Senility in high office
Even leaders who are spry for their age eventually lose their grip
History, science and common sense concur: even great leaders age. In 1953, during his second stint as prime minister, Winston Churchill had a stroke after dinner. “No one seemed alarmed by [his] slurred speech and unsteadiness on his feet, one of the advantages of having a reputation for enjoying alcohol,” writes Andrew Roberts, a historian. For several weeks, as Churchill was incapable of governing, his son-in-law and private secretary in effect ran the country. He never fully recovered, yet refused to stand down until 1955, when he was 80. “Churchill is now often speechless in Cabinet; alternatively, he rambles about nothing,” wrote Harold Macmillan, a future Conservative prime minister, in 1954.
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This article appeared in the Briefing section of the print edition under the headline “President Lear”
From the July 6th 2024 edition
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