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How old is to old????

CattleArmy

Well-known member
How Old Is Too Old To Be President?
by The Associated Press

Posted: July 14, 2008 - 5:00 pm ET

(Washington) So how old is John McCain? Six-packs, automatic transmissions and the American Express card were all introduced after he was born, not to mention computers which McCain admits he doesn't use. McCain, himself, jokes that he's older than dirt. And while his age is being raised as a campaign issue, medical experts say voters shouldn't be concerned that, if elected, McCain would be the oldest man to assume the presidency, at 72.In politics and other fields, they explain, it's not unusual for talented people to do signature work late in life, when they can apply the cumulative wisdom of experience, and leverage personal connections cultivated over time.
Nonetheless, a significant slice of the electorate has qualms about McCain's age. The presumed Republican nominee will celebrate his 72nd birthday shortly before his party's convention. Polls show the age question isn't going away, despite the Arizona senator's efforts to deflect it with self-deprecating humor, or disprove it by keeping a grueling schedule.

"Sure, people live to be 90, but you are not as sharp," said Virginia Bailey, 73, a retired administrative assistant who lives near Schenectady, N.Y., and is a Republican. "I'm not as sharp as I was ten years ago, and I'm sure (McCain) isn't either - even though he wouldn't admit it."McCain's senior-citizen status raises more concerns among voters than Sen. Barack Obama's relative youthfulness, a new AP-Yahoo News poll indicates. Twenty percent said "too old" describes McCain "very well," compared with 14 percent who felt strongly that Obama is "too young." Overall, 38 percent said "too old" describes McCain somewhat or very well, compared with 30 percent who worried that the Illinois Democrat, who turns 47 this summer, is too young.Capitalizing on the concern, New York City graphics designer Joe Quint has launched an Internet site called thingsyoungerthanmccain.com. Quint, a Democrat, said he doesn't believe septuagenarians should be disqualified from the presidency, but age should be part of the discussion. He's planning a book of his Web site items before the election.

The age issue is "clearly a potential problem" for McCain, said independent pollster Andrew Kohut, president of the Pew Research Center. "There is a larger issue of whether people will come to see him as old apart from his age," Kohut added. "Will they think of him as having old ideas?"

Medical science, however, suggests that concerns about McCain's age are exaggerated.

"The presidential campaign is full of chatter - much of it quite misinformed - about the role of age," said Dr. William Thomas, a geriatrician and professor at the University of Maryland's Erickson School of Aging Studies. Geriatrics is a medical specialty that focuses on the elderly.

"People in old age are fully capable of imaginative and skillful work," Thomas added. "A person's age is not a block to doing fantastic work."

Although U.S. life expectancy at birth is about 78 years, a person who reaches 70 can expect to live another 15 years. For a seventy-something president, that could work out to two terms in office, plus time for writing memoirs-and cashing in on book sales.

But differences among people in their seventies can be stark, because some have already started into a steep decline.

Dr. David Reuben, chief of geriatrics at UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine, said he sees no outward evidence of such a problem with McCain, despite the occasional gaffe.

"As a clinician, I look at whether they appear to be robust, whether their sentences flow, whether their thoughts connect, whether they are easily distractible," said Reuben. "McCain appears to be quite robust."

The main medical concern about McCain is not his age, but his history of melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer. If McCain is elected, Americans would have to get used to the idea of their president as a cancer survivor, closely followed by doctors for any sign of a recurrence.

But Reuben said there's very little difference in clinical terms between McCain's age and Ronald Reagan's, who turned 70 soon after he was sworn in for his first term. Reagan managed to avoid the "old" label by often riding horses and clearing brush on his ranch in California. But could seem to be forgetful at times. In Iran-Contra testimony in 1990, a year after leaving office, he couldn't remember that Gen. John W. Vessey served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for three years in his administration.

Reagan's Alzheimer's diagnosis came later, nearly six years after leaving the White House.

McCain has embraced what he calls his own "oldness." He jokes that he's older than dirt and has more scars than Frankenstein, but he's learned some useful things along the way. That seems to put many voters at ease. In the AP-Yahoo News poll, 58 percent said the term "too old" doesn't describe McCain at all well, or only slightly.

"I figure he's a very experienced man," said Robert Covarrubias, 38, a trucking company manager from Los Angeles, and a Republican. "We've had presidents who were up there in age before."

Mindful that it could backfire on them, Democrats have mostly broached the age issue indirectly, by trying to link McCain to festering problems that Washington hasn't resolved. That may resonate with some voters.

"Not only age wise is (McCain) old, but he has also been a politician for a long time," said Aaron Andrus, 28, a software developer from Salt Lake City, who is not affiliated with either party. "I don't see how what he would do would be any different from what has been done time and time again, and has brought our country to the point where we are today."

*******************************************************


I'm not alone in wondering if he just isn't to old for the job.


Plus he doesn't use a computers????
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
"Not only age wise is (McCain) old, but he has also been a politician for a long time," said Aaron Andrus, 28, a software developer from Salt Lake City, who is not affiliated with either party. "I don't see how what he would do would be any different from what has been done time and time again, and has brought our country to the point where we are today."

Right there sums up my feelings...Just more of the same-o, same-o, D.C. business as usual....In 30 years of politics he's had to build up a lot of markers that will get called in if he gets elected....
 

Cal

Well-known member
Oldtimer said:
"Not only age wise is (McCain) old, but he has also been a politician for a long time," said Aaron Andrus, 28, a software developer from Salt Lake City, who is not affiliated with either party. "I don't see how what he would do would be any different from what has been done time and time again, and has brought our country to the point where we are today."

Right there sums up my feelings...Just more of the same-o, same-o, D.C. business as usual....In 30 years of politics he's had to build up a lot of markers that he will have to repay if he gets elected....
I'll feel better if McCain has a running mate that I like, sounds like maybe Mitt Romney, that's good in my estimation. Probably more disturbing to me is Obama's lack of experience and accomplishment as someone supposedly qualified to be President. I was trying to think of who Obama ought to pick for a running mate, and as an eagle flew above the balers it came to me.....Russell Means. :lol: :lol:
 

aplusmnt

Well-known member
Oldtimer said:
"Not only age wise is (McCain) old, but he has also been a politician for a long time," said Aaron Andrus, 28, a software developer from Salt Lake City, who is not affiliated with either party. "I don't see how what he would do would be any different from what has been done time and time again, and has brought our country to the point where we are today."

Right there sums up my feelings...Just more of the same-o, same-o, D.C. business as usual....In 30 years of politics he's had to build up a lot of markers that will get called in if he gets elected....

Its a lot easier to keep a fat cow fat than fatten up a skinny one. Obama scares me a lot more when it comes to paying it forward than McCain.
 

kolanuraven

Well-known member
Cal said:
his lack of experience and accomplishment as someone supposedly qualified to be President.



Now why didn't you have this same thought about Bush about 8 yrs ago and we'd not be in the mess we got now???????????????????????????



Ahhh.....you had a vision then? Some how I don't think Mr Means would want the cut in pay.
 

Soapweed

Well-known member
kolanuraven said:
Cal said:
his lack of experience and accomplishment as someone supposedly qualified to be President.



Now why didn't you have this same thought about Bush about 8 yrs ago and we'd not be in the mess we got now???????????????????????????

The problem is with the "system." Why do we let five or six of the states with the early primaries decide for the whole nation who will be the presidetial nominees? It seems that by this method, we just end up with the candidates with a lot of money and no expertise. If all 50 states had their primaries on the same day in the spring, we would end up with some much more viable and capable candidates for President to vote for the following November. We wouldn't have to be stuck with the likes of Gore, Kerry, Bush, Hillary, Obama, or McCain. More "cream" would rise to the top if there wasn't quite so much churning going on. Just my humble opinion. :?
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
“In a brand new interview, John McCain admits that his staff has to show him websites because he has trouble getting on the Internet by himself. That’s what he said. Yeah, yesterday McCain tried to surf the Internet for half an hour before his staff told him he was actually holding an Etch-A-Sketch.” -Conan O’Brien

“John McCain in the news for the second time. For the second time in two days, John McCain has referred to current events in Czechoslovakia, a country that officially ceased to exist in 1993. Yeah. Afterwards, McCain said, ‘You know, the same thing happened the last time I went to Mesopotamia.” -Conan O’Brien
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
Soapweed said:
kolanuraven said:
Cal said:
his lack of experience and accomplishment as someone supposedly qualified to be President.



Now why didn't you have this same thought about Bush about 8 yrs ago and we'd not be in the mess we got now???????????????????????????

The problem is with the "system." Why do we let five or six of the states with the early primaries decide for the whole nation who will be the presidetial nominees? It seems that by this method, we just end up with the candidates with a lot of money and no expertise. If all 50 states had their primaries on the same day in the spring, we would end up with some much more viable and capable candidates for President to vote for the following November. We wouldn't have to be stuck with the likes of Gore, Kerry, Bush, Hillary, Obama, or McCain. More "cream" would rise to the top if there wasn't quite so much churning going on. Just my humble opinion. :?

:agree: 100%
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
“Yesterday, Barack Obama was in the Fatherland. John McCain was in Grandfather Land.”
-Jay Leno


“They said on the news earlier tonight that this political campaign has only 100 days left. Only! Anybody complaining that this thing was dragging out? Oh, not quick enough? … Only 100 days left. Oh, God! 100 Days. I don’t know what’s less likely, Barack Obama getting enough experience in 100 days, or John McCain living another 100 days.”
-Jay Leno
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
“In a speech yesterday, Barack Obama said he’s distantly related to the famous 19th century gunslinger Wild Bill Hickok. After hearing this, John McCain said, “Big deal, I went to high school with him.” -Conan O’Brien


Prediction: The next President's birthday will be in August. Probably a safe bet since Barack Obama turned 47 yesterday and John McCain turns 72 on Aug. 29.
 

Larrry

Well-known member
I have an idea OT, if I want to watch Conan or Leno or whoever on TV fo4r some laughs I will do just that. Your reposting someone elses jokes is not needed, but thanks for your interest in humoring all of us.
 

fff

Well-known member
Oldtimer said:
“In a speech yesterday, Barack Obama said he’s distantly related to the famous 19th century gunslinger Wild Bill Hickok. After hearing this, John McCain said, “Big deal, I went to high school with him.” -Conan O’Brien

:lol: :lol:
 

nonothing

Well-known member
how can any body that old be in touch with the youth or even the middle aged of america....He was obama's age in 1982...he could not possibly understand..I am not knocking him for being old,(we all get older)I just think how could he possibly be intouch with over 3/4 of the country....Life is no longer lived the same way it was when he was even middle aged..Liberal or conservative,you still should be in touch with the realities of a younger nation.....There are some real social problems,to deal with ,and none of us would expect our granfather to understand or even find ways to understand how to fix them..I say let him be president of some arizona condo strata,not the Nation..
 

aplusmnt

Well-known member
nonothing said:
There are some real social problems,to deal with ,and none of us would expect our granfather to understand or even find ways to understand how to fix them.

I know my Grandfather understood the problems of today, and how to fix them. He would tell the youth of today to get a job, cut your hair and pull your pants up! Hard work is pretty well the cure for most any problem out there.

The problem you have with someone older like McCain is you might not like his answers to them social problems. Not that he would not have answers for them!

Ps. Reagan already proved that a man in his 70's can not only be a president, but also be one of the Great Presidents! You are arguing a point that has already been proven wrong 25 years ago.
 

hopalong

Well-known member
aplusmnt said:
nonothing said:
There are some real social problems,to deal with ,and none of us would expect our granfather to understand or even find ways to understand how to fix them.

I know my Grandfather understood the problems of today, and how to fix them. He would tell the youth of today to get a job, cut your hair and pull your pants up! Hard work is pretty well the cure for most any problem out there.

The problem you have with someone older like McCain is you might not like his answers to them social problems. Not that he would not have answers for them!

Ps. Reagan already proved that a man in his 70's can not only be a president, but also be one of the Great Presidents! You are arguing a point that has already been proven wrong 25 years ago.


:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
 

fff

Well-known member
nonothing said:
how can any body that old be in touch with the youth or even the middle aged of america....He was obama's age in 1982...he could not possibly understand..I am not knocking him for being old,(we all get older)I just think how could he possibly be intouch with over 3/4 of the country....Life is no longer lived the same way it was when he was even middle aged..Liberal or conservative,you still should be in touch with the realities of a younger nation.....There are some real social problems,to deal with ,and none of us would expect our granfather to understand or even find ways to understand how to fix them..I say let him be president of some arizona condo strata,not the Nation..

I don't think of McCain's age as being an "in touch" problem. I just think he's not physically up to the demands of the job. In emergency situations, the president puts in very long hours and needs to make good, quick decisions. Even if McCain wasn't an extension of the Bush Administration, I'd hesitate to vote for him because of his age.
 
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