Ronald Reagan's daughter: presidential hopefuls should undergo cognitive tests

Patti Davis, daughter of the late President Ronald Reagan, expressed in a recent interview her belief that it's important for presidents to undergo cognitive assessments.

Davis' comments, shared during an interview broadcasted on NBC News' “Meet The Press” on Sunday, follow Special Counsel Robert Hur's report regarding President Joe Biden's management of classified information, which noted that although Biden “willfully retained and disclosed classified materials,” no charges can be brought against him due he exhibiting indications of significant cognitive problems.

“[Biden] is in his eighties, former President Trump, the frontrunner, is in his late seventies,” host Kristen Welker said. “Do you think there should be cognitive tests for people running for the highest office in the land?”

“Probably. Yeah,” Davis responded. “I mean, in just what we know about what age can do. It doesn’t always do that, but it would probably be a good idea. Yeah, no, my father was 77 when he left office after two terms. It seems so young now, doesn’t it?”

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During another segment of the interview, Davis was questioned about her perspective on what her father might comment on regarding the present state of politics in the United States.

“I think he’d be appalled,” Davis replied. “He didn’t understand lack of civility. He didn’t understand attacking another person. I mean, he could be, you know, pretty pointed in what he would say about someone else. But he didn’t understand cruelty. And that’s what we’re dealing with now. And I think he wouldn’t understand that. I think he would be really scared for our democracy. I don’t know who — I think he would address people more than any candidates. I think he would address the American people at what has divided us. And, I mean, in my own opinion and, I don’t know, I think this probably is how he would think, is our divisions really started because we’re all so scared.”

She said that she believes her father would want people to “look at one another as human beings.”

Ian Miles Cheong

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Ian Miles Cheong is a freelance writer, graphic designer, journalist and videographer. He’s kind of a big deal on Twitter.

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