McCain: Not Offended By Alleged Age-Baiting

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McCain: Not Offended By Alleged Age-Baiting

May 09, 2008 2:10 PM

ABC News' Ron Claiborne Reports: Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz, dismissed remarks by Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., that McCain's aides charged were aimed at making issue of the 71-year-old Republican's age.

Campaigning in Jersey City, N.J., Friday, the Arizona Republican said he wasn't offended by Obama saying McCain had "lost his bearings" for remarking that Hamas favored the Illinois Democrat's candidacy. McCain said, "I ignore it. I don't take offense to it."

Watch the VIDEO HERE.

Two senior McCain advisers blasted Obama for what they characterized as an underhanded gibe about McCain's age.

On The Daily Show earlier in the week, Obama said McCain was trying to "smear" him by saying Hamas, a group that controls the Gaza Strip and that the United States government considers a terrorist organization, wanted him to be president.

For him to toss out comments like that I think is an example of him losing his bearings as he pursues this nomination," Obama said. "We don't need name-calling in this debate."

Mark Salter, one of McCain's top aides, fired back: ""He used the words 'losing his bearings' intentionally, a not particularly clever way of raising John McCain's age as an issue. This is typical of the Obama style of campaigning." The Obama campaign denied the remark was an allusion to McCain's age.

In New Jersey, McCain said he does not believe and was not implying that Obama shares "the values and the goals of Hamas," but he added: "It's also a fact that a spokesman for Hamas (in North America) said that he approves of Senator Obama's candidacy. I think that's of interest to the American people and that's something that needs to be discussed: why his policies should meet with the approval of a spokesperson for Hamas. I think that it's a legitimate point for discussion."

McCain was also asked if his age is a legitimate issue in the race for president.

"Every issue that the American people want to be an issue and it's part of their discussion, it's fine with me," he said. "Just as Reverend Wright's remarks -- [which] I don't think Senator Obama shares in anyway, but [Obama] has said that it's a legitimate topic of discussion. If that's what the American people want to discuss, that's fine. I'll continue to try to introduce them to my 96-year-old mother and the same vigor and the same energy that I have been able to display throughout this campaign allowed me to win the nomination of my party."

At that point, Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., who has endorsed McCain and accompanied him to the environmental-themed campaign event at the Liberty Science Center, stepped forward and said, "I just want to report that this morning I personally checked John McCain's bearings and he has not lost any of his bearings. They're all in great shape."

May 9, 2008 in Hunter, Duncan | Permalink | User Comments (98)

User Comments

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Andrew,

"I am sure she will find some other way to try and fill her hunger for power"

Yeah, let her go back and terrorize those NY idiots that are too stupid to realize that she was nothing more than sleazy carpetbagger.

Posted by: x | May 9, 2008 4:04:12 PM

McCain is really, really reaching to play the age card, if he thinks the expression 'losing his bearings' has anything at all to do with age. It simply shows how out of touch he is -- or, oh dear, is that expression "ageist too??"

Posted by: Laurie | May 9, 2008 4:06:14 PM

HP,

"Exactly. It is the reason I left the Dem party. I will not have them diss Hillary and shove the Obamnation down my throat."

How exactly is the result of the democratic process shoving something down your throat? You left the dem party over this? Impressive.

Posted by: x | May 9, 2008 4:07:07 PM

I'd prefer "nothing" to war, debt and FEAR.

McCain hasn't lost his pander-to-the-luantic-right bearing.

Full speed ahead, Jesus is coming! ARRRRRRRMAAGEDDON BABY!

Posted by: dude | May 9, 2008 4:08:18 PM

McCain won't lose the election because he's old; he'll lose because he's missing in action when it comes to idea for universal health care, our growing national debt, high energy costs, and the ever eroding value of the dollar!

Posted by: Jimmy Jenius | May 9, 2008 4:08:36 PM

Posted by: Jimmy Jenius | May 9, 2008 4:08:46 PM

Wow! McCain has sold his soul to the devil for campaign financing he did not even need. Too bad. He stood a better chance for president (despite pundant and Limbaugh analysis) with conservatives, independants and even democrats prior to his walk on the darkside. Admit it folks, no one believes McCain would followup on any of Bush's policies if he got elected. Bush called it: He's a real flip flopper. I won't vote for that

Posted by: truth | May 9, 2008 4:11:39 PM

Dude,

"McCain hasn't lost his pander-to-the-luantic-right bearing.

Full speed ahead, Jesus is coming! ARRRRRRRMAAGEDDON BABY!"

How is this not obvious to everyone else? Media always gets the brunt of the blame, but at some point the American people need to wake the F*** up and stop being dipsh** lemmings.

Posted by: x | May 9, 2008 4:13:36 PM

I won't vote Obama either. His supporters have perpetuated the worst acts of sexism I have seen in my lifetime...and they continue on and on. Keep it up, watch me vote for McCain in spite.

I have a been a democrat for 16 years, and have never waivered in my support for the democrat. But I will not support the Obama or his people who have trashed Hillary Clinton and called her everything from a C*nt to a B*tch.

I am happy at this point to watch them all go down. They deserve every bit of it for all their nastiness and self-righteousness.

And I am NOT alone. Women who care will unite against this. Women with low self-esteem vote Obama.

Posted by: MissTickly | May 9, 2008 4:14:48 PM

Obama may win or he may not, but regardless, America will still be in big trouble in the future because of the problem we have with ignorance. That would be for starters the 49% who thought Dubya was a good idea, and then include all the other stupid crap that is accepted as truth by a gullible public. And now that reality has slapped the ignorant awake, they are now spouting more ignorance about Dems, Clinton, Obama and so on. America is fine, it's what's wrong with Americans that will do us in eventually. How can we avoid this? Get more education, or at least some. Read lots of good books, magazines, and newspapers. Listen rather than speak. Yeah right, good luck with that one Bob.

Posted by: Bob | May 9, 2008 4:14:59 PM

Posted by: DAVID NH | May 9, 2008 3:38:10 PM

Wonderful! You could not have explained the situation better! This is such a NON ISSUE! McCain SHOULD actually show his age...by showing a little MATURITY and WISDOM and not stoop to such low tactics to get his name in the papers while trying to put Obama in a negative light!

Of course...when and if... Obamam makes a mistake he should be made to explain .....but THIS? Maybe McCain might not be not losing his "bearings" as his aides claim......BUT maybe he should watch out for "lose screws" and making sure he has all his "marbles" too! (SMILE)

Posted by: Shirley Marie Bradby | May 9, 2008 4:16:27 PM

Miss,

"I have a been a democrat for 16 years, and have never waivered in my support for the democrat. But I will not support the Obama or his people who have trashed Hillary Clinton and called her everything from a C*nt to a B*tch."

Have you heard some of things out of Clnton supporter's mouths? I don't hold her personally responsible for her lunatic supporters. This is a cop-out

"Women with low self-esteem vote Obama."

You are a moron. How can you make such a blanket statement? Maybe some people don't vote genitals.

Posted by: x | May 9, 2008 4:19:21 PM

Lemmings are what Obamacons are. Drink the kool aid if you want to, be he is just an effete liberal racist snob.

He is a dream candidate to the blame America first crowd!

Posted by: Rich | May 9, 2008 4:19:36 PM

Joe Lieberman "personally checked John McCain's bearings"?!! Wide stance?

Posted by: uhhhh | May 9, 2008 4:20:11 PM

"Maybe some people don't vote genitals."

Maybe some people should. I don't fault blacks for supporting their cause with their votes. And admit it, neither do you.

Voting for a woman who shares most policies with Obama because she is a woman is a totally legitimate reason to vote for Clinton.

And if you are a woman 'X' I hope you enjoy your .77¢ you make to a man's dollar!

Cheers!

Posted by: MissTickly | May 9, 2008 4:22:32 PM

Jimmy Jenius has got it right

Posted by: Hen | May 9, 2008 4:25:24 PM

I am having fun watching Obama lose in the General election!!!!!

And the obamabots are completely to blame!!

Yay!!!!!!!

Posted by: MissTickly | May 9, 2008 4:25:44 PM

Women for Obama have low self-esteem!

Spread the word--it fits and it sends them through the roof.

They can't support a woman because they feel threatened and jealous and petty.

Believe me, folks, use it--they can't stand to be confronted with the truth about themselves.

Posted by: MissTickly | May 9, 2008 4:29:46 PM

MissTickly,
Clinton shares more policies with McCain than Obama. Suggesting that people should vote for Clinton just because of her gender goes 180° against the feminist indignance you express in your last paragraph. What do you want, equality, or special treatment?

Posted by: MrTickler | May 9, 2008 4:30:08 PM

Interpreting Obama's words about McCain "losing his bearings" as a slight against McCain's age is a real stretch and a not particularly clever way of trying to cast McCain as a victim and thereby getting a sympathy vote. I won't suggest that Mark Salter is losing his bearings since who knows how it may be construed.

Posted by: mike | May 9, 2008 4:31:06 PM

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