Too old for the job? (9/11, thoughts, extremist, Obama)
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Feel free to comment on Obama's youth/inexperience here. I had the same concern for a long time, still do every once in awhile. I made peace with it this way: Obama will grow into the job. He will probably make mistakes at first, but he seems to catch on remarkably quickly. He seems to be good at listening to advisors (but not quite so good at choosing advisors--we will have to see how his team turns out). If he surrounds himself with good advisors, I think he will do a fine job.
On the other hand, McCain will grow out of the job. He will start off ok, but the stress will become too much and he will develop age-related problems. What good will advisors be if McCain becomes one of those oldsters who won't listen to advice?
Agreed.
I'm willing to put up with a few minor stumbles by Obama, so long as he's wise enough to rely on top advisors, and remain innovative with a clear vision.
I'd have the same optimism with McCain if I could believe that he'd be just as wise in relying on his advisors. But I just don't see McCain with the innovation and clear vision necessary to be president in 2009. I'm comfortable with him being able to physically handle the job. But it takes the rare 72 year old to handle the stress and tension of the Oval Office.
I'm willing to put up with a few minor stumbles by Obama, so long as he's wise enough to rely on top advisors, and remain innovative with a clear vision.
I'd have the same optimism with McCain if I could believe that he'd be just as wise in relying on his advisors. But I just don't see McCain with the innovation and clear vision necessary to be president in 2009. I'm comfortable with him being able to physically handle the job. But it takes the rare 72 year old to handle the stress and tension of the Oval Office.
I don't see McCain as that guy.
Haven't the democrats been b-tching for 8 years about a president that was inexperienced, had a few minor stumbles, and relied upon top advisors too much?
Haven't the democrats been b-tching for 8 years about a president that was inexperienced, had a few minor stumbles, and relied upon top advisors too much?
Ignoring a Presidential Daily Briefing that warned that Osama Bin Laden was poised to attack the U.S. using airplanes as weapons ... is NOT a minor stumble. Nor is torture. Nor is warrantless spying on American citizens.
Dick Cheney is a "top advisor" who convinced our president to invade a country that was not an imminent threat (over 4 thousand deaths, tens of thousands injured--not to mention hundreds of thousands of Iraqis).
Yet another "top advisor"--some guy called the Secretary of State--advised against this very invasion. In fact, most of the "top advisors" who advised against these actions were either fired or quit.
I'd have the same optimism with McCain if I could believe that he'd be just as wise in relying on his advisors. But I just don't see McCain with the innovation and clear vision necessary to be president in 2009. I'm comfortable with him being able to physically handle the job. But it takes the rare 72 year old to handle the stress and tension of the Oval Office.
I don't see McCain as that guy.
Exactly. He has anger management issues already. That's only going to get worse with the stress of the job. If someone questions his judgement, he'll get mad and do something rash. I know quite a few seniors who have slipped a few gears and have explosive personalities. It's not a good thing.
Exactly. He has anger management issues already. That's only going to get worse with the stress of the job. If someone questions his judgement, he'll get mad and do something rash. I know quite a few seniors who have slipped a few gears and have explosive personalities. It's not a good thing.
He'll tear loose from his handlers and get on the horn with the ol' American People and call us all trollops.
I'm about the same age as McCain, so there's a part of me that really wants him to win. To make a statement about ageism. To prove that I'm not so old after all.
But then the truth hits me. I'm old. Too old to work anymore, that's why I'm retired.
Old age creeps up on you. And you're always the last to know when your mind isn't quite as sharp as it once was. I'm still thinking clearly 90% of the time. A lot of times I think: So what! Hey, that's better than a lot of you young people who don't seem to think clearly at all! But the truth is, it means 10% of the time I make dumb decisions. And I don't realize it at the time. I owned a small company and felt I had to stick around because I was irreplaceable. But near the end it was gently suggested that I no longer had the mental acuity needed for such a stressful job. It's true--running a company becomes too stressful for a person my age--which means I can't even imagine the stress a job like POTUS would have on McCain.
The scariest thing is how suddenly you can go downhill. McCain might be a great leader for the first year or so--but four years is a long time. What are we going to do if he starts to lose it? Dementia is hard to diagnose, where is the dividing line? When do his advisors or the VP overrule him--and what happens if McCain tries to fight it. Because nobody likes to be told they are losing their judgement.
72 is old. He might still be just fine by the end of 4 years. But maybe not.
Comments?
If you are too old to work, that is your problem, it does not however, implies that McCain is also too old to work.
My grandfather is over 80 years, and he is still involved with the day to day activities of the company he founded.
McCain 96 year old mother sound saner than a lot of the pseudo journalists on tv. She does not look like someone who is 96 at all, and if McCain inherited any of her genes, I am very sure he will be fine.
My grandfather is over 80 years, and he is still involved with the day to day activities of the company he founded.
That's nice--but I want a president who is more than just "still involved with the day to day activities" of the country.
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