nikki Haley, former South Carolina governor and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, sparked controversy by calling for mandatory mental competency assessments for older politicians, specifically targeting Donald Trump. She made the remarks during the launch of her election campaign. Later, in March, White House correspondent Arlette Saenz questioned Jill Biden about her opinion on Haley's suggestion. The First Lady promptly rejected the proposal, describing it as "ridiculous," according to HuffPost.
Jill was questioned about whether her husband, Joe Biden, would be open to undergoing such an assessment. To this, Jill said, “We would never even discuss something like that.” The First Lady expressed her support for her husband's potential reelection bid, emphasizing that the final decision rests with him. She said, “It’s Joe’s decision. And we support whatever he wants to do. If he’s in, we’re there. If he wants to do something else, we’re there too.” The first lady countered worries about her husband’s age, pointing to his travel schedule as evidence of his stamina, according to CNN.
Jill questioned, “How many 30-year-olds could travel to Poland and, get on the train? Go nine more hours, go to Ukraine, meet with President (Volodymyr) Zelensky? So, look at the man. Look what he’s doing. Look what he continues to do each and every day.” Not only Jill but also Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont who aligns with the Democrats, criticized the proposal as "absurd" and discriminatory based on age. He said, “We are fighting racism. We’re fighting sexism. We’re fighting homophobia. I think we should also be fighting ageism. Trust people, look at people, and say, ‘You know, this person is competent."
He added, “There are a lot of 40-year-olds out there who ain’t particularly competent." Meanwhile, while explaining the necessity of the mental competency test, Haley said, “We want to go and start working for our kids, to make sure we have strong national security, to make sure we have a stronger economic policy, to make sure that America is safe. And we can’t do that if these individuals refuse to give up power.” Haley suggested that the tests should consist of simple questions that anyone could readily answer. She said, “There is a reason the American people want term limits. It’s because they don’t want people staying there forever."
Haley also added, “The American people are saying it is time to go. If they would approve term limits, the American people would show that. But until then, they’ve got to know that look, we appreciate your service, but it’s time to step away.” She also said that “they need to let a younger generation take over." As reported by Politico, Haley clarified, “I’m not saying that to be disrespectful." Earlier in August 2023, Haley said, "I think that we do need mental competency tests for anyone over the age of 75, I wouldn't care if they did them over the age of 50." According to BBC News, Haley's presidential campaign centers on the idea that America requires a fresh wave of leadership from a new generation.
