Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) reiterated her call for a form of mental competency test for presidential candidates over the age of 75. Haley’s proposal increased focus on concerns about the governing abilities of 80-year-old President Joe Biden.
Haley made the call during an interview with CBS News last week. “We need to have mental competency tests for anyone over the age of 75,” Haley said.
She added that such tests could be done for candidates as young as 50 years old.
“What I’m saying is, these are people in D.C. that are making decisions on our national security,” she said.
The former South Carolina governor stated that presidential candidates are “deciding the future of our kids’ economy. We need to know they’re at the top of their game.”
She specifically cited Biden, saying that “you ask him what country he was in the week before, and he can’t say it. When you go and ask him how many grandchildren he has and he doesn’t know. When you go and see him falling asleep with leaders, that’s concerning.”
Nikki Haley calls for implementing mental competency tests for politicians over the age of 75. pic.twitter.com/ztcjmbXyoo
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) July 30, 2023
The South Carolina Republican’s comments may also be a swipe at her former boss, former President Donald Trump. Trump, the leading Republican primary candidate, is currently 77.
Haley said that the Republican Party needed a “new generational leader.” She said that it was time to “leave all of these older diplomats” and politicians from both parties “behind.”
The candidate previously recommended a mental fitness test earlier this year. As a result of her comments, CNN host Don Lemon said that she was “past her prime.”
Lemon’s comments received pushback from his fellow hosts as soon as he said them. Lemon apologized for the remark but was fired from the news network after being compelled to undergo training.
The former host was also accused by Variety magazine of a history of misogynistic comments against women.
Following the host’s dismissal, Haley issued a tweet, stating that it was a “great day for women everywhere.” Included with a tweet was a photo of a beer koozie sold by her campaign that read “Past My Prime? Hold My Beer.”
