The Grandpa Problem

Over the past two days, John McCain has repeatedly made the same foreign policy gaffe, confusing Sunnis and Shiites and the relationship between Iran and Al Qaeda. While on a radio show, McCain suggested Iran was training Al Qaeda, and later repeated the claim multiple times in Israel. In the most publicized of those incidents, Senator Joe Lieberman is seen (and heard) correcting McCain, a scene Keith Olbermann referred to as a possible "senior moment." And despite being ridiculed by the media about those mistakes on Wednesday, the McCain campaign made the same mistake, yet again on Thursday, this time in a statement marking the war's fifth anniversary.

His error was not simply a misstatement; its repetition speaks for itself. It was, instead, evidence of a fundamental misunderstanding of Middle East politics. For a man who stakes his credibility on military affairs, to be unaware of the difference between Sunni and Shiite is unthinkable. This is not an issue of complexity or of disagreement and debate; it is as basic as knowing the difference between the two sides of this war. More importantly, McCain's ignorance seems to suggest an extremely limited comprehension of the politics of the entire region. Iran and Iraq are predominantly Shiite, but Shiites make up only 15% of the Muslim world. Might knowing that context help a president understand Iran's political objectives more clearly? Might knowing that fact help inform our decision making throughout the entire region, including Iraq? How can a man who doesn't understand a conflict help to resolve it?

His series of gaffes will no doubt become coveted ammunition, perhaps as damaging as his suggestion that the war might last 100 years. But they are also evidence of a larger problem McCain faces on the trail: the Grandpa problem. As a 71 year old man, John McCain would be the oldest man ever elected president. Recognizing the enormous rigor of the job, and the toll it has etched on the faces of those who have held it, many wonder if McCain can serve competently, and whether he will even contemplate a second term. Each time McCain makes a mistake on the campaign trail -- as he is often prone to do -- he will face questions about age, and whether the campaign and the presidency will strain him beyond his capacity.

McCain has tried to confront his age in a number of ways. He kept a rigorous campaign schedule during the Republican primary, proving an enormously impressive stamina. For a man who cannot lift his arms above his shoulders, the result of years of prison camp torture, he has certainly impressed. But he cannot afford to be seen as a grandfather confronting the first signs of senility. It would have been far better for McCain to have corrected the misstatements himself, hours, even days, after making the initial blunders. But having Senator Lieberman whisper the answer in his ear produced an undeniable imagery, that of weakness and dependency, of a grandfather struggling and confused.

Well-intended as he may have been, Joe Lieberman did a serious disservice to John McCain, a deeply satisfying irony. McCain cannot afford to have the general election debate focused on his age. But if he continues to show an alarming lack of knowledge on subjects crucial to the country, he may well help hasten his downfall.

Comments

[peterg76]

Age has nothing to do with it. He's just insane.

[Nutcase]

Given that I am only a couple of years younger than McCain, I am distressed by the perception that his missteps can be attributed to age. While it's true that a few people are senile at seventy, that is hardly a commonplace.

I think that the problem is better described as related to lying. When you are constantly forced to come up with more lies to support the unsupportable, it is easy to fail making up another lie that doesn't contradict one of the others. It's more akin to losing one's place in a speech. Denial likely plays a role as well.

The fact that one loses his keys at the age of 70 isn't indicative of senility any more than when a 19-year old loses his keys. The fact that one lies doesn't mean he is old. It could just mean he is a politician.

Je pense, donc je suis populiste.

[Kane]

Gender and race have been much of the media focus of this election, but neither will have nearly the impact on the daily duties of the job of president as much as age will.

Some have suggested that because of his age, McCain's choice of a running mate is particularly critical. But if you enter the process stressing a hedge against mortality or incapacity, shouldn't that suggest something about suitability for the job in the first place?

[CaveatMagnusFrater]

Very ably stated. We will hear the cries of ageism if we mention McCain's longevity. Yet the job at hand requires one's mind be crisp and sharp. It is not wrong to acknowledge that time takes its toll on the body and the brain, it is honest. We as a species are lucky that our prime extends for several decades. To pretend our prime lasts until death is unrealistic, so let's not do that. Okay?

[wayoutleft]

we can only hope the kevlar fits over the depends. now mr magoo can't even remember the difference between the shia resistance now observing a truce; and wahabbi al q'aida who are bombing shia mosques in pakistan as well as iraq. yet everybody wants to explain away his bone dumb obliviousness to even the most basic facts of the situation when it's exactly the kind of stupidity that got us into iraq in the first place. these senators, secretaries, undersecretaries, generals, general counsels, attaches, and whomever can be jarringly ignorant, shockingly uninformed- and usually have a common imbecile's dirth of historical backround knowledge of anything.

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[PioneerKing]

The reason Sen. McCain keeps making these mistakes is that he does not know the differences and prior to 9/11 was not fully engaged in international/foreign affairs. Please, review his record, his comments on the floor of the house and senate and any of his other comments.
Sen. McCain is all smoke and mirrors and not much substance. His claims to be against pork barrel spending is ludicrous he hasn't stopped a penny of pork from going to his home state and he hasn't seen a defense contract that he won't advocate for, regardless of the cost to the taxpayer. But where was Sen. McCain his collegues voted to close Walter Reed in the middle of a war? Sen. McCain voted for the closure which is nothing more than a land giveaway. Sen. McCain even claimed to not to have known how horrible the conditions were at Walter Reed when he had received letters from Vets and their families, just FOIA Sen. McCain's office and you will turn up a treasure trove.

[Davwbaird]

Of course that was the part that was edited my CNN and Wolf that has created an uproar.

[Davwbaird]

No, people are noticing mccains blank stare at times like he is not all there. I wonder what it could be? Its Liebermann is along to help him with his memory issues. A number in the medical profession in this community here in Olympia, Washington have been wondering the same thing. Its gotten to be kinda strange.

[olbluis]

Racism....Sexism....Ageism

Please let's not add this to the mix. It's much more beneficial to confront the incompetence of his statements than blaming his age. The last thing we need in this election is a senior revolt.

I remember watching Nancy Reagan whispering in Ronnie's ear during his first term and that had no affect on his electability.

[EvelynU]

I don't think this is a matter of "senior moments" or even of a woeful ignorance of Middle East politics. I think this is a sign of how badly McCain wants to see a war against Iran, in order to fulfill Israel's wishes. Details and facts simply do not matter. Connect this to the Bomb bomb Iran, not to his age, and see what you get.

[BUBBY]

You hit the nail on the head Evelyn! I couldn't agree more.

[elkabong]

They've been lying and conflating for so long, they couldn't keep track of what is fake and what is real if they wanted to. McCain/Lieberman: Tag-team liars.

[Jey]

Poor McCain he has CRS - can't remember shit!

[hopelessobama]

mccain made a 'gaffe' you say ( even though iran does infact sell weapons to al qeada) because he is too old? so what is obama's excuse for believing canada has a president, when any kid in 8th grade social studies can tell you they have a prime minister?

[FirstShirt]

To coin a phrase from a previous politician, it is a choice and not an echo. Assuming in foreign affairs, Hillary is republican lite, you have a choice between grandpa with a few senior moments but vast experience and a young, inexperienced man with many lucid moments but a limited repertoir of experience.

Choose carefully.

[cindysundancer]

That clip of McCain and Lieberman was so eerie! It was like deja vu of Nancy whispering answers to her Ronnie in the last years of the Reagen presidency.
Poor Johnny. I just want to tell him to take his dentures out and toddle off to bed.

I'm sorry if it sounds like ageism (I'm not that newly minted me-self). But can we really afford another befuddled brain in the White House?

OBama 08!

[Wilson33]

Oh, get over yourself! If this is all you guys have on McCain, it is going to be a long general election for you all. The guy misspoke, he's tired from doing diplomatic work while your two candidates keep America living in the past with all of this race stuff. You all will do ANYTHING to get the limelight off of your Savior, Barack. And this is just more of the same.

[misslily]

"Living in the past with all this race stuff"? Are you for real? Holy cow that's the most ignorant thing I've read in a long time. And no, this is not all us guys have on McCain. We've also got the fact that this loonie thinks the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the one he wants to wage on Iran, are all fine and dandy. This age thing is just the icing on the cake.

[Mojane]

You get over it! He's a pathetic, old, white man, with a rage problem. I don't want that guy leading our country further into hell.

P.S. His war record: He few missions over Vietnam, dropping bombs on people he didn't have to face, the destruction and death he caused...unlike the men fighting up close and personal on the ground. He was a glorified fly boy. He's lucky they rescured his sorry ass. My brother was killed in combat in Nam.

P.S. A little perspective: Prisoners of war...think Guantanamo...no charges, held there indefinitely without the right of habeus corpus...torture at Abu Graib of people who were not charged with anything....