“Retire and Go Away”: Pelosi Criticized for Announcing House Re-Election Bid at 83 Years Old

Michelle HollandDec 1, 2023

Minute Read

Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has been criticized after confirming she will run for her 19th term in the House of Representatives. Many people are citing her 35-year tenure in Congress, as well as her age, as potential concerns.

Pelosi’s Political History

Pelosi is currently serving her 18th term in Congress, where she has represented California’s 11th congressional district since 1987. She also served as speaker of the House from 2007 to 2011 and later from 2019 to 2023. She was also House Minority Leader from 2003 to 2007 and from 2011 to 2019.

Democratic House Leader

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Pelosi quit her role as Democratic House leader after the GOP regained the lower chamber, but is determined to keep her seat in Congress. She is currently 83 years old and would be 86 by the end of her 19th term if reelected.

Pelosi’s Announcement on X

In an X post, Pelosi wrote: “Now more than ever our city needs us to advance San Francisco values and further our recovery.” She added that she wanted to “show the world” that America’s “flag is still there, with liberty and justice for ALL.”

Hoping for Votes

Pelosi concluded, “That is why I am running for reelection — and respectfully ask for your vote.” She was criticized in the post’s replies for bringing “drug addicts, cesspool filth, homeless camps, daylight looting, and nighttime muggings” to the city of San Francisco.

Critiquing Pelosi’s Performance

Someone else told Pelosi that she had “failed America” and “destroyed” her constituents. Another critic demanded that Pelosi “retire and go away” instead of seeking reelection. Another person stated, “I feel like we need new leadership.”

Term Limit Proposals

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Many members of the public, as well as politicians, are proposing that term limits and restrictions be introduced for members of Congress. Nikki Haley, a contender for the 2024 presidential election 2024 nomination, has suggested that politicians over 75 be subject to “mental competency tests.”

Growing Age Concerns

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Age concerns have been in the spotlight recently, with both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump raising questions over their cognitive abilities. Biden, 81, and Trump, 78, are likely to go head-to-head for a second time in next year’s presidential election.

Mitch McConnell’s Health

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People have also theorized about the state of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s health. On numerous occasions, he has appeared to freeze up for a prolonged period while at public speaking events, leading people to hypothesize that the 81-year-old senator is unwell.

The Public Opinion

Public opinion polls have suggested that both Republican and Democrat voters are worried about the President’s age, with one study citing “73 percent of Americans” as being “seriously concerned” that it could have physical and mental health effects that impede his ability to do his job.

The Oldest Senator

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The oldest senator in Congress is 90-year-old Dianne Feinstein, who is currently in her sixth senate term. She was recently described as “frail” after returning to the Capitol following a bout of shingles that forced her to go on sick leave for two and a half months.

Potential Double Standards

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In response to the scrutiny leveled towards Feinstein and requests for her to retire, Pelosi stated: “If she were a guy, you wouldn’t even hear about it… you know it, and I know it.” Despite this, upon resigning from House leadership, Pelosi admitted that she was making space for “a new generation” of Democrats to lead.

Justifying Ageism

In response to Pelosi’s choice to run again, one online forum member wrote: “The Boomers are really making it hard not to be ageist these days. Half the generation needs to get some hobbies.” Someone else replied, “Their hobby is making the world understandable to their peers while destroying it for future generations.”

Defending Pelosi’s Bid

On the other hand, some forum users did defend Pelosi’s controversial decision to run for reelection. “In general, she sounds more lucid than some of the other ones we’ve seen,” one person observed. A fellow commenter replied, “She should be relinquishing her position so that a new generation can take over.”

Accusations of Hypocrisy

One poster called Pelosi out for refusing to “debate a challenger,” sarcastically adding “How democratic.” Another person noted that Pelosi “faces no legitimate challenges ever, and that’s by careful design. When was the last time she had to debate for her seat or answer tough questions from her constituents about her positions and record? Never.”

An Impossible Task

Explaining Pelosi’s influence in politics, someone explained: “It’s actually super hard to run against her, basically no one will put campaign money behind you and you’ll get blackballed from all sorts of venues and power brokers.” Another person concurred, “You have no chance. If the party anoints their candidate they rarely lose. So why spend the money and time to be at a huge disadvantage.”

A Sinister Plan

Another contributor speculated, “Their plan is for all of us to be governed by 100-year-old politicians. Behind the scenes, they’ll have AI do all their work.” Someone retaliated that they “honestly would prefer AI to these geriatrics.”

Pessimism Over the Future

Many people did not feel optimistic about the country’s future political leaders. One individual declared, “Pelosi and the others have effectively destroyed the pipelines to finding new leaders through their unwillingness to leave and monopolizing positions that should be accessible to newcomers.”

30-Year Gigs

They concluded: “There’s a reason the elections are every two years… congressional seats are literally meant to turnover more than the Senate. They’re not supposed to be 30-year gigs.”