age differences

Surely the age difference alone will determine the outcome of the American election.  Obama is 46, McCain is 71.  Americans like to think of themselves as young and forward-looking.  How can they ever elect a man who so obviously can’t look forward to anything much?

It is sometimes said that older people, especially women, prefer McCain.  That can’t be true.  They take a look at their own husbands and ask themselves whether they’d like them to be in charge of the fortunes of the world.  Of course not!  Not that drooling dotard!  They’d much rather vote for their sons.

Actually there should be a constitutional provision which says that no one can be president of the US who doesn’t have at least 10 years reasonable life expectancy after their tenure.  Presidents must be around to see the fruits of what they’ve sowed.  McCain will be tempted to engage in too much après moi le déluge policies (like bombing Iran). Scary!

I’m very pleased everyone agrees Obama is so young.  He will be the first American president who is younger than me.  But only by nine months!  Actually, being a president and being a professor is quite similar in this respect.  You are young until you’re 50, middle aged until 70, and only old after that.  Much better than being a fashion model or a figure skater.  (Not that I ever really considered those careers …)