I don't like hearing McCain referred to as "Grandpa" or "Grandpa McCain"

[shireen]

It's insulting to grandfathers everywhere.

My grandpa was one of the smartest, kindest, most loving, and supportive people in my life, and i can count all those people using one hand. He was also SocialDemocrat1981's Grandpa, and I'm sure SD agrees with me.

Compared to our Grandpa, McCain is a nothing.

So, to honor all grandpas we love so much, let's stop referring to McCain as "Grandpa". Please ....

[Oceansaway]

1. how about Grumpa then..i hear

he's awful grumpy.....

[El Supremo]

2. Would you want your grandpa to run for President?

Sure it is insulting. But 71 is just too old for the most powerful job in the world.

[Oleladylib]

12. That is more biased than ANYTHING I've heard here recently..

I hope you post here on your 71st birthday to tell us how you feel..so we can curtail your activities to OUR liking.

[El Supremo]

25. When I'm 71 I hope to be enjoying retirement.

I have already had all the pressure I can take.

[Hippo_Tron]

41. Jack Murtha (who is older than 71) has said the same thing

IMO there are some 71 year olds who are in good enough mental and physical health to do the job. McCain is not one of them.

[The Doctor.]

62. Why not?

A 50-something year-old proved someone could be too stupid... why not too old?

[Jakes Progress]

63. I'm a grandpa and I can guarantee you

that my father, when he was 71, would have been a better president than any we have had since I started voting.

In the first place, your apparent youth is showing. We will try not to hold that against you.

In the second place, it is just dumb to alienate millions of people (us old guys) whose vote we would like to have by referring to age as a negative aspect.

[smoogatz]

3. Lots of luck with that.

[Growler]

4. I don't like it either!

McCain isn't a terrible candidate because he's OLD, it's because his values are unAmerican. There are thousands of reasons to not vote for McCain. Age shouldn't be one of them.

[NatBurner]

5. i'm switching to grumpy

if i offend any grumps, so be it

they were pissed off already anyway

[Cha]

59. He's a doddering

grump then..much more descriptive.

[book_worm]

6. How about InSane?

[DevonRex]

7. I agree. We should show respect for our elders. His problems

and gaffes are apparent for all to see and hear without us alienating older voters.

[Iris]

8. You got that right. My grandpa rocked. I even have a dashing picture of him

as wallpaper on my cell phone. He's got a pipe and is in his mid-30s or early 40s. Whenever I answer my phone, I get to see his smiling face! No way would McCain's picture be on my cell phone ANYWHERE!

[beac]

73. If McSame popped up when you received a call...

the ring tone would have to be "Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran"-- actually make that an erring tone!

[Raejeanowl]

9. I Don't Either

But it's an general ageism thing with me rather than necessarily a smear against beloved elders or insulting to bright, productive, engaged, driven seniors (although it's both of those, too, indirectly). We know what the intent is when used against McCain. So, I'm gonna keep grousing when it's said here.

Let's find more intelligent, better focused, and LESS BIASED ways to critique the enemy than harping on his assumed expiration date!

[iconicgnom]

10. well, more like great-grandpa. Apparently he's good around bbq's

so long as his handlers are around to remind him when to flip the burgers.

[Norwood]

11. My grandfather has called mccain old man, this place gets offended way to easily

[shireen]

26. it's about respect

maybe you're not offended enough?

[Norwood]

48. No its called having a thicker skin

[newmajority]

54. Why should I respect McCain?

Actually I used to. But that was a long time ago, when I mistakenly thought he was someone who would stand up to the right wing extremist pukes. Now he's one of them.

[shireen]

58. he did serve his country. Isn't that enough for some measure of respect? nt

[newmajority]

60. He bombed some women and children from the air. So what, that was 40 years ago

And yes, I draw a HUGE distinction between the poor grunts who were drafted against their will, and the snotty little admiral's kid who probably never had a bad day in his life until he was shot down.

I suppose I should "respect" a treasonous coke smuggling, terrorist arming bastard like Ollie North too?

[musicblind]

71. "bombed some women and children from the air. so what, that was 40 years ago" ??? that comes off

as disrespectful. I know you aren't trying to be, but it comes off that way. I'm a pacifist who hates war. Heck I don't even eat animals. I hate killing. But I have respect for McCain's time in service to his country. He may be on the wrong side of the fence, but I respect him as a person. Politics is not personal. Attack political issues, and not the human being that is trying to serve his country as best he can but just happens to be doing so in a way that is counter productive to society. That's how I look at it. McCain is wrong on a LOT of issues, so we should point those things out, but we shouldn't wish him ill will as a person. imho.

[tekisui]

80. I cannot respect anyone who condones torture. Period.

[JNelson6563]

87. Agreed.

It's ridiculous.

[rurallib]

13. Geezer McCain OK? I think it conveys an image.

and the neat thing is the old geezer will never know. He doesn't know how to run the inter-tubes

[Oleladylib]

14. Thankyou, I had an 8th grade grad-Father..who at 88 was smarter than either candidate.

[Upton]

15. How about McFossil?

[Oleladylib]

16. shows your intellect.???

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

22. ...

[BlooInBloo]

17. Being old is NOT like being black or being a woman....

Being old can directly affect one's ability to carry out the duties of President. Not so the latter two.

It's a fair issue.

[sufrommich]

21. But being old can have no affect on one's ability,too.

It's not a given that you lose your ability to be president at a certain age.It's a form of discrimination no matter how you slice it.McCain's ineptness probably has nothing to do with his age.

[BlooInBloo]

23. It's a dishonest distortion of the normal use of "discrimination"....

to bitch about people criticizing a candidate based on qualities that can directly affect their job performance.

[sufrommich]

24. "discrimination "was a poor choice of words"...

and I apologize.My point is that age is not a good barometer for ability.

[Raejeanowl]

49. Problem Is Deciding What Age Is "Too Old"

To be effective in the POTUS role, so you really have to evaluate the potential performance only. A candidate of Obama's age could be suffering from advance onset Alzheimer's (or, gee, be someone else "young and vigorous" like JFK who was concealing the fact he had a life-threatening disease, a severely compromised immune system, and was being treated with a mind-boggling variety of legal and illegal pharmaceuticals for that AND his chronic back problems).

Bloo, my (then) 40-something self walked into too many job interviews where a 25-ish MBA decided on sight that I would be set in my ways, demand too much money, be hostile to or incompetent with technology, have more interest in planning retirement and grandchildren than career achievement, etc.

I've also had the privilege of working with people in their 70s who could run circles, intellectually and otherwise, around me; and the challenge of managing Gen-Xers and Millennials who were incredibly apathetic, self-entitled, disengaged, and lazy, but believed their own worth and abilities superior based upon the possession of youth alone.

There are chronically ill and handicapped people who realistically cannot perform certain jobs (or perform them well), either, but you can't decide before considering the ability factor fairly, and just dismiss them out of hand as "cripples." Do you want to suggest it's a dishonest distortion (of what constitutes discrimination) to criticize such pre-emptively dismissive people as being prejudiced? Because IT IS prejudice.

I think the real distortion lies in claiming you're not relying upon an easy stereotype to buttress your argument for you, rather than address McCain's inadequacies to the task in more thoughtful and contemplative terms.

I'm no apologist for the man or his party, but I'll be damned if I'll countenance the anti-McCain discussion in terms of his being "over the hill" because he's celebrated too many birthdays for your taste.

You can't evaluate performance based upon age. It IS discriminatory to speak in derogatory terms of how old McCain is - rather than how sharp(or not), healthy (or not), energetic (or not), meticulously prepared/au courant(or not) etc. as being indicative of how well he would do anything. I know you will see the distinction.

[BlooInBloo]

55. Past a certain age (50-ish I would guess), age and health are strongly negatively correlated. fin.

EDIT: And it's easy enough to look up an actuarial table or something to nail down the part I'm guessing about.

[shireen]

27. it's not a fair issue

with that kind of logic, being young can "directly affect one's ability to carry out the duties of President."

Look, we need to stop judging peoples' abilities by age, gender, race, sexual orientation or whatever way they man be different from us. Evaluate their abilities as unique individuals, based on their policies and conduct.

[OhioBlue]

57. But there is an age requirement for Pres - I think you have

to be at least 35.

There are age requirements or guidelines for military recruitment / draft. There are age requirements for voting, for drinking, for driving, etc.

I am not arguing that there should be an age "limit" on any of these things, just that age is a standard for many things and it is very different than race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, etc.

Also, we all are, have been or hope to be 71.

[JoFerret]

29. It IS like it in the sense

that is something outside of personal choice and often subject to mindless discrimination and prejudice.

Mental impairment/ suitability to serve is a separate issue.

[Fleshdancer]

18. I prefer calling him McBush and his wife Cindy McCheckbook

There's no need to insult grandfathers after all. Mine were awesome too. ;)

[McCamy Taylor]

19. It is not a smart strategy. It also endears him to voters. Do not attack him on age.

Point out his actual health problems. Start by reminding voters that he LIED about the stage of melanoma for which he was treated. He said it was noninvasive and yet the NYT's read his records and it appears to have invaded the lymphatics. Much worse prognosis.

Also, he is at high risk of stroke. And he takes Ambien which makes you sleep and talk, walk, drive. S much for 3 am safety.

[QC]

20. Old people have the highest rate of voter participation.

It's very stupid to attack McCain for being old.

[El Supremo]

28. Here is an article from AARP on Presidential contenders' age:

http://bulletin.aarp.org/yourworld/politics/articles/too_old_to_be_president.html

Too Old to Be President?

(snip)
This fall, another age-and-experience versus youth-and-vigor matchup is in the offing when John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, faces off against either Hillary Clinton, who will turn 61 in October, or the even younger Barack Obama, who will be 47. Americans may be increasingly willing to judge people on ability rather than age, but perhaps not when it comes to filling the world’s toughest job.

McCain will turn 72 in August, and if elected, would be the oldest chief executive inaugurated to a first term. (Reagan was just shy of his 70th birthday when he first entered the White House.) Early indications are that the Arizona senator’s age already is an issue for many voters: About a third of voters surveyed by the independent Pew Research Center in February said that age 71 is “too old to be president.” That’s about the same proportion that judged 73-year-old Republican nominee Bob Dole too old in 1996.

[JimGinPA]

30. McSame Acts & Sounds OLD...

Find something else to be offended by;

http://www.antiwar.com/casualties/

[Starbucks Anarchist]

31. What do you think his supporters call Obama?

[sufrommich]

32. We Dems are heads and shoulders above the average

McCain supporter.It's irrelevant what vileness they are capable of inventing..

[Starbucks Anarchist]

33. Which is why "Grandpa" is mild compared to their names for Obama.

[musicblind]

72. We should never stoop to their level

In fact, we shouldn't even stoop a centimeter in the direction of their level.

[Erin Elizabeth]

34. How about

"Stinky Old Man McAsshole?"

[zulchzulu]

35. Perhaps McCainasaurus

Dinosaurs can be made fun of...most don't complain.

[SwampG8r]

92. McCainasaurus Rex here

do not compare him to us thunder lizards
we are all for Obama!




and we know you have been making fun of us too so watch your back mister!

[Raine]

36. I don't use it

I call him McSame or McLame cause using his age seems like an insult to anyone whose older. JMO

[shadowknows69]

37. How about "The Ancient One"

Actually that's no good that's one of my favorite comic book characters.

[BlooInBloo]

38. "McTheuselah"

[shadowknows69]

46. We have a winner!!!

[NatBurner]

85. i tried that on the cnn ticker once

i got moderated

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

39. It is only an issue because he makes it an issue.

[Roxy66]

40. Lets be honest here.... My Grandmother wasthe most intellegent person I have ever known ..

She was a teacher and prominent leader in the education dept....but she was not able to be Education secretary at age 75....she was slowing down at that time and she lost her edge. Sorry, but age does matter when it comes to leading the free world and having your finger on the button.

[McCamy Taylor]

42. Call him Senator McCain. It makes him sound like a DC insider. McSame is a good nickname.

It makes people think of how he has toadied for Bush. Always try to criticize his actions, not the things he can not help like his age.

Remember, he is running on his experience ! Grandpas have what? They have experience .

So, do not call him a grandpa! Makes him sound like an old wise man.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

43. You're right. It should be "Presumptive GOP Candidate ASS**LE."

Ageism, his religion, the color of his skin, all of the external stuff shouldn't get in the way of the fact that McCain is a dangerous and delusional son of a bitch who shouldn't be allowed within a mile of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Sooner or later we'll find a way to express that that makes us all comfortable. As long as we find it before November, I'm good to go.

[JVS]

44. McFuckface ok with you?

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

53. LOL!! What about McCunt, since he did call his wife that despicable name! How dare he! n/t

[QueenOfCalifornia]

89. okay....

you go first:popcorn:

[QueenOfCalifornia]

88. LOL!

I am cracking up at this one.

[GoneOffShore]

45. "Crash" is my moniker of choice for McSame.

He crashed 4 planes and was shot down once. My Marine Corps Vietnam vet friend - who's a hardcore Republican - just says, "He fucked up and he got caught."

[rove karl rove]

47. your post shows why this is the wrong name to call him

to many people, "gramps", "grandpa" are endearing words.

[JoFerret]

50. How about we call him McCain

and trounce him on his policy and past. Making fun of his name and age is juvenile.

[DenverDem23]

51. As a Grand parent, and UNDER 65, get over your problem with the term.......

There are MILLIONS of us out here.........and not all as dumb as this Grandpa!

We know that our retirement savings and pensions have been destroyed, WE know that our grandchildren will be paying off the Bush/Cheney/McCain debt for this nation 40 years from now.........


Get a grip, not ALL Grandpa's are wonderful people.
Some are slimey Republicans who cannot think logically any longer, and should NOT be running our nation.

If you are older than me, and on Social Security, stand up, get your picture in the paper, and speak out....we do NOT approve of grandparants running on war platforms, nor do we agree with Bush/Cheney/McCain as old men running our nation into trillions in debt.


Get them into retirement as soon as possible.

My Own Grand-parently opinions!

[Alameda]

65. but it is NOT his age

it's who HE is. Can't you get that? It's not that different than using Gay, Black, Female....or what ever in a derogatory and dismissive manner. There is more than enough on his actual platform and what he stands for than to go on about his age....and he actually isn't that old anyway.

If it were Bill Moyers (who is older), it would be different.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

52. Guilty as charged! McCain=McDumbya=McSame=McBush, etc. n/t

[Clear Blue Sky]

56. Lots of older voters out there.

I don't think it's smart to keep beating on the "grandpa" issue. Might get him sympathy votes from the seniors.

Hammer him on the issues instead.

[AZBlue]

61. I don't like it either.

It ridicules an entire generation.

[Alameda]

64. I find it highly offensive also

Here is a email I sent to Stephanie Miller on the subject:

Making fun of John McCain's ages is insulting to all. There are more than enough problems with McCain as a Presidential candidate. Bringing his age into the equation does nothing to discredit him.

Let's look at a few older men, OK?

Bill D. Moyers (born June 5, 1934,
Howard Zinn (born August 24, 1922)
Noam Chomsky (born December 7, 1928)
Paul Newman (born January 26, 1925)

Insulting persons based on their age is like insulting people because of their race, sexual orientation and more. People have no control over their age, it happens.

This society has done way too much to discredit older persons. Please do not contribute to it.

[tekisui]

81. The men you listed appear in full control of their minds.

McDubya does not. He is befuddled, confused and disingenuous and dishonest.

Not every suffers mental problems with age, but his very well could be related to his age.

[Alameda]

90. No, it's not age, it's who he is.

[RFKHumphreyObama]

66. I agree with this

My grandfather (Shireen's grandfather) was a wonderful, gentle, kind, loving person who adored children and animals. Imprisoned by the Japanese during WWII and a target of the communists in the 1950s, my grandfather was also known in his younger days for his passionate activism against injustice and corruption. He was a loving husband, a strict but devoted father, a respected community leader and finally a warm, compassionate and affectionate grandfather. He was and still is one of the major sources of inspiration in my life

My other grandfather was a leading academic and scholar whose books on his chidhood experiences during WWI are still sometimes used by history classes and who was also a well-known and well-respected architect.

I think for a lot of people the term "grampa" will conjure up fond memories of their grandparents and will probably have the opposite of the intended effect. Also McCain could legitimately point out that several other grandfathers -Roosevelt and Eisenhower come immediately to mind -made very successful presidents

[Imagevision]

67. Mccain had his ass kicked by Bush and he'll never get over that so now he's

repeating everything Bush did to him.

[progetto]

68. McCodger

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=codger

[GoldieAZ49]

69. I agree, the name calling could get really ugly

what goes around comes around

[musicblind]

70. I agree. Ageism in general, even if pointed at a republican makes me sick.

I am young, but SOMEDAY I will be old, and I don't want anyone to say those things about me when I am. It makes me disgusted when people mock McCain for his looks, or his age instead of pointing out what they thing is wrong with his political positions. :rant:

[Raine]

75. I agree, EVERYONE will get older..that is if you're lucky

if you're not than that means you're dead.

I've seen discrimination against some of my older relatives. :mad: I was with my aunt when she went to the doctor and they would look to me to answer questions about her health. It was as if just because she was a senior they thought she was also deaf and or incapable of anwering. I refused to answer for her and just stood there and didn't make eye contact with them. After that treatment they finally ASKED HER and SHE TOLD THEM. My aunt was the smartest person and had more energy than I had. It infuriated me the way she was treated. It really gives a person something to forward to in old age. :eyes:

[Raine]

76. I agree, EVERYONE will get older..that is if you're lucky

if you're not than that means you're dead.

I've seen discrimination against some of my older relatives. :mad: I was with my aunt when she went to the doctor and they would look to me to answer questions about her health. It was as if just because she was a senior they thought she was also deaf and or incapable of anwering. I refused to answer for her and just stood there and didn't make eye contact with them. After that treatment they finally ASKED HER and SHE TOLD THEM. My aunt was the smartest person and had more energy than I had. It infuriated me the way she was treated. It really gives a person something to forward to in old age. :eyes:

[27inCali]

74. McGrumpy

!!!

[lamp_shade]

77. How bout "McClown"

er... Bobo here. Yuh! Bobo McClown (tho I really underestimated the creepiness).

[Doug.Goodall]

78. How about we call him Stupid

How about we call him Cramps
How about we call him Grampa Bush or just Prescott

We could make it code that the freepers would not understand. When you have something to say about McCain, refere to him as "Prescott".

[Higher Standard]

79. Why not just "Old Man McCain"?

It has a kind of Scooby Doo feel to it.

"I was going to trick those voters into believing they were voting for something other than a Bush third term. I'd have gotten away with it, too, if it wasn't for that meddling kid!"

[barack the house]

82. It might be overly senstive my grandfather was also great but don't associate him with McCain.

[HughBeaumont]

83. I don't really need to.

His own words do the foot-shooting job well enough.

[Medusa]

84. I'm not fond of any attacks

that are based on things like age, weight, sex, appearance, etc. There are enough viable issues to attack him on than this.

And yeah, it's an insult to grandpas everywhere.

[QueenOfCalifornia]

86. My grandpa

was a mean old child molester.

Not all "grandpa's" are like yours. Unfortunately.

[SwampG8r]

93. ..

:grr: :hug:

[madura]

91. I think of him as McCain Fries,. :)

[mystieus]

94. Republicans are the ones making this an issue by twisting surrogates words.. its like they want this

[33_Leaves]

95. Insane McCain

Young or old, he'll always be Insane McCain. He's simply UNSTABLE!



Some interesting links on the "maverick", "straight shooter", Insane McCain.

From Glory Boy to Songbird
John McCain: War Hero or North Vietnam's Go-To Collaborator?
http://www.counterpunch.org/valentine06132008.html

Vietnamese tell international press that POW McCain was "singled out for softer treatment"
http://www.vietnamveteransagainstjohnmccain.com/index.htm

The Politics of Beer
John McCain's curious relationship with the alcohol industry includes a family connection to the Ruidoso Downs.
http://www.newmexicoindependent.com/view/the-politics-of-beer

All of McCain's Wealth Is From "Mobbed Up" Money, When Did it Become "Clean"?
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/2/17/1520/13390/56/458621

Is John McCain a Liar?
http://www.consortiumnews.com/2008/022308.html