75-Year-Old Rep. Murtha Calls McCain Too Old to Be President
WASHINGTON — Democratic Rep. John Murtha said Wednesday that Republican Sen. John McCain is too old to be president.
Murtha is 75, four years older than McCain. He says they are nearly the same age, and the rigors and stress of running the country is too much for guys their age.
“I’ve served with seven presidents,” Murtha told a union audience. “When they come in, they all make mistakes. They all get older.”
“This one guy running is about as old as me,” he said, drawing laughter and applause. “Let me tell you something, it’s no old man’s job.”
If elected, McCain would be the oldest man to become president at age 72. Ronald Reagan became president at age 69, but he served as president for eight years and was just a few weeks shy of his 78th birthday when he left office.
McCain, in an interview with FOX News on Wednesday, said, “I invite John to come out with me on the campaign trail. I out-campaigned everybody else and that’s why I’m the nominee of my party. I can certainly out-campaign either Senator Obama or Senator Clinton.”
Murtha, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, made the comments while introducing the candidate he has endorsed, New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, to the AFL-CIO’s Building Trades National Legislative Conference.
Clinton referred to Murtha’s introduction when she took the stage, saying she was grateful to have his endorsement and agreed with his sentiment that it will be difficult to turn around all the damage of the Bush administration. She didn’t mention his comments on McCain’s age, and the campaign sought to distance itself from the comments.
Clinton spokesman Mo Elleithee said Clinton “considers Senator McCain a friend, and she respects him. But it’s not his age she has a problem with, its his ideas for the future.”
Earlier this week, McCain was asked about his age and he joked about it, at first feigning sleep.
“Watch me campaign. We keep a heavier schedule. We campaign harder,” he said Monday during The Associated Press annual meeting. “People will judge me by my performance. I am confident that my energy, my intellect, my experience, and my judgment is what American people will — hopefully that they will view me as qualified to be president of the United States.”
His campaign said Wednesday Murtha’s comments were “nonsense attacks.”
Of the Democratic candidates, Clinton is 60 and Sen. Barack Obama is 46.
McCain and Murtha are both Vietnam veterans who have worked closely on national security issues. Age hasn’t slowed Murtha down. After Democrats took control of the House in the 2006 election, Murtha sought the House majority leader position but was defeated.
Murtha, what a joke, a hundred years ago he would have already been hung as a traitor.
IF MR. MURTHA FEELS LIKE SEVENTY ONE IS TOO OLD HE SHOULD RESIGN. IF HE IS SUCH A HONORABLE PERSON AS HE CLAIMS, BUT I FEEL HE IS JUST BLOWING HOT AIR AS USUAL.
The people of Mr. Murtha’s district now know NOT to reelect him!
Well Mr Murtha you are not only old you act like it. Hope PA which I am resident, of votes you out of office
Stop counting Hillary Clinton out before all votes are tallied. News services are supposed to be just giving the information; not making a stand for one side or the other. I find this disappointing to say the least.
Murtha… Public Enemy #1
Semper Fi!
McCain too old? This is rich. It was Bill Clinton who said that Hillary “mispoke” about Bosnia once (a lie - it was at least 3 times - twice in the morning) because she was 60 years old, it was 11 pm and she was tired. He also said she immediately apologized for the statement (another lie - it was only when she was caught in the lie, days later, that she apologized). But, if Hillary is too tired at 11 pm to get things right, how confused will she be when that 3 am phone call comes in the White House? And if Sen. McCain is too old to be President, then Rep. Murtha is way too old to be in Congress and he should resign immediately. And take Robert Byrd with him. Nancy P also. On and on. I didn’t think 60 years old was that old (I’m 60) but I guess with Hillary it is.
Murtha should have retired years ago.
Bill Clinton remarked a few days back, about Hillary’s Bosnia memories, and the way she rememberd it, and spoke about about.
Saying something like…She’s 60 years old, and it was 11:00 pm at night, and she apologized immediately afterwards.
So, he’s talking about the memory of a 60 year old woman, not being good.., and that it was 11 at night.
Bill did get her age correct, but Senator Clinton NEVER made the Bosnia comments (LIE) at 11 at night (all 3 times were in the morning), and she nver apologized.
If Hillary (according to Bill) slips up at 11 at night ( because she’s 60), do we want her answering the RED PHONE at 3 am?
He is too old. Period.