June 19, 2008
What's The Right Age For A President?
CBS News' Kathy Frankovic: Americans Say Best Decade Is 50s; Only 2 Percent Say McCain's Decade Ideal
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Race And Age In Campaign '08
Political analyst Kelli Goff discusses the 2008 presidential race, as race and age will play a historic part in the election between presumptive candidates John McCain and Barack Obama.
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Will Ageism Dog McCain?
If elected at age 72, John McCain would be the oldest U.S. president to begin a first term. But polls show a majority of Americans prefer a younger commander-in-chief. Jeff Glor reports.
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Poll Positions
Listen to CBS News director of surveys Kathy Frankovic dissect the data to see what's driving public opinion.
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Is John McCain too old to be President? More to the point: do people think he is too old?
When we ask Americans, “In general, what is the best age for a president of the United States?” as a CBS News/New York Times poll did last February, we get some surprising results, although it just might show their ignorance about how old the candidates are.
Just about half, 48 percent, said the “best” age for a president was the 50s, even though neither of the presumptive nominees is in his fifties (nor is Hillary Clinton). Barack Obama is 46, and just 20 percent of registered voters said the 40s was the right age for a president. But far fewer - only 2 percent -- thought McCain’s decade (70’s) was the best for the job. But even that 2 percent was higher than what Americans said in 2007, when zero percent thought being in one’s 70s was the best age for the job.
There was little difference between the parties, too, in those poll results. Republicans, Democrats and independents all said the 50’s was best, though Republicans had a slight preference for an older president: 28 percent of them said the 60’s was the right presidential age, compared with just 10 percent of Democrats. On the other hand, Democrats were willing to go younger: three times as many Democrats (30 percent) as Republicans (10 percent) looked for a 40-ish candidate.
Partisanship shows up more when we specify names and ages. In the most recent CBS News Poll, we asked: “If John McCain is elected president (in 2008) he will be 72 years old when he takes office. Do you think his age would help him be an effective president, or do you think his age would be an obstacle to being an effective president, or wouldn't his age matter that much?”
Thirty percent of registered voters said McCain’s age would be an obstacle. But here there were partisan answers: just 9 percent of Republicans viewed McCain’s age as an obstacle, compared with 42 percent of Democrats. The vast majority of Republicans thought age wouldn’t make a difference - and 13 percent said it even would be a help to McCain as President.
The surprise we found is that, although one might expect younger voters to be least forgiving about an older Americans running for President, that was not true. Voters under the age of 30 were less likely to say McCain’s age is an obstacle than older voters were, and 18-29 year olds were also more likely to say that his age will help. Eleven percent of young voters think McCain’s age will help (compared with 7 percent of older voters); 23 percent of them say it will be an obstacle.
Youth and age impact one’s perception of the optimal presidential age, however. Only 9 percent of those under 30 said a president should be 60 or older - something 30 percent of those over 60 believed. But few young people were willing to have a president just a little bit older than they were - in his 30’s. For all age groups, the 50’s were best.
People have been asking whether a presidential candidate is “too old” for a long time. In 1944, 34 percent told the Gallup Poll that Franklin Roosevelt’s age would hurt him in that year’s election. Roosevelt was just 62 that year. In 1955, as in 2008, the fifties were thought of as the ideal presidential age. Forty three percent (also in a Gallup poll) thought anyone 70 or older was “too old” to run for president (76 percent thought being 65 or older should disqualify you). In the fall of 1979, 36 percent of registered voters told CBS News said they would be less likely to vote for someone over the age of 65 for the office of president.
Ronald Reagan was able to deflect this criticism in 1984, when he was 73, and his opponent, Walter Mondale was 56 (a popular presidential age, according to the voters). In a debate, Reagan was asked if there was any doubt in his mind that he could function if world events forced him to work several days with very little sleep. To this, Reagan famously responded: “Not at all ….and I want you to know that also I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit for political purposes my opponent's youth and inexperience…. I might add that it was Seneca or it was Cicero, I don't know which, that said if it was not for the elders correcting the mistakes of the young, there would be no state.”
In 1996, 72-year-old Bob Dole was also older than most candidates have ever been. In January of that year, 30 percent said his age would be an obstacle for him as president; the number rose to 37 percent in August, and fell slightly to 33 percent in October, just before the election.
So asking about a candidate’s age is not a new thing. Although nearly a third might say McCain is too old, about the same percentage of voters thought Ronald Reagan and Franklin Roosevelt were too old. And they won!
By Kathy Frankovic
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See all 52 CommentsLOL!!
Here''''s a little lesson from Freshman Psychology 101
for all of you Journalism and Poly Sci people with
your MA''''s and PHD''''s.
THE MORE YOU TRY TO FORCE FEED US BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA....THE MORE WE''''RE GOING TO REJECT HIM.
get it??
Posted by TruUSA at 02:30 PM : Jun 19, 2008
LOL You poor fascist... it''s called a CHAMPAIGN!! If you don''t like the News on this site you can get a steady diet of the "Party" line from FOX. Now IF you wish to get FORCE FED a canidate THAT''s where you can get it! Now stand... let Shooter and the Gestapo know you''re on here LICKING those boots! Ready?? Sieg Heil Bush!! Has anyone noticed these Nazi''s NEVER EVER tell us why we should vote for the OLD man?? Never tell us how his position of the Economy, Social Security, Medicare, Health Care, Iraq... any of them are no different than those of Sir Lies-A-Lot. Now WHO is attempting to FORCE FEED whom here??? SIEG HEIL BUSH!! SIEG HEIL McSAME!!
Posted by greeneyes222 at 02:32 PM : Jun 19, 2008
Well that''s not true my friend. I know I''m not near as patient and I forget things much worse now than when I was 46. In the Case of McSame... He can''t remember his position from one day to the next, thus he is flipping and flopping all over the place. That''s also, a very bad sign.
Posted by tburzio at 03:06 PM : Jun 19, 2008
LOL Some consider John F. Kennedy to be one of our GREATEST Presidents... he also, did NOT start Vietnam. Didn''t you go to school... well High School that is?? Sieg Heil Bush
Posted by ccfsdca at 02:48 PM : Jun 19, 2008"
I hate agreeing with you but yes that is true, 35 was considered well into middle age.
and MacSame is a fossil....
Posted by tburzio at 03:06 PM : Jun 19, 2008"
Uh, he kept a nuclear war from starting by firmly negotiating with Kruschev. He continued a military policy in Viet Nam that was started by Truman and Eisenhower. He started a civil rights path that was continued by LBJ. He is considered one of the greatest Presidents because of the way he inspired the nation to greatness.
Your allusions to his dalliances does not change the fact that historians commonly place him on the short list fo greatest Presidents.
The Presidents that were younger than Obama would be if he is elected were; Teddy Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Bill Clinton and Ulysses S. Grant.
The Presidents that were older than McCain would be if he were elected were...N/A. The closest was Ronald Reagan...3 years McCains younger when he was elected.
Posted by tburzio at 03:06 PM : Jun 19, 2008"
Wait, are you talking about JFK or Bill Clinton since Bill Clinton was younger when he was elected than Obama would be if he were elected.
The Age of Reason
I have learned you can''t tell a neo con anything because they can''t listen more than ranting and raving of the reactionary right. However, it is fun to state the facts and watch them say it is Clintons fault.
I guess there are that many fools in this country.
No Senior Citizens...No Senior Citizens, at all.
McCain is Too Old an We All Know it.
Noone knows when Reagan was Truly Effected with Alzheimers and You just don`t all of a sudden aquire this disease.
No Senior Citizens...No Senior Citizens, at all.
McCain is Too Old an We All Know it.
Noone knows when Reagan was Truly Effected with Alzheimers and You just don`t all of a sudden aquire this disease.
Alzheimers & Dementia is a Gradual Declining of the Mind.
Alzheimers while still in oval office?? Wow how Unbleieveable! If he was down with alzheimers then who ran the country? ooooh, maybe that''s why we sold bunch of F-16 to Iran back then. lol. Sound judgement was gone and replaced by blissful murkyness!
Ever wonder why all of McSames ads only show the right side of his face?
Could it be the MASS growing on the left side?
- I''d bet my bra it''s people who intended to vote for McCane who gave such an answer! what would you!
No Senior Citizens...No Senior Citizens, at all.
McCain is Too Old an We All Know it.
Noone knows when Reagan was Truly Effected with Alzheimers and You just don`t all of a sudden aquire this disease.
Alzheimers & Dementia is a Gradual Declining of the Mind.
Posted by trishab4 at 05:11 PM : Jun 19, 2008"
I''m betting your bra that your bra isn''t much to bet with.
Only as a Pixar-esk 3-D animation, though a very realistic one.
Bill Clinton 22 18 24
R. Reagan 6 16 8
JFK 15 14 18
G. Bush 19 23 NA
Posted by dmw1167 at 04:53 PM : Jun 19, 2008"
You are soo right, he''s only ranked 13th out of 45...silly me.
Judging someone just based on age shows ones own insecurities based on their own faults.
Look at what they havae done and what they stand for, now just what party they belong to.
Posted by peanutcrisp
I agree with you fully here, but since neither of the two contenders are this person then you have to choose one over the other.
One who has a mind and experience.
or
One who does not stand for anything, except possibly hate.
There is no doubt in my mind that you have to love this country very much to risk everything including your life to run for president. I really would appreciate both the right and left wing bloggers to stop using smear campaign on these comment section.
No Senior Citizens...No Senior Citizens, at all.
McCain is Too Old an We All Know it.
Noone knows when Reagan was Truly Effected with Alzheimers and You just don`t all of a sudden aquire this disease.
Alzheimers & Dementia is a Gradual Declining of the Mind.
Ans: Are you saying that John McCain is a Wise Man ..Puh-Lease
Posted by guysdigdirt: Judging someone just based on age shows ones own insecurities based on their own faults.
Ans: Speak for Yourself...The Old Man is Not Wide, He`s Ancient, Geriatric, A Senior Citizen...Thats it.
Look at what they have done and what they stand for, now just what party they belong to.
Ans: Like Mccain with his Lobbyist Ridden & Special interst Group Campaign. His Lobbyist Lover and all the other Women that have yet to be Exposed.
Just like 3-Times Married Newt Gingrich & Rush Limbaugh...McCain is under just by one. But his Lobbyist Lover is on his Trail.
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Just say you want Whites only in the White House, all this Wise an Un-Wise Bull-Spit is making me Puke !!
I guess thats why they call CBS the Clinton Broadcast System!
Ans: Are you saying that John McCain is a Wise Man ..Puh-Lease
Posted by guysdigdirt: Judging someone just based on age shows ones own insecurities based on their own faults.
Ans: Speak for Yourself...The Old Man is Not Wise, He`s Ancient, Geriatric, A Senior Citizen...Thats it.
Look at what they have done and what they stand for, now just what party they belong to.
Ans: Like Mccain with his Lobbyist Ridden & Special Interest Group Campaign. His Lobbyist Lover and all the other Women that have yet to be Exposed.
Just like 3-Times Married Newt Gingrich & Rush Limbaugh...McCain is under just by one. But his Lobbyist Lover is on his Trail.
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Just say you want Whites only in the White House, all this Wise an Un-Wise Bull-Spit is making me Puke !!
No Senior Citizens...No Senior Citizens, at all.
McCain is Too Old an We All Know it.
Noone knows when Reagan was Truly Effected with Alzheimers and You just don`t all of a sudden aquire this disease.
Alzheimers & Dementia is a Gradual Declining of the Mind.
You liberals should have your hands full trying to find the 57 states that obama visited. Who knows he might get a lot of votes in those states.
Posted by dmw1167 at 03:40 PM : Jun 19, 2008
My poiont exactly. McCain thinks we''ll be there 100 years because he said so, so in your opinion he hasnb''t a brain.
As for the 57 in your Barack comments he was referring to the total number of primaries and caucuses, 57.
You Gung Ho Arm Chair & TV Set Patriots, should Enlist now or Enlist your love ones, that are of Legal Age and tell us how long you`d like the War to last....Please
Or Shut The F--K Up about Mundane, Plain and Forever the Same, John McCain
Male, Ages Between 45-59 and thats it !!!
No Senior Citizens...No Senior Citizens, at all.
McCain is Too Old an We All Know it.
Noone knows when Reagan was Truly Effected with Alzheimers and You just don`t all of a sudden aquire this disease.
Alzheimers & Dementia is a Gradual Declining of the Mind.
You Gung Ho Arm Chair & TV Set Patriots, should Enlist now or Enlist your love ones, that are of Legal Age and tell us how long you`d like the War to last....Please
Or Shut The F--K Up about Mundane, Plain and Forever the Same, John McCain
Male, Ages Between 45-59 and thats it !!!
No Senior Citizens...No Senior Citizens, at all.
McCain is Too Old an We All Know it.
Noone knows when Reagan was Truly Effected with Alzheimers and You just don`t all of a sudden aquire this disease.
Alzheimers & Dementia is a Gradual Declining of the Mind.
the republicons are Anti American, simply greed driven
politicians
By AMERICAN law, it is illegal to discriminate based on age, gender, race, religeon, etc. . . However, Democrats have ALWAYS been the party of hate.
Thank you for showing the WORLD your true colors.
However I also think he is too old because of the number of years he has lived. And what if his cancer comes back, what if he gets sick with something else? At least Reagan was half-way active and vigorous for an older guy - he was always riding his horse and he even rode horses with the Queen of England. Reagan didn''t look or act like he had one foot in the grave, and McSame does.
I also don''t see how his being a POW gives him a vast amount of experience in anything except helping other POWs get over it and get on with their lives. His being a POW did not leave him with an open mind or a tolerant attitude. He has neither. There are a lot of POWs out there who don''t go out of their way to use their POW status for any kind of sympathy or personal gain. They just suck it up and keep on going.
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