Is McCain Too Old?

[Can't tell the difference between politics and policy? Need personal advice of a political nature -- or vice versa? Send your question to Stumped. Questions may be edited.]

Dear Stumped,

John McCain has been trying to counter the argument that he is too old to be president by trotting out his 95-year-old mother as proof of his genetic prowess. My question is: What about his father? At what age did he die, and of what? I believe the father is half of the genetic equation. Also, at what age did Ronald Reagan begin to show signs of confusion and dementia? As I remember, it was certainly while he was in office, though most evidence of it was kept from the public.

I have no doubt that McCain is physically fit, but mental fitness is not often controllable and can deteriorate quickly.

--Bob

Dear Bob:

To answer your first question: John McCain's father, John Sidney McCain Jr., the four-star admiral who commanded U.S. forces in Vietnam while his son was held as a prisoner of war by the North Vietnamese, died of a stroke in 1981. He was 70 years old.

Make of that what you will. I won't make much of it, because I don't think genetic lineage should be a factor in electoral contests.

Last Friday, the McCain campaign shared more than 1,000 pages of medical records with journalists, who then heard his doctors describe him as a remarkably healthy septuagenarian, free of the skin cancer that required surgery in 2000. As those who struggle to keep up with him on the campaign trail will attest, there is no questioning McCain's stamina.

That said, there is no denying the fact that if elected, McCain will be the oldest president ever to take his first oath of office -- he turns 72 in a few months -- and that it is a demanding, stressful job. McCain is "very, very, very old," as he said on "Saturday Night Live" this month. His age will be a big factor this fall, implicitly or explicitly, as voters make their final judgments about the candidates. His choice of running mate, always important, feels extra weighty, and you can expect any mental slip-ups on the campaign trail to receive extra scrutiny, for the reasons you cite.

Our constitutional system and political tradition have established an orderly succession process in the event of a president's death. So as ghoulish as it sounds, the death of a president in office is not as worrisome or paralyzing a prospect as the death of a corporate CEO can be, where that executive's succession plan remains vague.

The real concern, of course, involves a long presidential illness or period of mental incapacity, as you suggest. This is something our system is less capable of handling. You raise the question of Ronald Reagan's mental acuity in his last days in office, but this is a longstanding concern. How much was FDR able to focus on crucial deliberations about postwar Europe in his final weeks in office? And wasn't Woodrow Wilson incapacitated in office after suffering a stroke, to the point where his wife basically kept him hidden away, especially from his vice president?

These concerns led to the 25th Amendment, ratified in 1967, which allows the president to hand off the reins of power to his vice president if temporarily incapacitated. It has become fairly routine for presidents to transfer their powers to their vice presidents while undergoing surgery, as George Bush did last year when doctors removed polyps from his colon.

Yet the less-familiar Section 4 of the amendment allows the vice president and "a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide" to declare the president unfit. In which case they would thus allow the vice president to take over the office -- until and unless the president says, "Hey, guys, I'm okay!" In which case he gets to move back into the Oval Office -- until and unless the vice president and his gang go to Congress within four days to insist that the president has to go. In which case Congress then has to sort it all out. Got all that?

So add Section 4 of the 25th Amendment to the many reasons why Barack Obama should not pick Hillary Clinton as his running mate. Imagine what would happen the first time he caught a cold.

Yo Stumped:

Does a politician have any moral or ethical obligation to denounce unsavory support? Why is it okay for a candidate to cut ties with lobbyists, for example, but remain silent about accepting the support of people who vote for you mainly because, say, you're not black?

Thanks,

Haywood Brown

Dear Haywood:

This is indeed a tricky issue. It is important for candidates to distance themselves from high-profile personalities, like John Hagee or Jeremiah Wright, who endorse them but are known to espouse distasteful views. Knowing what motivates millions of voters, however, or seeking to distance yourself from those among them who support you for distasteful reasons, is impossible.

There is an assumption that racism has helped Hillary Clinton, but do we know how many sexist voters have backed Barack Obama for no other reason than they could never abide the idea of having a female president? How is Obama supposed to reject their support? He can't. In a messy democracy like ours, there will always be votes cast for irrational, even ugly, reasons.

I agree with you to this extent: Responsible politicians shouldn't seek to capitalize on prejudice. You don't hear Obama idly asking whether Americans are ready to elect a female president. We have heard, unfortunately, Clinton say that the Democratic Party needs to consider whether "hard-working Americans, white Americans," would ever vote for Obama.

Then there was her ill-considered allusion to the Robert Kennedy assassination late last week. But in the spirit of national healing, if not party unity, Stumped has decided to give her a pass on that one.

By Andres Martinez | May 27, 2008; 12:00 AM ET
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HE'S TOO OLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: keepitsimplestupid | June 6, 2008 9:26 PM

6.5. 2008
IS THE U S NEWS INDUSTRY IS INSIDE A SLEEPNG BAG, OR THE INDUSTRY IS BEYOND LAWS ? OR NEWS INDUSTRY IS ALLOWED NOT TO TELL TRUTH ABOUT EVENTS OF CENTURY ? THE REV DR KAMAL KARNA KARUNA ROY WHO WAS BORN IN USA IN GUAM , A U S TERRITORY IN PACIFIC, BORN ON 3. 31. 1934 AND A US CITIZEN BY BIRTH FOR BEING BORN O US CITIZEN BOTH THE PARENTS, BUT WITH UNLUCKY FAITH HE TURNED ORPHAN OF PARENTS BEING KILLED IN BRITISH INDIA IN A REIGIOUS RIOT, WHEN THEY WERE TOURING A REGION NEAR DACCA, IN A MISSION TO SPREAD LOE OF GOD/S OF DIVERSE FAITHS IN WORLD WERE KILLED IN A RACIALLY BIASED RIOT, AND THEN JOSEPH GERONIM JR TURNED OPHAN, BUT WAS RAISED BY ORIETAL DOCTORS FAMILY (ROY'S OF U K, INDIA N ESEWHER, AS IDENTIFIED AS BONAFIDE AND EDICALLY QUALIFIED REGD DOCTOR; DR ROY DID NOT REMAIN ORPHAN BUT CHANGED TO A SMALLTIME LEADER OF USA , ATLEAST AS A REGISTERED ORDAINED CLERGY OF WORD RELIGIONS GROUP; BUT SAE DR ROY , THE UNLUCKY AS ORPHAN, THEN LUCKY TO BE URVIVING IN BEST OF OF WORLD TO LIVE IN, USA,AS AN AUTHOR OF " JUNGLE DEMOCRACIES OPPRESSIONS ON WEAKER PEOPLE BY MOST POWERFUL PEOPLE, POWERFUL ENTITIED, POWERFUL NATIONS, BY DISHONEST AND DEVILS IN DEMOCRACIES AND THE SUPERPOWERS IN ROLES OF OPPRESSORS THE GREATEST, BUT USA MAY NOT BE INCLUDED IN THE GROUP AS THE AUTHO MAY NOT WRITE MANY TRUTHS WHICH MAY BE CNTROVERSIAL AND HE MAY NOT BE SURE, OF PATRIOTS MAY NOT TRUTH TELL A UGLY RUTH ABOUT A MOTHERLAND, USA ...ETC ETC. SEE BELOW:
UI S A IS ALMOST GREATEST NATIOION ON MOTHER EARTHS...." THE REV DR KAMAL KARNA ROY, A GHOP PRES. HOPEFUL 2008 , WHO DID NOT SIGN OFF IN RACE OF PRESIDENT, USA 2008 ELECTORAL COMPETITION 2008 , RATHE HE WENT TO AND FIOLED 80+ CIVI ACTIONS TO RAISE ISSUE OR CORRUPTIONS OF SKY HIGH, OCEAN DEEP AND INTERNET SPEEDED CORRUPTIONS AND ILLEGALLY BIASED NEWS INDUSTRY AND U S AMERICAN GOD/S AND REIGIOUS SYSTEM THOSE ENTITIES NOT BIASED TO EQUATIONS OFELIGIBILILITY OF CANDIDATE FROM WEAKER COMMUNITIES AND THE PRIVILED IN USA....ETC ETC.

Posted by: re dr kamal karna roy. a gop presidential hopeful ,lawfully against alleged corrupt as per complaint | June 5, 2008 4:40 AM

His age is an issue for me, but not for the reasons people seem to state. It is an issue for me becuase I think we are at closing in on the dawn of a technological/social/philisopical renasance, and I don't know if I trust some one his age to be able to comprehend what may be comeing, my grandfather is his age, and is still convinced that African Americans are anatomicly different (extra muscles and bones) then whites. As we get older we get traped in modes of thought, a comfort zone if you will. I think we really need to be looking for a major youth movement in politics. We need elected officials who rent, because no one can afford to buy. Who IM and email. Who Google.

Posted by: Alex35332 | May 28, 2008 12:20 PM
----------------------

If its a youth movement you see, then Obama is not exactly a YOUTH.. and doesn't understand me, or the problems I face.

And its Renaissance..

What does IM and email and google have to do with running a nation? I would so much rather have someone with wisdom and wit and cunning and heart than someone with an iPhone.

Just so you know, there are biological differences between races. Nothing so drastic as more bones or different muscles, but yes there are biological differences because of those little things called genes.. but does it matter? Your grandfather being a racist has no bearing on McCain as a President. My grandfather is his age, and is not racist in the least.

Posted by: Anonymous | June 3, 2008 12:35 PM

Some columnists have suggested that the next president could appoint up to 4 SC justices, citing the age of the oldest 4. While Stevens is 88 now and likely to retire soon, the other 3 are about McCain's age. One is 75, the other 72 and the other 70.

How ironic that we consider a man to become president who is considered too old to continue serving on the bench, a much less difficult job than the President's.

Posted by: AxelDC | June 3, 2008 7:26 AM

We are fully aware of McCain's age and health. We were not fully aware of FDR's or JFK's. According to a number of historians, Kennedy was on a virtual cocktail of drugs that could affect judgment. How anyone can defend discrimination over age is a source of wonder to me. Candidates should be dealt with on the basis of their politics, not their age, gender or race.

Posted by: Kay B. Day | May 31, 2008 1:28 PM

McCain is not too old.... He's simply too wrong.

Posted by: A.Lincoln | May 30, 2008 3:50 PM

mcCain may not be too old, but for sure he has corruptions issues in inluence peddlings against usa for people who often abuse systems in usa. f b i investigations were demanded against john mcCain in several u s d courts in various jurisdictions. see below for issue of conjugal relationships in usa:
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"DRAUPADI" hindu epic princess syndrome of shared as wife with 5 hubby extended to m/F this era:w r gr? roy
https://mailman.rice.edu/pipermail/sasia... - Similar pages

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Bollywood Stars/Bollywood Actresses: May 2008Incidentally, Rupa Ganguly played Draupadi in Ravi Chopra's Mahabharata. ...... First it was actress Shriya Saran against whom the Hindu Makkal Katchi had ...
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Plusmo Mobile Widgets for Nokia, Motorola, WAP, Blackberry, iPhone ...Parva/The Epic is the Mahabharata tale told from the viewpoint of three .... he agrees to wed the Hindu princess Jodha to complete a political alliance: her ...
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Posted by: ne alston new york | May 24, 2008 12:26 AM

First Amendment right with pride!

By Andres Martinez | May 20, 2008; 12:00 AM ET
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CommentsPlease email us to report offensive comments.

5.24.2008
NEW YORK
THE REVEREND MR pREMANSU D ROY , assist to dr kamal k roy, author, and a CO_AUTHOR OF "DRAUPADI. the chief editor of the publisher :REFORMS INT'L A ING OF HANDICAP INTERESTS INT'L ' WORD RELIGIONS GROUP ,NEW YORK, PO BOX 1173, SARANAC LAKE NEW YORK; STREET ADDRESS: 107a sCRIBNER AVENUE, TATEN ISLAND, NEW YORK CITY, N Y 10301, u s A ....;. " draupadi ".SHARED WIVES SYNDRONES OF EPIC PRINCESS OF HINDU "MAHABHARATA " , SYNDROMES EXTENDED TO MALE LOVERS OF ANY WOMAN IN GOBE, RELIGIOUSY SPEAKING, BY THE WORLD RELIGIONS GROUP, U.S E I N 133566610, RELIGIOU TAX EXEMPT BY U S DEPT OF TREASURY. THE RELIGIOUS AUTHRITY WAS GRANTED TO ALL MALES AND FEMALES WORLD WIDE , AS RELIGIOUS LAW ARE INDEPENDANT OF LOCAL LAWS OF ANY DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC, AS SUCH RELIGIOUS AUTHORITY WAS GRANTED TO RELIGIOUS FOLLOWERS OF ANY FAITH WHO ARE PRESUMED TO B DEFACTO MEMBER OF W R GROUP. THE GROUND OF GRANT OF SUCH AUTHORITY. HUMAN_ANIMALS' LOVE SYNDROMES ARE NO DIFFERENT THAN THE SIMILAR URGE AND BEHAVIOR OF MOST ANIMALS OF UNIVERSE, bUT DEMOCRATIC REPUBLICS MADE ABUSIVE LAWS WHICH RESTRICTED SEX AND LOVE RELATIONSHIPS. ONLY THE POWERFULS WITH ECONOMIC SUPERIORITY MAINTIN DRAPADI SYNDROME RELATIONSHIP WITH OPPOSITE SEX PARTNER. bUT THE PLEASURE AND GAIN FROM SUCH RELATIONS AFE DISCRIMINATORY .THER ARE NO WRITTEN RECORDS OD SUCH LOVE AND NO COMPENSATION ARE MOSTLY PAID AS THE REATIONSHIP IS INSECURED AND ON TABOO PLATFORMS. aS NO RECORDS EXIST OR REQUIRED BY LOCAL LAWS, THE SPREADS OF SEX RELATED DISEASES ARE UNKNOWN IMMEDIATELY AND MAY NOT EVER BE RETRACED FOR DAMAGES RECOVERIES FOR ANY MISCONDUCTS OF CONJUGAL PARTNERS,pAYMENT ARRANGEMENT TO LOVE PARTNERS ON REGULAR BASIS MUST BE RECORDED IN PUBIC TRACING SYSTEM. pUTTING HUMAN REATIONS AND ON CONJUGAL ONDUCTS OF OPPOSITE OR MIXED SEXE ARE GREATEST HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AGAINST BOTH MALEs , FEMALEs AND OTHER RELATIONSHIPS.oN THE CONTEXT OF PROBLEMS THE MAIN OR PRICIPAL AUTHOR OF DREAM, CURRENTLY SUGGESTED AS if, NIGHTMARES TO MANY IN REVERANCE OF ANIMALITY SWEET CONDUCT THE RElIGIOUS LAWS OF DRAUpaDI SYNDROME S WERE RELIOUSLY APPROVED AT A RELIGIOUS CONFERENCE HELD and presided by the rev dr kamal karna roy of u s a AT bUFFALO SHERATON hotel, IN AUGUST NEAR BUFFALO INT'L AIRPORT IN BUFFALO ,IN THE CITY OF BUFFAO, IN THE STATe OF NEW YORK,IN THE USA in august 2000 a.d ; FURTHER INFORMATION CAN BE HAD FROM the H I I- W R GROUP, PO BOX 1173 SARANAC LAKE, NEW YORK 12983 E MAIL VISHWA_DH@YAHOO.COM.
ph 518 891 5466 (usa)

Posted by: jolly das srinagar habra 24 Parganas north west bengal india | May 24, 2008 12:09 AM

Posted by: REV GARGI LAHIRI, A DRAUPADI IN CURRENT SOCIAL STATUS | May 24, 2008 12:18 AM

First Amendment right with pride!

By Andres Martinez | May 20, 2008; 12:00 AM ET
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Posted by: jolly das srinagar habra 24 Parganas north west bengal india | May 24, 2008 12:09 AM

Posted by: THE REV ROBIN ROY | May 24, 2008 12:16 AM

Posted by: jolly das srinagar habra 24 Parganas north west bengal india | May 24, 2008 12:09 AM

Mr. Martinez, thank you for the insightful article/reply. It's nice to take a break from the mud slinging and read something political in nature that is also logical and well reasoned. Unfortunately, I made a mistake and started reading the comments on this article right afterwards, so my satisfaction didn't last long.

But anyway, your writing is particularly articulate and insightful. As this was my first exposure to your writing, I look forward to more of it. Thank you very much.

Posted by: Benjamin | May 22, 2008 6:15 PM

Preparations are things you might do to get ready for an event. Learn how to say "Hello" in the head of states own language, or memorize a list of terrorist attacks attributed to that countries proxies.
Preconditions are something they have to do in order to win the right to speak to you. Putting preconditions on negotiations is just another way to kill the negotiations, it's a suckers trick that allows you to "win" an argument before the argument even begins.
That's why nobody puts preconditions on negotiations, the conditions are what your negotiating, it doesn't make much sense. Unless you're a republican president who wants to invade and is trying to build a case that your erstwhile opponent is "refusing" to negotiate.
If you call up your mortgage company and tell them "I'll negotiate payment on the unpaid balance of my loan with you, but first you have to knock three points off the mortgage rate to show me you are negotiating in good faith." you'll find that nobody, in reality (that old GOP Boogey-man) accepts pre-conditions on negotiations.
It's a farce that's part of a larger comic opera the Whitehouse and Republican party are staging to give them a pretext to kill more brown people. It's what they do.

Posted by: dijetlo | May 20, 2008 11:18 PM

The swiftboaters WILL NOT find an easy target with Obama...he knew EXACTLY what this race would involve and IMMEDIATELY ADDRESSES everything they TRY to throw at him!!!...Repubs...you're not dealing with some chump off the street who can't handle himself, so GO FOR IT!!!

Posted by: Mary in Ft. Madison | May 20, 2008 8:55 PM

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Draupadi GLOBAL shared wives SYNDROMES _ mahabharata conjugal rel ok:world religions gr u.s:Dr kamal pres? OK?
Draupadi world wide shared wives hindu mahabharata conjugal relATIONSHIP INSPIRED TO MULTPLE SHARED COJUGAL RELATIONSHIPS BOTH FOR FEMALE MALE LOVES. SUCH RELATIONSHIPS ARE PLENTIFUL IN APPARENTLY IN DISGUISE OF EYES, OPEN VIEWS PUBLICLY. HIDDEN RELATINSHIP MUST COME IN OPEN SOCIETAL PLATFORMS TO GIVE SOME EUITIES TO TRUTHS AND COMPENSATIONS TO RELATONSHIPS IN OCCURANCES FOR CAUSING SOCIAL JUSTICE TO WEAKER PARTNERS IN LOVE AND CONJUGAL CONTEXTS
ok:world religions gr u.s:Dr kamal pres? Source(s) web search "kamal karna roy premansu d roy draupadi"

Posted by: Paromita Baidya roy, the rev | May 20, 2008 7:11 PM

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Posted by: rev dr kamal karna roy , a candidate for u s president, gop 2008 | May 20, 2008 7:08 PM

message for all presidential hopefuls for coming generations, on male-female relationship in changes:
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DRAUPADI, pRINCESS OF SHARED WIVES DOCTRINE OF HINDU EPIC MAHABHARATA EXTENED TO SLIT HUSBAND BY WORLD RELIG/
THE REV DR KAMAL KARNA ROY'S RELIGION BASED MASTERPIECE BY ABOVE NAME HAS 3 WIVES FICTITIOUS
CHARACTERS WERE SCRIBED AS HEROINES FROM KRISHNA NAGAR, WB,INDIA, PARNA BANERJEE NATH OF BAIDYABATI,WB AND PAROMITA BAIDYA ROY , BUT ONE PANDAVA ONLY REVEALED IN TEXT OF STORYLINE,OTHER PANDAVAS WERE KEPT BEHIND CURTAIN, BUT WERE LIVING SOULS ON LOVELINES PAROMITA WAS LOVE BIRD FROM DWELLING :TAPASYA CHIRANJEEB VIHAR , GAZIABAD, U P, INDIA
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Posted by: rev dr kamal karna k roy, a gop hopeful of u s presidential electoral competition 2008 | May 30, 2008 9:24 AM

MCCAINS THE OTHER WHITE MEAT.

THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS.

Posted by: GRACE | May 30, 2008 3:56 AM

Posted by: Alex35332 | May 28, 2008 12:20 PM

I don't think McCain is too old to be President, as there are many older, wiser people who do great work in demanding jobs.
However, I don't think he will solve the nation's economic problems, that his hair-trigger temper will serve the nation well at international negotiations, or that anything much will change if he is elected.
I'm not particularly an Obama fan, but believe that his administration would probably try to sort out the economy, rather than starting more wars. I would vote for such a candidate just as easily if he/she were a Republican in their 70s.

Posted by: Olly | May 28, 2008 1:11 AM

The first news story I read on McCain's release of medical records essentially gave him a clean bill of health, but the doctor recommended a mental health evaluation "due to his age". No other story has mentioned that recommendation.

After what we've been through in the last eight years, I think a psychological evaluation would would be beneficial as well for all nominees. Obviously the public isn't qualified to recognize personality disorder.

Kathy Jones

Posted by: Kathy Jones | May 28, 2008 12:49 AM

Haywood wrote- "Last Friday, the McCain campaign shared more than 1,000 pages of medical records with journalists, who then heard his doctors describe him as a remarkably healthy septuagenarian, free of the skin cancer that required surgery in 2000. As those who struggle to keep up with him on the campaign trail will attest, there is no questioning McCain's stamina."

If McCain is too old, we'll know it by November. That doesn't mean he will admit it or that there won't be disagreement.

I think it is important to note here that McCain only allowed three doctor/reporters of his choosing only giving them three hours to wade through thousands of pages. They weren't allowed a pen, paper, recorder or camera.
This is the same policy George Bush used when he refused to allow reporters, cameras, pens, paper, recorders or sworn testimony before the 911 commission. It is a sign that McCain will abuse executive power and operate in secrecy... just like Bush.

Posted by: Kevin Morgan | May 27, 2008 11:22 PM

How does one solve the world''s problems???

Google: Huckapedia

Posted by: Giant | May 27, 2008 11:03 PM

We need to clear people like McCain out now. Their way of doing things, their thinking, their view of the world and other countries are not what we need today to solve many almost insurmountable problems. For example, just like when Arafat and Begin left us, we could breathe a sigh of relief that the possibility of peace increased because these men never had a definition of it that was reasonable for both sides. They represented a world that was no longer in evidence. Get these cold war guys out of here.

Posted by: Troyce Key | May 27, 2008 9:43 PM

Yes he is to old to run. He can't unify this country. He can't unify his own party. He lives in an elitist retirement town in Arizona, where he should go retire. And by the way he is no Churchill or Adenauer. His ideas are of the past and not of the future. I am 62 and I've seen enough of old ideas, look where they've gotten us.

Posted by: sally | May 27, 2008 8:28 PM

Its not his age-its his feeble-mindedness

Posted by: Ainet | May 27, 2008 8:24 PM

To paraphrase Mae West, "age has nothing to do with it", since there have always been brilliant statesmen in their 80's (Churchill, Adenauer, many US senators for example). It all depends on the condition they are in. McCain's health problems (5 cancer operations, etc.) are worrisome, however. He is fine now, but these things do come back, as everybody knows.

Posted by: Bodo | May 27, 2008 8:11 PM

McCain is not too old - but even if he were, I would still prefer him to Senator Obama.

Here is a question for stumped - Which is more questionable: being age 71 with a good health report, or spending 20 years in Rev. Wright's pew?

Posted by: NL | May 27, 2008 7:15 PM

There is no doubt,McCain is too old to be president it is reasonable to believe he doesn't have the required energy level. One should question if he will live long enough to complete his term.

Posted by: deeCole Montg. Al | May 27, 2008 6:49 PM

True McCain is too old to be president, he doesn't have the required energy level.His mother says he never talked about his time of confinement as a prison of war, Ha!!UNBELIEVABLE. I question his aniexty or anger level. I bet if you raked that white cup on iron bars age would no longer be the question.

Posted by: deeCole Montg. Al | May 27, 2008 6:41 PM

JakeD: If a Democrat was this old, would you still feel he/she was still young enough?

No, didn't think so. I have a certain amount of respect for Sen. McCain, but I'm sorry: He IS too old.

John Bailo: No, I think your party is desperate, not the Demos. Quit with your cheap, irrational shots about Obama supporters. They're no worse than the delusional 25 percent as McCain panders to.
And yes, there is PLENTY to attack McCain over -- let's start with his ties to lobbyist and bad temper.

Posted by: vegasgirl | May 27, 2008 6:15 PM

John Bailo said: The whole Democratic primary went on for ages because they don't have a single candidate that can beat McCain, and whichever they choose is going down faster than an A-4 over in North Vietnam.
-----------------------------
Whoa, who's letting Grampa McMunster fly again? And shouldn't you have reminded him that the war is over and now Charlie makes our Nikes?

Posted by: Admiral Akbar | May 27, 2008 5:46 PM

To: Jack | May 27, 2008 11:05 AM
--------------------------------
Given the current state of economic affairs, I think the Greenspan endorsement is pretty much worthless. He just set us on a course for disaster but kept cutting rates so at least we will be idling slowly as the boat goes off a Niagara Falls sized dip.

Posted by: Ayn Rand | May 27, 2008 5:40 PM

Yes he is too OLD...sorry but most people retire after 65 for a reason...they are tired and need the rest

They have earned it...

Now go sit on a bench John McCain and fuss at that cloud

Damn U Cloud!!!

Posted by: Angry Old Man | May 27, 2008 5:30 PM

McCain is yet another D-student propped up by the GOP. His party and his generation has done enough to set back future generations in terms of energy, foreign policy, mortgage lending standards, government oversight, infrastructure, and climate change. The country's views on social issues are also changing and McCain is moving in the worng direction. He was a reasoned centrist in 2000 and now he is a knee jerk war hawk who triangulates between what he used to think and his deranged base. We've had enough of the old. Let's move forward instead of accepting more of the GOP's regressive policies.

Posted by: Out with the Stupid | May 27, 2008 5:19 PM

So what's the difference between the Obama and Clinton death watch of McCain and Hillary's reference to RFK? The difference is it's a strategy they both employ in order to create doubt in the American public. Never mind this man is probably in better shape then 95% of the American population. Why is Hillary's reference to RFK a NO NO and the Democratic strategy of age not chastised for what it is . . . a sleaze campaign built on lies and misinformation? Let's call this what it is . . . AGE DISCRIMINATION. Sanctioned at the highest levels of the Democratic Party and carrier out with the DNC by people who say they are here to protect workers rights. If this is their example of how they intent to protect us . . . I am having none of that. I choose McCain and experience over hype and naivety any day.

Posted by: Don, Fairfax, VA | May 27, 2008 5:00 PM

McSame is the south end of a north bound mavrick!

Posted by: Anonymous | May 27, 2008 4:56 PM

Yes, McCain is too old. My Grandpa is about the same age and I wouldn't want him making any decisions that would affect the outcome of my life. I would listen to his advice about fishing and cars, and that's about it. McCain already seems like he's lost some of his marbles, and he could lose them all before even being inaugurated if elected.