Hardly anyone discusses presidential candidate Bernie Sanders’ age. Perhaps because even though the fiery populist is 74, he has captured the youth vote and pursues his agenda with tireless passion. Turns out the youthful septuagenarian considered plans to try a very sprightly entrance into a Northern California rally for the candidate this week. Sanders was presented with the option of parachuting in. (Let’s see Trump — master of free media coverage — try that, aides must have thought.)
The Sanders flight didn’t ultimately fly, despite the rumor. The Brooklyn-born Sanders is more of a baseball and basketball guy than a skydiver. But there is politician precedent. George H.W. Bush started recreational skydiving on his 75th birthday, long after he was out of the political spotlight. He made his last (and eighth) jump on his 90th birthday in 2014. Sanders didn’t jump, but his team apparently considered it. Good judgement there — as his leap might have been more like George W. Bush landing on an aircraft carrier than his father parachuting from a plane. The first Bush, after all, had started skydiving in earnest in 1944 — when he was shot down over the Pacific island of Chi Chi Jima during World War 2.
It’s a wonderful day in Maine — in fact, nice enough for a parachute jump.
— George Bush (@GeorgeHWBush) June 12, 2014
