Out with the Old?

The Importance of Succession Planning

US Senator Chuck Grassley (R – Iowa) is 92 years old. In addition to serving his

constituency, he is also the current President Pro Tempore of the Senate

which places him in the presidential line of succession behind the Vice

President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

If I make it to 92 years old, I hope that I am doing at least half as well and a

third as much as Senator Grassley. Clearly, he is an old man. But, whether he

should still be a US Senator is not up to me. That is up to the people of Iowa.

However, this situation induces an important question. How old is too old to

serve in a role like that?

Of course, the Democratic Party is still reeling to some degree over what

happened with President Biden in 2024. And this is highlighting a divide along

generational lines within the party. This has to be addressed. Letting this fester

would be a mistake.

As I have gotten older, I think I have developed a better understating of why

some folks hang on a little too long. I think it distills to one word: relevance.

We all have a need to be relevant to somebody. This doesn’t just apply to

politics. It applies to families as well. Politics just puts a spotlight on it.

Imagine if Chuck Grassley was not a US Senator. If he was just another old

man sitting on his farm in Iowa. But as Senator Grassley, he is still in the game.

He still has constituents who rely on him. He still has staff members who

cater to him. And every now and then he is going to get a call from the

President of the United States of America saying, “ Chuck, I need your vote. I

need you.” I do understand why it would be hard to let that relevance go.

Even so, we all get older and eventually pass on. Rather than leaving what

follows us in a state of chaos, it makes sense to have a succession plan and to

be actively engaged in preparing the next generation to take the baton. It also

helps to have enough self-awareness to know when it’s time to let go. That

would be behaving responsibly. This is what seems to be lacking with many of

our older elected leaders.

However, that demarcation line is in a different place for each of us.

U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley, now 92 years old, still serving in the Capitol. Photo from Politico/Tom Williams-Pool/Getty Images

Youth Will Be Served

In June, President Trump will be 80 years old. Last January, President Biden left

office at age 82. I won’t make a correlation between the current state of affairs

in the United States and the world and the advanced ages of our last two

Presidents. But it is understandable that within the body politic there seems

to be a yearning for newer and younger.

The bias for younger has always been there to one degree or another, and

rightly so. Eventually, all of us will either be pushed out, carried out, or leave

whatever we are doing on our own terms. The latter is better.

Who among us of a certain age has not at some point pined for a time when

we were at least a little younger? And if we are being honest, we also harbored

some degree of envy and resentment toward those who seek to replace us. If

only for their physical strength and energy.

In my case, I was in the best physical shape of my life in my 20s. As an Army

officer there was a premium on fitness, and I enthusiastically embraced that

ethos. You might say that I was a “skinny stud,” and I acted like it.

However, if I could go back, I would not want to go back to my 20s. Primarily

because of my immaturity. Simply stated, I had not fully developed emotionally

or intellectually as a man. I see that clearly now.

Looking back, I probably achieved the optimal balance between physical

strength and stamina and emotional development when I was in my early to

mid 40s. Nowadays I feel confident in my intellectual and emotional maturity.

But physically? Well, as much as it bothers me to admit this, the old grey

beard just ain’t what he used to be.

Captain Steve Bradshaw with Governor Zell Miller, 1993.

This has manifested itself most prominently in my golf game. I just don’t hit

the ball as far as I used to. Over time I have compensated for this deficiency

by putting more effort into my short game. Consequently, I score about the

same as I always have and sometimes a little better. Meaning I am still in the

game, and I enjoy playing.

Still, it would be cool to drive a golf ball 270 yards again. Oh well…

Wiley and George

My point is, I still want to play. And not just golf.

Several years ago, I did have an interesting experience on the golf course. It

was a beautiful spring day, and I decided to leave work early to get in a round

at Mystery Valley. That day I got paired with two gentlemen that had a few

years on me, Wiley and George.

A few holes into the round I discovered that Wiley was 78 and George was 81.

But they didn’t act like it. Given how much they were ripping on each other,

playing with those guys was like playing with a couple of 20-year-olds. And the

f-bombs between them were flying liberally. They were indeed cracking me up.

But a funny thing was also happening. These guys were kicking my butt. They

weren’t just outscoring me. They were also outdriving me by 10-15 yards on

almost every hole, teeing off from where I was teeing off from.

This circumstance filled me with a sense of embarrassment and inspiration at

the same. I didn’t really like that I was getting schooled by a couple of geezers.

But I loved the fact that they were still doing it and having fun.

To their credit, at the end of the round there was no gloating on their part.

Although I imagine that they derived some satisfaction out of kicking the butt

of a man more than 30 years younger than them. Even so, I also imagine that

they both wished that they were at least a little younger.

One of Steve's favorite views, dreaming of 270 yard drives.

A Cause for Pause

But are we old geezers (of which I proudly claim to be one) ready to simply

hand over the mantle of leadership for this great nation to the TikTok

generation? Younger and newer aren’t always better.

NYU Professor Jonathan Haidt’s 2024 book The Anxious Generation explores

how smart phones, social media and overprotective parenting have reshaped

childhood and triggered a global rise in adolescent anxiety and depression.

This should be a cause of serious concern.

I believe that resiliency and critical thinking are necessary skills that need to

be developed to successfully navigate a complex world, let alone lead it.

Professor Haidt argues that younger generations are not developing these

skills, which does not bode well for our collective futures. Given this

circumstance perhaps we geezers should not be so deferential to our younger

counterparts.

Two generations with a lot to learn from each other!

A Generational Clash of Sorts

A few years ago, when I was still in office, I had the great opportunity to

address a group of Mandela Washington Fellows. This program is part of the

US Government’s Young African Leaders Initiative. Established in 2014 this

program has brought young leaders from every country in Sub-Saharan Africa

to the United States for academic and leadership training. The Fellows,

between the ages of 25 and 35, are accomplished innovators and leaders in

their communities and countries.

Dr. Sharon Hill, who was a professor at Georgia State University, and a

constituent of mine, was their advisor. She extended the invitation to me to

address the group on the topic of serving in local government, and I was

deeply honored to do so.

I prepared diligently, and my interaction with the group of about 25 Fellows

was going very well. Until it wasn’t…

Mandela Washington Fellowship Team from 2025, from Mandela Washington Fellowship website

At some point during the question-and-answer phase things went a little off

the rails when a very earnest young man from Cameroon addressed me, which

induced an exchange that went something like this:

MW Fellow: Thank you, Commissioner Bradshaw, for speaking with us today.

But I do have a question. I feel like I have good ideas and enthusiasm and I

think I am ready to lead. But these old men in my country won’t get out of the

way. Why won’t they get out of the way?

ME: Well, it’s great that you have good ideas and enthusiasm. But those

attributes alone are not enough. If you are going to lead, especially leading an

entire country, it also helps to have a reservoir of experience to draw upon,

especially when times get tough. And that usually takes some time to acquire.

I would suggest making a positive impact where you are now, building a record

of actual achievement and moving forward from there.

If I had stopped right here it would have probably been ok. But as I have stated

in previous editions of this newsletter, there are times when I indulge my more

pugilistic impulses. For whatever reason, that was one of those days. So, I

continued.

ME: So, I am in my mid 50’s. Therefore, I am much older than you all. But I’m

not in my mid 70’s or 80’s, so I’m not quite ready to be put out to pasture just

yet. Therefore, I can put myself into the mind set of these so-called old men.

Meaning I would think like this: if you want what I have fought to acquire

and fought to maintain, then fight me for it. If we fight and you beat me fair and

square, then so be it. I will ride off into the sunset. Perhaps grudgingly. But I

will certainly move on. However, if your expectation is that I’m going to just get

out of your way because you are young with good ideas and enthusiasm, then

my response to that is go f—k yourself.

Actually, I don’t think that I dropped an f-bomb in that setting. But my meaning

was unmistakable. I know because in the wake of my commentary the

atmosphere dramatically changed.

As a practicing politician I got pretty good at reading a room. And with my

extended response to that question that day I am certain that I lost 75 – 80 %

of them. But I didn’t really care. I have never been good at pandering, and I

wasn’t about to blow smoke up their collective butts.

However, after I finished, a funny thing happened. About 5 or 6 of the Fellows

approached me and said “Thank you so much for just being straight with us.

We really appreciate it. We would love to talk with you further. Can we

schedule some time to do that”? Of course, I would have been happy to do

so. But due to their time and travel constraints, it just was not possible.

But this anecdote underscores something that I have long believed. Most

people don’t want to hear the truth. They would much prefer the fairytale.

AOC for President?

US Representative Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) has garnered a lot

of attention since she entered the political arena. She is currently 36 years

old. She and I have never met. But from a distance she strikes me as a smart,

delightful person whose heart seems to be in the right place. But AOC as the

next President of the United States?

Before being elected to Congress, AOC was working as a waitress and

bartender. Totally respectable. The six years I spent working in the restaurant

and bar business were some of the most formative of my life, and I am grateful

for that experience.

I also still love the pub environment. I respect and appreciate the servers and

bartenders that I interact with on a regular basis. However, I can’t think of any

who should be president. Well, maybe one person. But I won’t say who it is.

Looking ahead to the potential 2028 Democratic Presidential Primary contest I

saw a recent poll in which AOC polling an average of fourth place in a

potential field of ten candidates. This far out, polls don’t really mean that

much, except as an indicator of name identification. In AOC’s case I believe it

also has something to do with the fact that she is young and new.

Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez (AOC), per NBC News/Alex Wroblewski/AFP via Getty Images

The JFK Example

The youngest person ever to be elected President of the United States was

John F. Kennedy, who was 43 years old at the time. That is almost 20 years

younger than I am right now. And only five years older than AOC would be in

2028. As far as I’m concerned, this is where the similarities between the two

of them end.

By the time JFK was elected President he had served this country as a US

Naval officer and fought in World War II. During the war he had distinguished

himself by demonstrating heroism in combat. He served for six years in the US

House of Representatives and seven years as a US Senator. He had also

published two serious books, Why England Slept in 1940 and Profiles in

Courage in 1956. As opposed to snappy social media posts.

My point is that even at age 43, JFK had a seriousness and depth that served

him well as both a candidate and as President of the United States. He

brought the combination of youth and experience to the oval office. And I

remain convinced that his level-headedness during the Cuban Missile Crisis

kept that crisis from going horribly wrong.

The youngest person ever to be elected President of the United States,

John F. Kennedy, photo from Wikipedia

All Hands on Deck

To borrow a term from the US Navy it’s “All Hands On Deck Time.” Meaning

that given the seriousness of the challenges that we face, it’s time for folks to

stop pitting one generation against the other. It is counterproductive. We need

the best minds working together to help solve these challenges, irrespective

of the number of years we as individuals have spent on planet earth.

We should reject those who traffic in the generational warfare rhetoric, be they

young or old. We should be working together in a spirit of cooperation.

Because I am sure that we can learn things from each other. This will provide

us with the best opportunity for making things better.

Personally, I have always enjoyed the company of younger people. Years ago,

when I had the opportunity to teach at Georgia State University I enjoyed the

interaction with my students. Their energy and optimism gave me hope. And I

remain in touch with a handful of my former students to this day.

I must admit the sometimes when I am interacting with the younger folks I

shake my head at times, because there are things that I just don’t get. Then

again, I’m sure they shake their heads about me as well.

Recently, I have had the great opportunity to interact with an even younger

generation of folks. As the eight graders at The Museum School in Decatur, GA

went about the business of forming their student government and holding

elections, it was truly a pleasure to observe and engage with them. I am

grateful to their teacher for aYording me that opportunity. And I loved having

the opportunity to address them and share the perspective of someone older

than their parents. For the most part I found their questions to be thoughtful

and sincere. And there was something about their collective earnestness that

I found to be very endearing.

Indeed, those 12- and 13-year-old whipper snappers inspired me. That

experience has underscored for me the responsibility that we geezers have for

them.

These are serious times. The generational conflict needs to stop.

Therefore, I suggest that we older folks regard our younger counterparts with

understanding and compassion. Likewise, I suggest that the younger folks

regard us geezers with understanding and maybe a little deference. By doing

so perhaps we can achieve a level of mutual respect that will benefit us all.