Letters to the Editor
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It shouldn't be a problem with the Christian Right
Since McCain's so old he had a three-way with Jesus and Mary Magdalene.
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How not to bring up an issue
We're not going to talk about how old he is. I mean, no one in his right mind would object to someone his age running for office, or even consider trying to make a case that someone over the age of 70 would have issues with holding the high pressure job of president. We wouldn't dream of even bringing it up. Anyone who would bring up his advanced age, and is potential health status, for that matter, is extremely rude and outside the bounds of polite politics. We won't ever mention this again, except maybe to remind you every week or so of how we're not bringing this up.
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No one needs to make age an issue...
... because it already makes itself apparent in a number of ways. There will be plenty of contrast between McCain and Obama, and age -- with all the things that go along with it -- will be right there with the other big differences between the two.
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Health not Age
He's seventy one, but he looks like he's ninty one. He sounds befuddled and confused, and looks like he's had a stroke. His cancer has never been fully addressed. His health is certainly a valid issue.
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"You can have your George Burns. We have Senator Obama!"
I mean, there should be nothing wrong with saying that, right?
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"We won't bring up the topic of HIS VERY ADVANCED AGE"
Reminds me of Mark Penn saying "We like to take the high road, so we're not going to mention the issue of Obama's COCAINE USE. Just wouldn't be right to dwell on the fact that he USED COCAINE."
Not the way to take the high road.
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McCain's age and corresponding health issues matter...
insofar as they make his V.P. pick more important. Voters should ask themselves, "do I want his V.P. to be president?"
However, that question doesn't rank very high on my concerns about McCain.
His continuation of Bush's Iraq War and economic policies, his proclaimed ignorance on domestic issues and his dismal record on women's rights are much more disturbing.
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Why Not?
As you note they would. They will use race or gender in this campaign, in fact they'd use trained baboons if it would garner a vote.
I'd use his age, his faulty grasp of facts and poor memory in a subtle but persistent way. They have the ad consultants that know how to do it.
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a very real issue
I think his age, and the fact that he looks like death warmed over, will play a very significant role this fall. I think ALOT of the "middle-of-the-road, not very engaged in politics except at election time" voters will not view his age as a positive. It will be one of those subconscious things...and I hope (not foolishly I think) that it will offset any subconscious unease with voting for a black man.
I mean that in contrast to McCain I think Obama will be seen more as the young candidate and not the black candidate.
cheers
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Focus on the VP
There is a class of McCain-leaning voter who is staunchly anti-Bush but somehow has bought into the "experienced" and "maverick/straight talk/bipartisan" rhetoric.
In talking to these people two arguments seem to give them pause:
1) McCain's age -- there is an excellent chance his VP will be president. Do you really want a President Huckabee? Or President Guliani? People who like McCain for his "independence" will probably not like his VP choice, unless he take (ugh) Lieberman. Usually the VP choice is a non-factor in elections, but this year may be different.
2) McCain's likely jurist nominations. People in the polical middle tend to overlook the Supreme Court when choosing between presidential candidates. But even those in the middle have trouble with the idead of a Supreme Court with 5,6, or 7 people like Antonin Scalia. Point out that the Scalia wing currently has 4 people, and that McCain would appoint more Scalias, and the independent voters do start to get worried.
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Life is for the living!
Actually, there are much better reason not to vote for McCain then his age.
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Who needs to bring up his age?
His position on birth control pills alone should carry considerable weight (there's a joke in there somewhere) with most thinking voters.
But, if that's not enough by itself, perhaps they can tie it into his support for another hundred years in Iraq, and the need for more bodies. [/bitterness]
Respect for Life, indeed.
* * *
I do miss War Room, but it's good to read you here, Steve. Some of us are hoping that you will stay.
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His age is a perfectly legitimate issue
both because of the possibility that he might die in office, and because we have already had one President who was showing early symptoms of Alzheimer's syndrome while still in office. I know that die-hard Reagan-worshipers will deny it up and down, but his close advisers knew it. Gorbachev certainly knew it, and worried about it, first because he didn't want to be perceived as taking advantage of senile man, and second, because he recognized that Reagan was quite capable of agreeing to something and then forgetting that he had done so. And Ollie North's crowd knew it and took criminal advantage of it. So yes, age and health are very significant issues that should be openly discussed.
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another ism...
I've seen several articles on the sexism that Hilary faces. And there have been some rumblings about the racism that Obama faces. Now there's an article on this site that is effectively supporting an ageist approach to McCain.
Frankly, the sexism, racism and ageism attacks on all the candidates are, to my way of thinking, inappropriate. I'm not going to vote for Hilary because she's facing sexist attacks ("tell me sexism hasn't hurt Hillary Clinton in this campaign." Joan Walsh), nor will I be swayed to vote for Obama, who, I've been told, is alternatively too black and not black enough, depending on where you vote from. Now I'm being told that McCain may be too old.
Enough with the sexism, ageism and racism. Choose a candidate based on his past actions and stated positions that you agree with.
If I do that, my vote will go to...
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Dean Should Resign
By not using McCain's age in the campaign is another reason Dean should RESIGN.Trying to be nice guys cost the democrats the election in 04. Why are this crop of people who call themselves democrat's so afraid to speak out about what the republican's are doing to destroy this country. Nancy Pelosi is a prime example when she took impeachment off the table giving Bush another free ride.I support Hillary but she has run a terrible campaign being afraid that if she says anything against Obama she will be called a racist--why doesn't she tell the truth about what a liteweight he was when a Rep in Illinois voting present 130 times and going to a church for 20 year's where his pastor is a racist who hates White's? and his wife Michelle Obama doesn't like this country,she is a racist with a big chip on her shoulder and would be a disgrace as first lady I shutter to think about it.Howard Dean is a disaster as head of the DNC and Obama would be a disaster if people are so blind and uninformed as to vote for him