Rep. Murtha: McCain too old
WASHINGTON (AP) - April 16, 2008 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 CNN on Wednesday, said, "All I can
tell you is that I admire and respect Jack Murtha. Speak for
yourself, Jack. I'm doing fine. Thanks."
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.