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The esteemed political writer Charlie Cook recently produced a column titled Is Hillary Clinton Too Old to Run? Despite couching his thoughts with a mention that if Clinton were to run, she would be the same age as Ronald Reagan when he was first elected president, 69, he did venture over the sexism line.

The giveaway came toward the end when Cook noted that Clinton could be challenged for the nomination by Vice President Joe Biden, without noting Bidens age. Biden is almost five years older than she is.

In response to the raised eyebrows, Cooks next column was headlined Is Joe Biden Too Old to Run? In it, Cook explained that the Clinton column was not about the vice president. True, but it was about the age of presidential candidates, wasnt it?

Both men and women face age discrimination, but its no secret that for women, ageism mixes easily with sexism. And obsessing over a womans year of birth is often a slightly more respectable substitute for the latter.

Of course, age can be a consideration as it relates to questions of health. The best approach is to take the candidates one at a time. Frankly, Id rather be insuring 71-year-old Joe Biden than 51-year-old Chris Christie, New Jerseys overweight governor and an oft-mentioned presidential candidate (though not so much these days).

The point is that age arguments get dumped on women without much reflection. During the 2008 presidential campaign, the late Christopher Hitchens famously dismissed Clinton as an aging and resentful female. Even some liberal supporters of President Obama were not above making outrageously ageist/sexist remarks.

I dont recall similar conversations on another presidential candidate running in 2008 and again in 2012 Republican Mitt Romney. The former Massachusetts governor remains a vigorous man, and if he wanted to run again, why would his vintage be an issue?

True, Clinton is not the same age as Romney. Shes seven months younger.

Cook pointed out that Clinton did suffer an episode of fainting after a grueling travel schedule as secretary of state. Fair enough. But then he went on to discuss Bill Clintons heart surgery, adding that while he looks healthy, presidential campaigns are team efforts.

Again, was anyone raising such concerns about Romneys wife, Ann, who had been diagnosed with both multiple sclerosis and breast cancer? She actually shared her medical story on the campaign trail, a not-bad political strategy.

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Hillary Clinton is too old for what?