Do we really want an 80-year old President...?

[kentuck]

In this dangerous and demanding job? John McCain would be about 80 years old if he served 8 years. Is this a non-issue? Or is this something voters should consider when casting their vote?

[Jed Dilligan]

1. It was an issue for Reagan nt

[tekisui]

2. And he's a cancer survivor.

Stress can lower the body's immune system and could cause a re-lapse.

I think it is an issue and don't want anyone that old, with that history of illness as Pres. Especially, if he pick the Huckster as a running mate.

[terrya]

18. Same here.

It's a touchy subject...you don't want to impart the idea that older people are automatically excluded from being President.

But still...I'm sorry, but it IS an issue. And as you said, he's a cancer survivor.

[no_hypocrisy]

3. Only if it were Dennis.

[Catherine Vincent]

4. I always get the feeling that McCain feels he's owed the presidency,

because he was a prisoner of war.

[sandyj999]

11. That is my impression also. n/t

[mrreowwr_kittty]

19. I get that feeling about someone else too. nt

[hisownpetard]

5. It's not so much his chronological age but the fact that, imo, he's gone downhill and lost a lot of

"oomph" in the last year, to the extent that it seems really obvious. Slow mentation, slow to react,
slow speech pattern. Not a good thing.

Even given that, though, he'd be better than Bush as long as his response time comes in at anything less
than 7 minutes.

[vireo]

6. I would take Jimmy Carter at this point

And he's already 80+!

[Lasher]

7. JFK would have been 90 right now.

If he were still alive I would be overjoyed to have him as president.

[rtassi]

8. It is an issue

I have 80 year old parents, and the change from their mid 70's to 80 was dramatic... He would probably be little more than a caricature of a President at that point. I know there are exceptions, but he does not appear to be one of them, at least not to me.. If I were running against him I would feel compelled to make it an issue for the good of the country!

[countingbluecars]

9. If McCain gets the nomination,

his choice of running mate will be very significant.

[zbdent]

10. that's what cracks me up about people talking about the support McCain is getting ...

Youth vote ... well, he's in the November of his life ... does he even remember his Spring?

Uniter ... working with Dems ... um ... the words "Voting was along party lines" really comes to mind ...

[ecstatic]

12. I think it is an issue! Many don't trust 80 year olds behind the wheel

so why should we trust one behind the (nuclear) switch? And I'm not an age-ist... my 76 yr old grandmother still drives, but at some point she will have to give up her license.

[CGowen]

13. He wants 100 years in Iraq and more wars, that should be the issue

Speaking in Polk City, Florida, U.S. Senator and 2008 presidential candidate John McCain (R-AZ) pledges expansion of access to health care for soldiers injured physically and psychologically not only in the current war, but in wars he says are sure to follow.

This video is from CNN Newsroom, broadcast January 27, 2008.

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/McCain_straight_talk_Expect_more_war_0127.html


McCain: 100 years in Iraq "would be fine with me"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFknKVjuyNk

[OHdem10]

14. Suck it up and decide how you will beat him

The GOP gets to decide their candidate

as we sorta do on our side.

[kentuck]

16. I forgot...

It's the primary season....we're not permitted to say anything about our Republican opponents in the general election. So sorry.

[SammyWinstonJack]

15. Didn't he say he wouldn't serve more than one term if elected? Watch out for Jeb.

:scared:

[onenote]

17. McCain's age may work against him, but one has to be careful about raising it

We don't really have to talk that much about McCain's age for it to have an impact. If he's the nominee, the age difference between him and the Democratic candidate (whether its HRC or Obama) will be obvious enough. Focusing on his age after 8 years is particularly odd, since it assumes that voters are thinking eight years ahead, which they never are. And overtly raising the issue only allows rebuttal points to be made, such as the fact that Ted Kennedy is four years older than McCain, that Carl Levin and Barbara Mikulski are older than McCain, That McCain is only four years older than Boxer and five years older than Sanders.

The age and health factor will come into play. But pushing on it too hard, or in the wrong way, could lead to a backlash.

[kentuck]

20. But none of the Democrats you mention are running for President??

I agree that age is not something that we would want to push as an issue. However, I see nothing wrong with people thinking about it.

[Horse with no Name]

21. We will know exactly what they are up to

when they announce their choice for VP.
I believe that they know that there is a possibility that McCain won't make it...they will elect him, but the real candidate will be the VP. Then they will slip a nefarious character in as VP(think Cheney-esque).:scared: