Patti Davis, the daughter of Ronald Reagan, the oldest president ever elected, endorsed the idea of cognitive tests for presidential candidates during an interview on NBC News’ “Meet the Press.”
She expressed agreement when asked if there should be cognitive tests, saying, “Probably, yeah.” Davis highlighted the impact of age on cognitive abilities, stating, “Just what we know about what age can do — it doesn’t always do that — but it would probably be a good idea.”
When Reagan was elected in 1980, he was 69 years old, setting a record as the oldest president ever elected. This record was later surpassed by Donald Trump, elected in 2016 at age 70, and Joe Biden, elected in 2020 at age 78.
Davis reflected on her father’s age upon leaving office, noting that he was 77 at the time, remarking, “That seems so young now doesn’t it?”
Reagan publicly announced his Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis in 1994 at the age of 83, five years after he left office.
Davis also commented on Reagan’s potential reaction to today’s political climate, suggesting he would be “appalled” by the lack of civility and the negative rhetoric from both sides. She expressed concern for democracy, saying he “would be really scared for our democracy” if he were alive today.
She emphasized Reagan’s values, stating, “He didn’t understand lack of civility. He didn’t understand attacking another person,” adding, “He didn’t understand cruelty, and that’s what we’re dealing with now.”
Davis, who is not a Republican, has previously criticized the GOP for not speaking out more against Trump, believing they are disrespecting her father’s legacy.
She has also written about her strained relationship with her parents, including during Reagan’s presidency, in her book “Dear Mom and Dad: A Letter About Family, Memory, and the America We Once Knew.”
