WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 2007
Too Old To Run?
At 70, McCain's Age And Health Factor In Bid For Presidency
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Play CBS Video Video McCain On Bush's Speech Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who has his own presidential ambitions, speaks with Harry Smith about President Bush's sixth State of the Union address.
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Video McCain Supports Troop Increase CBS News RAW: Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., expressed his support for the president's plan to boost America's military presence in Iraq. McCain has advocated an increase in troop levels.
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Video McCain Blasts President Bush Only On The Web: Bill Plante reports Sen. John McCain supports the Iraq war, but has harsh words for President Bush. This is a significant departure for McCain, who may seek the presidency.
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Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., if elected in 2008, would be would be the oldest person ever inaugurated as president. (AP Photo/Matt York)
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Who's Who 2008 Republican Hopefuls McCain and Giuliani head up the Republican pack chasing the presidency.
"I am older than dirt and have more scars than Frankenstein," John McCain likes to say.
It always gets a laugh, though I don't suppose his mother, who is 94, and her twin sister appreciate it very much. If he is older than dirt, what does that make them? Older than lava?
If McCain, 70, runs and wins, he would be the oldest person ever inaugurated as president. As is evident from the scar on the left side of his face, he has had malignant melanoma, the most invasive and dangerous form of skin cancer. (One in every 60 Americans is at risk for developing invasive melanoma in their lifetimes.)
I talked to McCain recently and asked him about his health. He said it was good. "I hiked the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim last August with my son, Jack," he said.
I tried to imagine that. The last time I saw it, the Grand Canyon was seriously deep.
How on earth do you hike a thing like that rim-to-rim? I asked.
"Down and up!" he said. "It takes three days."
John Kennedy, who at 43 became the youngest person ever elected president, and who was always associated with "vig-ah," in fact had serious diseases that were kept from the public.
As was revealed in 2002, Kennedy was sick from age 13 through the rest of his life, was on chronic-pain medication throughout his presidency and had Addison's disease, an endocrine disorder that until 1940 was a terminal illness. Kennedy survived it through cortisone injections, which at the time only rich people could afford.
Dr. Jeffrey Kelman, who examined Kennedy's medical records in 2002, said, "He was never healthy. I mean, the image you get of vigor and progressive health wasn't true."
The point being: Electing a young person to the presidency is no guarantee that he or she will be healthy or stay healthy.
The media often demands the release of medical records these days, and the candidates sometimes comply. There were so many false rumors circulating about McCain's health when he ran for president in 2000, that he released 1,500 pages of medical and psychiatric records. They showed him to be in good health and not nuts. (And how many presidential candidates can say that?)
"We'll probably have to do that again," McCain told me of the record release.
Do you think all candidates should release their medical and psychiatric records? I asked.
I thought he would jump on that and say yes, just to put pressure on the other presidential campaigns, but he did not.
"I don't know," he said. "I think probably in my case it was a little more unique because of my POW status and the war injuries and the fact that people were spreading rumors that I was crazy and disabled both. So we'll probably have to do that again."
You think the rumors will start again? I asked.
"They already have!" he said.
But I don't think that is going to be McCain's problem. It isn't his health but rather his demeanor that worries some people.
The Iraq war, which he strongly supports, has disturbed and dismayed him. He told The Washington Post it was a "train wreck." He told me it was a "witch's brew." He visits wounded soldiers and Marines when they come back home for treatment and if any civilian feels the pain of the military, it is McCain.
And it is showing.
Last April, I wrote of a campaign swing McCain made through New Hampshire and Iowa, "Though McCain said he enjoyed himself, he was not the rollicking campaigner of six years ago. At a number of stops, he was largely subdued and sometimes almost somber."
Last Sunday, on "Meet the Press with Tim Russert," McCain seemed to have moved from almost somber to almost gloomy.
In my recent interview, I suggested to him that the laughing, joking John McCain of his last presidential campaign seemed to be AWOL.
"It's hard to make jokes; we are a nation at war," he said. "There are great national security challenges that we face. But I also believe, as Ronald Reagan did, that America's greatest days are ahead of us. It's going to be an upbeat campaign and an optimistic one."
And will you still come to the back of the bus and goof off with the press like before? I asked.
"If I changed that," McCain said with a smile of old, "I would probably get death threats."
By Roger Simon
TM & © 2007 The Politico & Politico.com, a division of Allbritton Communications Company.
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See all 59 CommentsRe:
"1- accept the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court and World Court
2- sign the Kyoto accords
3- let the UN lead international crisis action
4- use diplomatic & economic measures against terrorism
5- keep to traditional interpretation of UN Charter
6- give up SC veto at UN and show a decent respect for world opinion
7- cut back military spending, increase social spending"
Excellent suggestions, "karlimhof"
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1- accept the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court and World Court
2- sign the Kyoto accords
3- let the UN lead international crisis action
4- use diplomatic & economic measures against terrorism
5- keep to traditional interpretation of UN Charter
6- give up SC veto at UN and show a decent respect for world opinion
7- cut back military spending, increase social spending
I don't get a feeling of any level of concern for the common man at the bottom of the totem pole as the largest percentage of us are lately.
Also, It seems he has gotten himself between a rock and a hard place and doesn't know how to wriggle free. There is no middle road anymore, there is just the right side of the road and the wrong side. He doesn't know which way to lean now and still save face. He acts as if he got caught on the wrong side and wishes he was on the other side. I guess this indecisiveness is why I do not trust John McCain. Besides, he is aging very fast lately. In two years, would he have four good, vigorous years left in him? I am younger at 82 than McCain is at 70.
He just wants to be President. He'll clearly kiss some serious butt to acomplish this.
The problem with McCain is that he's tied his political future to a man who has no political future.
Nope, just too foolish/useless.
-.......the ultimate truth was revealed to his -prophet, Joseph Smith, by a 'talking' white -salomander. (That's a lizard of type, by the way)
Wow... you must be on some pretty good dope to make such an out landish statement as this.
Anyway, I thought the subject here was McCain's age.
Age 72 (in 2008), with 4 or 8 years expected to serve, when average age to live is 76, will cause many to pause. Romney's ability to turn around bankrupt/foundering companies/organizations is a big plus to resolve this counties huge deficits. Statistically speaking, we could have this ability around not just for two terms as POTUS, but also as potential adviser for next four presidents, is more hopeful then what McCain's life expectancy and health history is expected to deliver.
I have feeling McCain's age will play against him more then he expects, especially with equal or more capable candidates much younger then he (such as Romney).
PS. The rules of engagement preclude religious bigotry, makes me wonder how your statement past muster.
It would be a pro-working class media for one thing; and its news, outside of editorials, would be concerned about and for working people's struggles to form unions, defend their rights, and talk about their concerns and issues. The old, and still printing, "independent socialist" Monthly Review would be an excellent example of a true left-wing media publication. I recommend their website.
CBS has a more broader and general news mission. CBS also springs from and is financially supported by capitalist culture. "Left" is about social-democracy and socialism amongst other things and only secondarily about liberalism. (ergo left doesn't equal liberal and vice versa) The Left's orgins were forged in the crucible of anti-imperialist and anti-Robber Baron struggles. Its ideological struggle was further advanced in the later 20th century during the 60s. CBS is hardly connected to that history. Folks who throw out those "it's 'left wing'" accusations should know what they are talking about before they express stupid opinions that, as usual, heap additional shame on the ignorance and perfidiousness of the conservative movement which prefers the politics of delusion, disinformation, jingoism, ignorance and childish magical thinking than sanity Signed: former ABC worker
It would be a pro-working class media for one thing; and its news, outside of editorials, would be concerned about and for working people's struggles to form unions, defend their rights, and talk about their concerns and issues. The old, and still printing, "independent socialist" Monthly Review would be an excellent example of a true left-wing media publication. I recommend their website.
CBS has a more broader and general news mission. CBS also springs from and is financially supported by capitalist culture. "Left" is about social-democracy and socialism amongst other things and only secondarily about liberalism. (ergo left doesn't equal liberal and vice versa) The Left's orgins were forged in the crucible of anti-imperialist and anti-Robber Baron struggles. Its ideological struggle was further advanced in the later 20th century during the 60s. CBS is hardly connected to that history. Folks who throw out those "it's 'left wing'" accusations should know what they are talking about before they express stupid opinions that, as usual, heap additional shame on the ignorance and perfidiousness of the conservative movement which prefers the politics of delusion, disinformation, jingoism, ignorance and childish magical thinking than sanity Signed: former ABC worker
Mr. McCain is on the wrong side again. And all he has to do is look at the polls to see that the American people are smart enough to understand what is going on.
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Why would anyone want to elect another political animal with no conscience.
Making friends with the religious wackos of the right
For the war - now he calls it a "train wreck" a "witch's brew." In that case how are 21K more targets going to help?
His release of 1,500 pages of medical and psychiatric records. They showed him to be in good health and not nuts. HUM!@#$%^&* Nuts? maybe not but a flip flopping egotist Yes.
His star reached its nadir long ago and its now crashing back to earth.
Sold your SOUL you Captain Crunch look alike.
WE NEED A REVOLUTION.
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