Dems' Coded Message: McCain Is Old

(NEWSER) - This year's presidential race is bamboozling many a pollster. Todd Domke looks at some of skewing factors for the Boston Globe:

• Race: White voters might be reluctant to tell pollsters they oppose a black candidate. Tom Bradley, remember, led the polls for California governor but lost the race. Then again, will white guilt over prejudice offset that?

Boomers, seniors split on whether to support fellow oldster

(NEWSER) - Now that a primary season fraught with racism and sexism has ended, the nation now gears up to face its general-election gremlin: ageism. While John McCain, 71, may joke that the primary qualification to be president is "to be very, very, very, very old," the New York Times reports that his age may work for him among ever-more vibrant oldsters trying to break a gray ceiling, of sorts. More»

Hopeful kids about being elderly, but US voters are nervous

(NEWSER) - Face it, John McCain: You’re old. How old? “When I was born, you were nearly six years older than my mother,” writes Charles Blow in the New York Times. “Now, seven years into her retirement, you want a new job: the hardest job in the world. Wow!” This worries Blow, who's not alone: A recent poll reveals that 25% of swing-state voters say they're less likely to vote McCain because of his age. More»

Expert calculates candidate's years in biological time

(NEWSER) - McCain may be 71.8 years old on paper, but his biological age is a youthful 63.7, according to the physician who wrote You: The Owner's Manual. Dr. Michael Roizen made the estimate based on McCain's recently-released medical records (though some details on the candidate's dietary and exercise habits were missing). Only kink? One year in the Oval Office ages its inhabitant 2 biological years. More»

Campaign aims to do the opposite of McCain

(NEWSER) - Team Romney’s rule of thumb: Do the opposite of everything John McCain did in 2008, or so reports Politico in a look at the campaign's strategy. The approach applies broadly, say advisers—focus hugely on the economy, fully engage in fundraising, integrate early with the Republican National Committee—but comes most into play in the search for a VP. The campaign doesn’t want to end up with its own version of Sarah Palin, so it is going to great lengths to avoid anyone who could be seen as unprepared. The goal, according to one official: Go with an "incredibly boring white guy." More»