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Senior Citizen Politics
Age May Be Issue in Presidential General Election
with Two of Oldest Candidates
Ronald Reagan holds crown for oldest, John F. Kennedy
was youngest elected
By Tucker Sutherland, editor
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John McCain, 71 |
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Ralph Nader, 74 |
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Feb. 25, 2008 Back in early February a survey by the
Pew Research Center found major concern among voters about a candidate
being age 70 or older. Andrew Kohut, President of the Pew Research
Center wrote a special analysis published in the New York Times today
pointing to the research and saying it could emerge as a real problem
for Sen. John McCain, 71, in the general election.
Kohut notes that so far McCains age has remained
notably absent as a campaign issue.
So far it has attracted so little attention that
the network exit pollsters have not included even one question on the
subject in 23 state surveys -- an extraordinary occurrence given that
Sen. McCain would be the oldest man ever to take office, if he were to
win the presidency, writes Kohut.
Other polling data exist, however, that strongly
suggests that the Arizona senator's age could become a big issue for him
in the general campaign.
He also points to Bob Dole's unsuccessful 1996
presidential campaign. where his age -- he Dole turned 73 during the
summer of that year and his age was very much on the minds of many
American voters, Kohut says.
The polling in this campaign shows that while some
voters may be reluctant to admit that they will not cast a ballot for a
black or a woman, larger numbers are not at all shy about voicing
reservations about voting for an older presidential candidate.
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Pew Research Poll |
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Those reservations, at least in the case of McCain,
may be somewhat dampened when they see the candidates 95-year-old
mother bright and attractive standing on the campaign stage.
Now Ralph Nader has entered the race and he is even
older than McCain. The I-love-to-make-trouble candidate will turn 74 on
Thursday, Feb. 27.
When William H. Harrison took office in 1841 at the
age of 68, he was the oldest man to become President and was soon to
become the first President to die in office and to serve the shortest
length of time. He died after serving only 30 days.
Although it took 140 years for a man older than
Harrison to become President,
Ronald Reagan was inaugurated in 1981 at the age of 69.
There has probably been more talk about Sen. Barack
Obamas youth than there has been McCains age up until now. The man
from Illinois has frequently been compared to
John F. Kennedy, the youngest elected President. JFK took office at
43.
Vice President Teddy Roosevelt, however, is the
youngest person to become President. He succeeded President
William McKinley in 1901 after McKinley's assassination. Roosevelt
was only 42.
Sen. Obama is actually 46, although he looks
younger, but he would be 47 when sworn into office. That would tie
Grover Cleveland but be one year older than
Ulysses S. Grant.
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Read the full commentary at nytimes.com by Andrew Kohut, President
of the Pew Research Center
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List of US presidents by age (Wikipedia.com)
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