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Gore Raises Age Issue -- to Defend Obama's Youth

June 17, 2008 9:18 AM

DETROIT -- The age issue was raised obliquely in Vice President Al Gore's endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, last night.

But it wasn't Gore overtly dissing McCain's age or raising the fact that Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., would be the oldest person ever first elected president, which polls indicate some voters are concerned about (more so seniors!)

It was Gore defending Obama's youth (read: inexperience), which our new ABC News/Washington Post poll indicates many voters are concerned about.

In fact, after Gore mentioned "the Republican nominee," which was greeted by a chorus of boos in Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Gore said, “in that case, I'm glad I brought it up because, as Senator Barack Obama has said, John McCain is deserving of that respect. He has demonstrated bravery in war and as a prisoner of war, and has served in the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate for many years. Moreover, he has demonstrated a willingness to debate some critical issues, including the climate crisis that many Republicans have refused to discuss at all.”

“But, even as we acknowledge his long experience,” Gore said, “we must and we will make our case that America simply cannot afford to continue the policies of the last eight years for another four. And we all know that a long tenure in Washington D.C. is not the same as judgment, wisdom and vision.”

“Nevertheless,” the former Vice President continued, “the other party seems to think that age and experience are factors that will work in their favor during this campaign. But…our shared experience as a nation tells us otherwise. I remember when one prominent Republican wondered out loud whether the Democratic nominee, and I quote, ‘really is grown up enough to be president.’ Another used the phrase, quote, ‘naive and inexperienced.’ Yet another said, quote, ‘the United States cannot afford to risk the future of the free world with inexperience and immaturity in the White House,’ end quote.”

Asked Gore, “Who are they talking about? Every single one of those quotations came from the campaign of 1960, when the Republicans attacked John Fitzgerald Kennedy for allegedly lacking the age and experience necessary to be president. Richard Nixon's slogan in that campaign was ‘experience counts,’ to which John F. Kennedy responded, and I quote, ‘to exclude from positions of trust and command all those below the age of 44, would have kept Jefferson from writing the Declaration of Independence, Washington from commanding the Continental Army, Madison from fathering the Constitution, and Christopher Columbus from even discovering America.’”

Cute.

But it's probably worth pointing out that when Kennedy made those comments defending his age, he was defending himself not from Nixon or even the Republicans. He was answering a criticism leveled at him by former President Harry S Truman, a Democrat.

Truman had asked, "Senator, are you certain you are quite ready for the country, or that the country is ready for you in the role of President in January 1961? May I suggest you be patient?"

Truman said Kennedy should "put aside" his ambitions, that Democrats needed a nominee who was "someone with the greatest possible maturity and experience."

That's what JFK was responding to.

- jpt

June 17, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (90)

User Comments

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The larger the tax cuts, the larger the debt, the weaker the dollar, the more we pay on products that come from outside the U.S. Our money is not worth the paper it's printed on. The dollar is backed by oil, we have no more oil. Thats why our country is being sold off piece by piece. If we don't start producing our own fuel we are doomed. The rich criminals that are running our country are willing to give it all away to make money. Think about it. All the technology that was invented in this country has been given away. We don't produce anything anymore. I hope you people are happy. Soon, no one in the world will need anything this country has. Now tell me, where does that leave us. You have no idea what your voting for.

Posted by: Michael M | Jun 17, 2008 1:29:24 PM

Hanna the GOP has had ample oppurtunity to resolve these issues since 9/11, taxes may be partially the reason for the defection of American jobs but the main force behind it is cheap labor. The companies that have been built on American dollars are more profit driven than any loyalty to the American people. If government interrvention isn't made corporate greed will drive these jobs away period. I mean if our own government will sell out the American people for a war for oil, why should we expect anything better from corporate America? It seems like a bit of a fantasy to think we will have this amazing rebound under a McCain administration.

Posted by: mims nj | Jun 17, 2008 1:24:29 PM

You people are defending McCain. He just said that the first thing he will do is push through a whole bunch of trade deals. How is that going to get us Americans the jobs we deserve. I thought Hillary was a double talker. He's going to cut corporate taxes to create jobs, but the one thing that he didn't tell ya is that those jobs will be going overseas. Our tax dollars go to help the corporate slugs move to a new country where workers are slaves. After all these years I can't believe you people can't see whats going on. Why are we sending our jobs to a communist country. Isn't McCain always ranting about domocracy. These people don't share our way of life. China supplies the money for Bush's little oil war. We have a bunch of traitors running ou country. I hope you people know what your doing.

Posted by: Michael M | Jun 17, 2008 1:09:00 PM

Mims nj, the 2001 and 2002 Bush tax cuts have kept more money in taxpayers pockets. Unfortunately, the high cost of energy, the sub-prime mortgage fiasco and the continued slump in the housing market have resulted in higher inflation and more expenses which are hurting the taxpayers. BUT they still have more money in their pockets in order to deal with these added expenses. Allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire will mean less money for individuals to pay for the added expenses due to inflation.

Now then security and taxes are two different issues. We have not had another attack since 9/11. So in that regard, yes the American people HAVE HAD more security.

Posted by: James Danley | Jun 17, 2008 12:50:05 PM

oh and Michael - we're having a war in Afghanistan and Obama want to send an Arabic translator to Afghanitan. Anyone with a decent knowledge would have known that Afghan don't speak Arabic. That's your candidate. McCain is not the best one but too bad the other choice is Obama.

Posted by: hannah | Jun 17, 2008 12:35:46 PM

Joe, we could also get out of debt if we eliminated all law enforcment (federal, state and local) and shut down the judiciary with no more trials -- just let criminals do whatever they want! While were at it maybe we should just eliminate the military! Now we would definitely have a surplus! BUT we don't do that because insuring domestic tranquility, providing for the common defense and promoting the general welfare are governmental responsibilities that transcend everything else.

Whether you agree with it or not, and in spite of the reasons we got into the Battle of Iraq in the first place, al Qaeda has declared Iraq as its primary battlefield in their jihad against the United States and Western Civilization. Therefore under the responsibility of providing for the common defense it is in our best interest to defeat al Qaeda in Iraq. Pulling out our troops before we have defeated al Qaeda in Iraq will be handing a military victory to al Qaeda. That will embolden them even more. And may prove even more costly (both in lives and monetary value) down the road.

Now then 2001 and 2002 Bush tax cuts actually generated revenue. In fact there was about a 6 month period, late 2006 and early 2007 in which the federal government took in more revenue than we paid out. And our economy was doing very well -- in spite of the war. But then the huge spike in the cost of energy, the sub-prime mortgage fiasco, and the continued slump in the housing industry the past 18 months or so have greatly affected our economy.

Tax cuts generate jobs, which results in more individuals paying taxes! But raising taxes will hurt small businesses (most pay the individual tax rates) by cutting into their profits. So they will lay off workers. That means fewer individuals paying taxes, thus less revenue.

Posted by: James Danley | Jun 17, 2008 12:34:37 PM

Micheal, here's obama without telepromter...umm...the...umm...the...i mean...you know...i had no idea that's what going on...umm...you know...even though Johnson is vetting vice-presidency for me...ummm, he doesn't work for me...umm...the...umm...i'll make a speech tomorrow...give me a day to get my speech made....ummm..so don't ask any more question...just wait for my speech....umm...you know it's not about gas price...ummm...you know this is just another distraction...umm...so just wait for my speech...THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU...

Posted by: hannah | Jun 17, 2008 12:33:32 PM

22,000 bots. Preaching to the cult.

Posted by: Mack | Jun 17, 2008 12:25:59 PM

Mr. Danley with respect to your response have the tax breaks resulted in added security for working families? The dollar is weaker than in the 90's and our surplus has been reduced to whopping debt. Other than allowing the GOP a talking point during elections has this policy resulted in any real benefit for working Americans and the prospect of future generations. Who is going to pay for these debts?

Posted by: mims nj | Jun 17, 2008 12:13:46 PM

Fired up - it has been working great for me!! At least I'm still alive making end meets. I'm sure it has work out great for you too because you're sitting in front of your computer with internet to blog here. So I assume the terrorist hasn't attacked you yet since 9/11. Didn't you hear obama applauded the way we treated the terrorists of world trade in 1993 with the way we treat the US citizens?? Where did that lead us??? Oh, I bet you must have forgotten 9/11 of 2001.

Posted by: hannah | Jun 17, 2008 12:12:44 PM

hannah wrote:
That's exactly why obama doesn't get the 18millions votes that went to Clinton
********

No, he got his OWN 18 million and the NOMINATION.

Posted by: Fired UP!! | Jun 17, 2008 12:11:10 PM

Fired UP!!, wrote,
"Getting a BJ and inserting a cigar doesn't exactly square with harrassment or stalking. But then again, your HRC supporters are masters of cherry
picking the facts"

YOU ARE AS STUPID AS YOUR PAGAN IDOL, MORON!!! I BET YOU ARE ALSO A SLIMY GAY LIKE OBAMA.... WATCH OUT FOR LARRY SINCLAIR ON THE LOOSE....PATHETIC....

"Elizabeth Hasselbeck says Obama isn't brilliant".
NO WONDER!!!!! Look at him on debates with Hillary. He's too dumb subjective. He is unable to talk in-depth about any of his so-called policies that he actualy stole from Hillary's briliant ideas as proven at the 4 debates he had with her.
Ben Stein was on Jimmy Kimmel last year promoting his new book. Stein knows how to make a dollar or several million. Kimmel asked Stein if Obama should read his book. Stein said no, he should start with something more suited to his education level on the economy like simple addition and subtraction.
Obama took private lessons in economy just last year but apparently without great success according to his teacher:. He said Obama was slow on the uptake.
I now question Obama’s credibility of being a Magna Cum Laude from Harvard… HOW IN FACT DID HE EARN IT?... he can hardly debate sensibly on the spot without a prepared speech written by a paid speechwriter… he’s typically slow at impromptu speaking and most of the time he stutters and at the loss for words and he hardly uses or knows the right terminology like the difference between denounce and reject … evaded crunch-time debates with Hillary and now evading McCain’s a number of requested debates… evading public view of McCain-Obama debate by Obama himself selecting only one debate on the date that falls on a holiday which is July 4th when everyone is out vacationing… things like these do not make up an intellectual that has achieved higher if not the highest honor in the academe… not to mention the fact that as an adult he still practiced classroom-type of cheating like he plagiarized his speeches, bribed DNC delegates/superdelegates to seal his nomination, lied to the highest degrees... plus the fact that he as well as his wife had more black professors than whiteys and so on and so forth…And Besides, Obama & his wife were afforded the luxury of 230 points added to their SATs in order for an african-american to get into an Ivy League school. It pretty much points out that they must be too dumb that they need to be given the extra 230 points before they can even take the SAT!!

Posted by: neil1785 | Jun 17, 2008 12:09:20 PM

Fired Up - Humble is the best quality you can find in a person. Whether you're rich or have higher education that doesn't mean you're better than anybody. That's exactly why obama doesn't get the 18millions votes that went to Clinton.

When you look at a Young obama, an old man McCain, a woman Hillary and wife Michelle, you can see obama is less-than-a-man of all. LOL...and this wimp is going to command the strongest military?? an arrogant empty suit!!

Posted by: hannah | Jun 17, 2008 12:08:07 PM

At least he loves his country and is a true patriot.
Posted by: Mack | Jun 17, 2008 12:01:55 PM
*******

The same was said about G.W. Bush. How did that work out for you??

Posted by: Fired UP!! | Jun 17, 2008 12:04:51 PM

Numbers don't add up for a landslide. No one wants another republican president.

Posted by: GetaLife | Jun 17, 2008 12:04:17 PM

The Gore endorsement is not going to help Obama, who is already the "chosen one" of the left wing. What Obama needs is to appeal to center-left and center-right voters. Sticking it in Hillary's eye by hiring her old campaign manager is not the way to do it. What is he going to do next, chose Richardson as his VP? That would really burn the bridges to Hillary's supporters.

Obama talks about getting Americans out of their comfort zone. He needs to get out of his own comfort zone on the left. The left wing of the Democratic party does not win presidential elections, ever!

Posted by: David H | Jun 17, 2008 12:02:26 PM

"MCCAIN was in the BOTTOM 1 PERCENT OF HIS CLASS at AnnapolIs, (where her got in because of his father and grandfather), was a STUDENT WITH DISCIPLINE PROBLEMS, and CRASHED FIVE PLANES. Forget the old age, this guy is ANOTHER DUMMY AND BIG TROUBLE."
At least he loves his country and is a true patriot.

Posted by: Mack | Jun 17, 2008 12:01:55 PM

Where are you getting landslide from ? the numbers just don't add up.

Posted by: GetaLife | Jun 17, 2008 12:01:41 PM

Look where all their experience has taken us. Every country has high milage cars but our leaders block them from being sold in the U.S. Our energy program consists of oil. We are the biggest polluters in the world and our leaders just don't care. The more oil we use the better, need those profits. Our jobs are sent overseas where people work for slave wages so the rich can get richer on their investments. Our country is 11 trillion in debt and the dollar is not worth spit. The worthless dollar is the reason gas prices are 4 bucks a gallon. We don't have enough oil in the U.S. to make a difference on prices, but John McCain wants to dril so the oil companies can rake in every last dollar they can. Our leaders don't want to talk about 2nd generation bio-fuels because that would put the oil companies out of business. Electric cars are being blocked because that will hurt oil prices. The republicans have us stuck in the stone age. McCains answer to fixing the economy is cut taxes on everything and reel in government spending. How do you reel in Gov. spending when your burning 12 billion a month in Iraq. How do you get rid of our debt with tax cuts on everything. Bush did that and look where we are. The rich are cashing out, selling off our country piece by piece.

Posted by: Michael M | Jun 17, 2008 12:00:06 PM

The left wing of the Democratic party, may be satified with their "street organizer", although we will see what the typical Americans think of him on election day.

Posted by: Mack | Jun 17, 2008 11:55:40 AM

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