We talked yesterday about a survey The Hill conducted among all 97 senators who aren’t currently running for president. A few expressed interest, though the most enthusiastic responses came from those who aren’t likely to be considered. Delaware’s Tom Carper said, “I’ve been kidding people for years: The hours are better, the wages are just as good — whoever heard of a vice president getting shot at? — and it’s a great opportunity to travel…. Anybody here would [accept a VP offer], if they’re going to be honest.”
Speaking of honesty, TPM posted an item noting the responses from some of the Republican caucus’ septuagenarians: “Don’t you find it odd that three Republican Senators (Thad Cochran, 70; Pete Domenici, 76; Chuck Grassley, 74) all noted that they were too old to be Vice President. Kind of odd given the circumstances of the current Republican nominee…”
Good point. Here are the specific responses:
* Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) — “When I was much younger I would have probably said, ‘Sure, I’ll be glad to accept it,’ but I’m 70 years [old] and they need a younger person for the job. I would probably tell them, ‘Look for somebody else.’ ”
* Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) — “No. I’m too old.”
* Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) — “I’m too old to be vice president. But I am young enough to be reelected to the Senate.”
Given that John McCain will be 72 this year, and is already running to be the oldest person ever elected president, his colleagues’ comments probably aren’t entirely welcome at McCain HQ. After all, if someone in his 70s is too old to be vice president, what does it say about the candidate in his 70s running to be president?
Matt Yglesias added:
I think this’ll be an interesting issue to keep an eye on. Young people will definitely mock McCain for being old and his age will probably render people below a certain age immune to the cult of personality around him that’s impacted a lot of self-loathing boomers in the press.
But if anyone develops serious worries about McCain’s age per se, it’ll probably be his fellow senior citizens. Most folks I’m familiar with in their seventies are, like these GOP Senators, pretty aware of and realistic about their own situation and that of their friends and other peers in ways that might give them doubts about McCain.
That’s interesting; I hadn’t thought about it that way. I’ve heard from some seniors I know that McCain is too old for them, but it never occurred to me that this might actually be a concern among other septuagenarians (and octogenarians, and nonagenarians…).
Most of the polling numbers I’ve seen seem to point to considerably stronger support for McCain among seniors, while Obama is favored heavily by younger voters. But might there be some lingering doubts among those similar in age to McCain? Especially if he keeps having “senior moments“?
