Age may not be considered a serious factor in the run up to the 2008 US elections but will effectively come into play IF John McCain "wins" the US presidency.A McCain win in the November 4th election, will make the septuagenarian the oldest first term president to be sworn into office. It will also make Sarah Palin the first woman president of America should old age play tricks on John McCain's administration - Which is very likely.
At 72, John McCain should be congratulated for having such great ambitions and the spirited fight he is putting up in his quest to be the next US Chief Executive. However, his age will most certainly downplay the promise of "change" he hopes to bring in Washington. May be John McCain is speaking of "change" of a different kind given the various challenges associated with old age and the inherent risks.
The average life expectancy rate of an average American male (including John McCain) currently stands 73.6 years, while that for women stands at 79.4 years. 73.6 years for males is a great improvement and among the highest expectancy rates ever recorded in history. Life expectancy rates increased during the 20th century as a result of a combination of factors such as improved nutrition and health care.
While entrusting a septuagenarian with the leadership of the world's most powerful nation is a risky gamble, being 72 years, John McCain presents a new set of challenges for the United States. It is a known fact that he is hovering dangerously close to the 73.6 years life expectancy average. We also know that old age marks the end of the human life cycle and brings with it both blessings and curses.
Apart from wrinkles and change of hair color (which is not a bad thing), there are other factors associated with old age that may be regarded as negative especially when it comes to decision making. The reduced ability to think combined with the loss of hearing and sight abilities makes John McCain an intensely grave and risky gamble when talking about "change" in the US. He is too old to even purport to be thinking about "change". You cant teach an old dog new tricks - as Sarah Palin hopes to achieve.
When a septuagenarian forgets what he stands for and starts to talk about "change", think again. There is something absolutely wrong. He has either lost his bearing Or is on the verge of loosing it. McCain displays symptoms of both.
Under the Bush administration, the US completely lost favor internationally due to its lopsided aggressor policies. It is understood that Mr. McCain sided with President G. W. Bush over 95% of the last 8 years that he has been in power. But now McCain also wants "change"
A McCain "change" will negatively affect the lives of billions of people around the world. John McCain needs to be lead by other able leaders, NOT LEAD on his own - as he hangs on to dear life.
John McCain's running mate and Alaska governor, Sarah Palin's foreign policy credentials are only valid on paper. But Chances are, she will be the first woman president of the US when age finally catches up with John McCain. (should the republicans win the November vote)
But who is Sarah Palin?
A hockey mom, a pitbull terrier, a lipstick or an irresponsible mother who has pushed her teenage daughter to be pregnant and wants to force her into early marriage because she has no time for her family?
What can she say in the face of Vladimir Putin or the Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad? Does she even know who they are?
Can she locate China, Pakistan or India on the world map?
Can she spell the word Africa correctly?
Does she have any clue why North Korea wants to rebuild its nuclear arsenal?
Does she know that it is wrong to participate in a "cook show" while in Thailand?
NO she doesn't. But she hopes to learn all these within 8 weeks as we approach the November vote. Clearly the US is headed into murkier waters. Its foreign policy, stupid.
This week team McCain announced that Sarah Palin and John McCain will spend more time in joint campaigns.
Asked why they let McCain conceal his age behind Sarah Palin's skirt while on the campaign trail, one McCain aide lied that "We feel very good about their chemistry and their ability to really deliver a strong message on change, energy independence and the economy,"
They should speak the truth. John McCain only wants to bask in the media glare that Sarah Palin enjoys at the moment given the fact that he was largely ignored (by the media) during the primary season because he had nothing new to offer but a regurgitation of the same old Washington garbage.
Palin was set to break off from McCain after they were officially nominated at the Republican National Convention (RNC). But it didn't happen. The only break she has got from the 72 year old Arizona senator was when she attended her son's deployment to Iraq. Given his age, Its only fair that he receives such support.
She has no voice of her own. The speech she gave at the recently concluded RNC was written by one of President Bush's speech writers. There are also fears that should she be allowed to campaign on her own, she may say the wrong things sending the campaign into a spin given the large crowds she is expected to draw. The McCain camp also fear that Palin may draw bigger crowds than John McCain, the person she is supposed to assist.
The large crowds and media glare Sarah Palin is expected to draw IF she is allowed to campaign on her own are only due to the fact that many do not know who she is. The crowds want to hear her side of the story which even the McCain camp has failed to tell. She needs to say what she will do about the war in Iraq, Afghanistan in her own words.
The "hockey mom" needs to tell what she will do about the Russian invasion in Georgia. She needs to tell us her plans on the so called war on terror. The crowds need to know what she stands for. The only thing the world knows about Sarah Palin is that she is an irresponsible mother who pushed her teenage daughter into unwanted pregnancy - which is clearly none of our business.
As the NEXT US president (should team McCain win), Sarah Palin needs to clearly spell out her plans for the US when John McCain caves into the pressure of old age - as expected.
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