Originally Posted By Mr X Wow...so much for experience being so darned essential. She's been a governor for all of 2 years, prior to that she served as Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska. On the plus side, she was awarded second place in the Miss Alaska beauty pageant, she is a card carrying member of the NRA, and minored in politics at the University of Idaho. Impressive.
Originally Posted By Mr X Oh, and she might be facing impeachment in Alaska as we speak. I guess you could tick that one over in the "negative" column.
Originally Posted By PetesDraggin "Wow...so much for experience being so darned essential." I think the experience thing that McCain is harping on refers to the Presidential nominee, not the vice president. While I agree that some experience would be nice for a Veep, I don't think it's absolutely necessary. In this case, Palin has been a mayor and governor. Is that enough experience? It could be.
Originally Posted By mawnck >>While I agree that some experience would be nice for a Veep, I don't think it's absolutely necessary.<< McCain is a 72 year old with skin cancer. It's necessary.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 I agree. The only real job description for Veep (despite the various actual jobs the position has been given in the past two administrations) is to be ready to step in to be president if necessary. For some candidates, it matters less. But for McCain it particularly matters, since he's 72, his father died at 70, he's had cancer, and nothing ages a person more than the presidency. Sure, he might live out his first term, but there's more than just a slight chance he might not. Therefore, the Veep needs to be qualified and ready to be president.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan Maybe I'm in denial, but I don't think 72 is as ancient as people are making it sound. A president is going to have the best doctors in the nation monitoring his health. Campaigning is no game for a less than energetic person to say the least, and McCain seems to be holding his own.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan All I'm saying is, yes, McCain is 72. But he certainly doesn't appear to have "one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel" (one of my mom's favorite sayings in describing someone who is ancient).
Originally Posted By mawnck Ehh, I think you're in denial, 2oony. I'm not saying I expect him to keel over any minute, or even this year, but the older the candidate is, the more you have to think about these things. And McCain himself said he's very, very, very, very old.
Originally Posted By PetesDraggin "Therefore, the Veep needs to be qualified and ready to be president." But wouldn't you say that it is more important for the actual presidential nominee (i.e. Obama) to have ample experience than the president's running mate? Is Palin any less experienced than Obama? I would say that she actually is more experienced.
Originally Posted By mawnck >>Is Palin any less experienced than Obama? I would say that she actually is more experienced.<< At what? Polar bear dunking?
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan I think there's plenty to be concerned about with McCain. But the age thing isn't it for me. I know people in their 70's who are vital, energetic and engaged in what's going on. I just don't like the ageism that creeps into the discussions of McCain, painting him as this guy on life support.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 <But wouldn't you say that it is more important for the actual presidential nominee (i.e. Obama) to have ample experience than the president's running mate?> Normally, yeah. But McCain's age makes the ability to step in and BE president more of an issue this time. And 2oony, I'm not saying he's ancient. Just that it is on people's minds, fair or not. Even in other years, ideally you want someone who's ready to step in if necessary. In recent years, it WAS necessary for Kennedy and Nixon, quite unexpectedly. Ford and Reagan were also shot at, but survived. Things happen. Of course, Bush/Quayle is probably the ultimate example of a ticket where no one was really confident about a possible President Quayle, but it didn't matter. So who knows? But several people here have said that McCain's veep pick would matter to them a great deal. I'm interested how those people feel about this one. SPP has weighed in... others?
Originally Posted By Mr X PetesDraggin, she was the mayor of a small town 2 years ago. Where on Earth do you get "more experienced" from?
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder "I know people in their 70's who are vital, energetic and engaged in what's going on. I just don't like the ageism that creeps into the discussions of McCain, painting him as this guy on life support." Age by itself, no issue. 72 coupled with eight years as a POW and all the physical trauma he endured, and a bout with cancer recently, big, big, big deal.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA Some people in their early 70s are different than other people in their early 70s. I forgot that Reagan was 73 when he accepted the nomination. In comparison, I'd say that Reagan seemed more robust and healthy at 73 than McCain does at 72. But McCain and Reagan also have led different lives. I don't think his VP choice helps his chances of winning. Then again, who would've thought that President Bush would've won a second term.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 <I forgot that Reagan was 73 when he accepted the nomination.> ... the second time/term.
Originally Posted By ecdc >>... the second time/term.<< And there are reliable reports that he began to suffer from his Alzheimer's Disease while still in office. It's a terrible and terribly sad disease, and so it's no wonder that people might be concerned about McCain's age.
Originally Posted By jdub Admittedly, Senator McCain is certainly not nearly as vibrant and spry as, say, Vice President Cheney.
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder PLus, sometimes trauma triggers things like Alzheimer's. it has been debated whether Reagan getting shot was what did it for him. If nothing else, many think it hastened its arrival.
