Will McCain's Age Be An Issue?

[Psycho4Bud]

Is John McCain Ronald Reagan or Bob Dole?

Or, more to the point, will McCain be perceived as the vigorous, wood-chopping proclaimer of â??Morning in Americaâ?� or as a cranky senior senator prone to gaffes and the occasional stage tumble?

The sensitive question of age - one of the trickiest and most unpredictable in the political playbook - has been touched upon only glancingly since McCain became the de facto GOP nominee. But it is certain to hover over a candidate who will be 72 by Election Day.

For all the ink spilled on whether the country is ready for a woman or African-American, polls indicate that more Americans worry about having a president over 70.

And McCainâ??s public image is unmistakably tied to his age. Pew surveys taken in February and again last month showed that when voters are asked what word they would identify with McCain, â??oldâ?� was far and away the choice.

Recent presidential history shows being a septuagenarian is not a disqualifier. Reagan was 73 in his 1984 reelection campaign and won a 49-state landslide.

Dole, however, was the same age when he ran for president in 1996 against Bill Clinton and was never really in contention.

Veterans of both campaigns agree that with McCain as the GOP nominee, age will again be an issue - and say the Reagan and Dole experiences offer the McCain team some best-case and worst-case scenarios on how to deal with it.
Will McCain's Age Be An Issue?, Politico: Sensitive Question Could Hover Over A Candidate Who Will Be 72 By Election Day - CBS News

Age should be an issue as much as sex or race....NO place for it. I personally think that attacking his age would be a major mistake.

With Bob Dole...hell, he always talked in third person tense. Age didn't even have to be brought up.

Have a good one!:s4:

Psycho4Bud Reviewed by Psycho4Bud on 05-05-2008. Will McCain's Age Be An Issue? Is John McCain Ronald Reagan or Bob Dole? Or, more to the point, will McCain be perceived as the vigorous, wood-chopping proclaimer of â??Morning in Americaâ?� or as a cranky senior senator prone to gaffes and the occasional stage tumble? The sensitive question of age - one of the trickiest and most unpredictable in the political playbook - has been touched upon only glancingly since McCain became the de facto GOP nominee. But it is certain to hover over a candidate who will be 72 by Rating: 5

[DaBudhaStank]

So the Republican party IS made up entirely of old, rich white men! I KNEW IT!

Just kidding

Or am I?

Dun Dun Dun.

[40oz]

Age should be an issue as much as sex or race....NO place for it. I personally think that attacking his age would be a major mistake.

With Bob Dole...hell, he always talked in third person tense. Age didn't even have to be brought up.

Have a good one!:s4:

This is very true. McCain seems to be pretty healthy and im sure he has been undergoing thorough psychical and mental exams recently. It's not like the president has to be in peak physical condition to fight in a war or anything, he just has to be sane enough to make decisions about it.

[8182KSKUSH]

It should be no more or less an issue than the fact that Borak is black, and Clinton is a bitch.

Fact is it is illegal to descriminate for "employment" based on race, age, or sex, as well as several other reasons. It will be funny to watch the "ultra-tolerant" party of the Democrats bring this up. I think if that happens, then McCain should just say Obama is too black. It's no different, both are factors that are not choices. Lord knows there would be a huge outrage if those dipshits at MSNBC were talking about how "Obama is black though, I don't think we should vote for him because he's black." Saying "oh no, McCain is old, " is not any different. None of them should really be factors.

[netdog]

You can bet the dems will play his age to the hilt for all they get out of it.

If he makes any public speakig gaffe, it'll be a described over and over as a "senior moment" etc., and especially Obama will work on it as an "old guard" vs "new politics" issue.

[DaBudhaStank]

I really wouldn't have a problem with a person's age except for two reasons.

1. Obvious health reasons. More likely to die from an illness, could drop dead at any moment from a heart attack, etc.

2. The older a person gets, the more set in their ways they become. This is a double edged blade. It's good because we'd have a leader who is steady and willing to continue on with the plans they make. However, being set in your ways is NOT a good thing when it isn't benficiary to the country.

All in all, I'd rather NOT have an old man for president, but I'd pick him in a heartbeat over Clinton.

[texas grass]

what is an issue is his polorized stance with bush

[HerbalConfusion]

It should be no more or less an issue than the fact that Borak is black, and Clinton is a bitch.

Fact is it is illegal to descriminate for "employment" based on race, age, or sex, as well as several other reasons. It will be funny to watch the "ultra-tolerant" party of the Democrats bring this up. I think if that happens, then McCain should just say Obama is too black. It's no different, both are factors that are not choices. Lord knows there would be a huge outrage if those dipshits at MSNBC were talking about how "Obama is black though, I don't think we should vote for him because he's black." Saying "oh no, McCain is old, " is not any different. None of them should really be factors.

Lots of things are illegal you need to take your emotions out of the subject if you want to talk about it. Obviously that is an answer you would expect from a mccain supporter. Race and age are completely different aging affects the mind race does not.

[Psycho4Bud]

what is an issue is his polorized stance with bush

They may be the same on some issues but far from each other on other issues. Some I prefer McCain and others NOT.

These two haven't really cared much for each other in the past and McCain has been "Bush bashing" on the campaign trail. Even the recent proposal of a "gas holiday" is being rejected by Bush. LOL....also seems like Clinton is using McCains idea to go after Obama.

Have a good one!:s4: