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First Read is an analysis of the day's political news, from the NBC News political unit. First Read is updated throughout the day, so check back often.

Chuck Todd, NBC Political Director

Mark Murray, NBC Deputy Political Director

Domenico Montanaro, NBC Political Researcher



If age is on table, then…

Posted: Friday, May 09, 2008 1:45 PM by Domenico Montanaro

From NBC/NJ’s Carrie Dann
JERSEY CITY, N.J. -- Asked to respond to Obama's comment that the 71-year old senator is "losing his bearings," McCain said today that questions raised about his age are "fine with me." 

And, he added, if age is a legitimate issue, so are a few things about his likely opponent.

"Every issue that the American people want to be an issue, and it's part of their discussions, it's fine with me," he said in response to the question about his age.

Not missing a beat, he added the controversial statements of Jeremiah Wright onto that same list. Obama, McCain noted, "has said that [Wright] is a legitimate topic of discussion.” He added, “If that's what the American people want to discuss, that's fine.”

McCain also told reporters that the recent complimentary remarks of
Obama by a Hamas spokesman are also fair game for debate. Prefacing his comment by saying he believes it's clear Obama "shares nothing of the values or goals of Hamas," the presumptive GOP nominee added that the Palestinian organization's favorable assessment of Obama's candidacy is "a legitimate point of discussion."

"That's of interest to the American people," he said. "And that is something that needs to be discussed."

McCain said he was not offended by Obama's assessment that he is "losing his bearings," a comment interpreted by some observers, including campaign big Mark Salter, as a swipe at the older McCain's mental sharpness.

During the morning press conference at Liberty Science Center here, the senator was flanked by Sen. Joe Lieberman (I) and former New Jersey Gov. Tom Kean (R). Lieberman was quick to jump to his ally's defense with characteristic jokiness.

“I just want to report that this morning I personally checked John McCain's bearings. He has not lost any of them," said the white-haired Connecticut senator. "They are all in really great shape."

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Comments

Liebermann is a complete tool shed... to think at one point in time he was a vice-presidential candidate... and democrat!
Oh, shut up McBush.  Nobody cares.  You and your ilk will be history this November.  
Ok, did anyone see the actual interview? Making a mountain out of a mole hill.  He said he was losing his bearings on his ethical wayfinding through the political campaign.  Seems to me Sen. McCain is being disingenuous, and seems to be indicating he doth protest too much.  I watched the interview and it never, never occured to me it had anything to do with age.  It had more to do with what this turn of events corroborates: McCain promises a high road campaign, but has lost his way down that road.
John McCain 2008 version is just a shell of the John McCain 2000 version I really liked.  It's a shame. I wonder how things would have turned out if he had won in 2000 instead of Bush.

GO HOME AND TAKE A NAP MCCAIN

YOU ARE OLD AND LOOK TIRED
I'm starting to think that Joe Lieberman is a ventriloquist and he is actually the one running for President.

How is Lieberman qualified to speak about McCain's bearings? He has none of his own.
Bring it on Obamabots.

Obamabots fuses will be blown out in November.
First Read - if Wright is still a topic that the "American people want to discuss", I URGE you to be fair in your reporting - not sensational snippets and sound bites.
In addition, if it's what we want to discuss, it's important to report McCain's relationship with
John Hagee (a radical, hateful, and intolerant false prophet who's endorsement was accepted by John McCain) and his "spiritual guide" Rod Parsley.


Ladies and gentleman,may I present the new PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, John McCain!
Age is not the question.

Flip-Flopping is - John McCain has a long history of flip-flopping, from marriage to McCain-Feingold to funding the veterans.

John truly has lost his bearings; his inner compass.
McCain must be getting old and senile if he thinks the phrase "losing your bearings" has anything to do with age.
Oh my gosh, I've never seen this whiney side of McCain before.

"Fine! Fine! You wanna talk about my age? How about his nutty pastor? Huh? Let's talk about that! Hey you kids, get off my damn lawn!"
John McCain and his sought after spiritual advisors and mentors haterd for Jews, Catholics, Muslims & residents of that "other America" is now also fair game.
The drip drip of SD's will now be replaced with the opposition research of McCain and his sought after ssupporters & surrogates.
John McCain, the recrutiment poster for Al-Qaeda.
"Losing his bearings" refers to the fact that McCain has moved away from his original "maverick" stances and values and embraced Rovian politics. It has nothing to do with his age. McCain wants to skew it and make it about his age so that he can act offended, rather than acknowledge how he's pivoted away from his stances on torture, the Iraq war, campaign finance reform, taxes and right-wing evangelists.
zzzzzzzzzz ... wake up McCain ... wake up ... The Obama nation is coming for you.Ask Hillary ... she's from  our side of the isle .. so we took it easy on her .. but you ... thats a different story.
first off, where are your medical records?
The Democrats can use McCains age as an issue as long as the Republicans can use the fact that Obama is an idiot.
Some of the bearings appear to be missing in his arms, ooooooo
What's the problem with Hamas being complimentary of Obama? If he's going to become POTUS and put into a role of promoting peace between Israel and Hamas, it might be a good thing if both parties had a positive regard for him.
How many super delegates did Obama get from Hamas?
Oh snap...John McCain said...yawn...huh?  Can't Clinton run as a Repug now?  At least that filly is fiesty.  This old timer is just a bore after slaying the dragon I think this maybe less of fight than anticipated.
MCCAIN is so full of himself.  Whatever.  
Dear Fellow Americans.

Our Great-grand Nation, the United States of America
is and will face very critical and substantial
"Challenges" in coming,
months, years, and decades.

It is very essential that we pick our next
President on the basis of following criteria.


1. A candidate with a clear "Vision and Mission".

2. A candidate with a sound " Character and Integrity"
.

3. A candidate with a evident "Presidential
Temperament" and  " Principled Judgment".

4. A candidate with "little "Washington exposure"
and  "real future and past Voters".

5. A candidate who "Inspires us up" rather  than
"Tears us down".

6. A candidate not based on past "sexism, racism, and
ageism".

In my professional and personal opinion, the only
candidate who has shown the above qualities and
characteristics is Senator Obama.

As an independent registered voter since 1980. I voted
for Carter, voted for Reagan, voted for First  Bush,
and second Bush in 2000 and In over time last
interest in "Washington politics".I stopped voting.
Not a good idea under any circumstance, particularly
at present time.

This time we can not afford to stay on side lines and
let Washington remain the same.We can not afford our
Greatgreat Nation to become less than what we are  and
can be.

We need to send clear and candid message to the world
and some 24 hour partisan poisonous hateful media.

These type of media outlets are trying to deprive,
dupe, and derail us from getting it right this time.

I pray and hope that we the American people won't be
part of this deception, seduction, and confusion.

These type of media and pundits are trying there best
to deny us better and replace our past remember some
of
our bitterness and differences. { "Our Greatgrand
Nations people are persistently and constantly
subjected to Psychological terrorism" without our
knowledge by these these poisonous hateful partisan
media outlets".

We Americans are should not and would not to allow
these type of media psychologically terrorized,
traumatized and silence us this time.Not this time.

I am sure that we will get it right this
time and elect Senator Obama our next President. let
us not get dragged down into racism, sexism and
ageism.

Let us remember that our Greatgrand is constituted of
family, friends,fellowships, faith, funds,foundations,
fun, and future with fairness and freedom and without
fear or favor.

We can not afford to lose any of above connections.
Let
us stand up, be counted, save, build our Greatgrand
Nation for decades to come and regain our world
economic, and power status back.

God Bless our Great grand Nation and its diverse
people.

Our Greatgrand nation needs present and future
stability, security, safety,sustained progress and
restoration of our due status in this perilous Global
World at the all levels.

Yours sincerely,

COL.[retd] A.M.Khajawall
Forensic Psychiatrist.
Disables American Veteran.
Las Vegas Nevada.


I'm gonna need an extra large barf bag to get through this election.
Losing one's bearings has nothing to do with age.  Now if Obama had said McCain was having a senior moment, then they may have something.  It's my opinion that both are true of McCain.  He has lost his bearings and the last few months he's had numerous senior moments.  I thnk McCain's camp is taking a play out of Hillary's book, by doing something and then claiming your opponet was guilty.
Obama didn't bring up age.  They just want to pretend he did so that they can't talk about Wright again.  This is such a transparent attempt and Americans will see right through it like they did the gas tax.  And that Hamas thing is a joke.  If the KKK said they liked McCain, would that make him a racist?
FirstRead please report this:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24533370/

Hillary lied to the American public AGAIN.  Her campaign actually raised a little more than $1 million on the day after Pennsylvania, not their $10 million dollar goal.  

This shows a pattern that would definitely continue in the White House.  The Clinton's lack the moral fiber to be there.
I saw McCain on Jon Stewart last night. He's a cute old man, like somebody's favorite uncle. I don't hate McCain, like I do Bush/Cheney, but I also don't want him setting policy, foreign or domestic. I don't like how he panders to the same neo-cons whose ideas have failed us so miserably. It's Obama for me.
Game on then grumpy old man! this is a transparent attempt to say it's okay to be racist against Obama...the American people are not going to fall for it! NOT THIS TIME!
No wonder McCain graduated as the 5th lowest student in the Naval academy.. He does not understand simple sentences or defintions of words.. He (Obama) was talking about McCain and the phony Mavrick title the media has put on him.. What a moron..
Daily Super Delegate count

Obama = 4
Clinton = 0

She is at the end of the rainbow.....No more supers for clinton

P.S. McCain you are old....Dont be offended....Its the truth..... Im 41 and I only wish I could live to be your age..... My father died @ 63..... McCain is a lucky man....I just dont want him as my president

Obama 08
I think the argument that Obama cannot beat McCain the funniest joke I've ever heard.There are many reasons that all the pundits, media & Hillary Clinton herself are overlooking.For starters, remember back when the primaries took place the democrat registrants doubled & sometimes tripled the GOP's registrants in almost every state.Even if Obama lost half of Hillary's supporters(which consisted some of the Rush Limbaugh effect), Obama would still be challenging for McCain to overcome.Also I seriously doubt by the fall, the numbers that defect would be even close to the numbers now while tensions are so high.Secondly McCain's base support is amonng older white Americans.I think Obama can carry the majority of young/middle age white votes,black vote, & probable even over half the latina vote.Not to mention he will be very competitive with the other minorities such as indians,arabs,& other immigrants because of his peaceful regards to other nations.Age will also play more of an important role once the debates take place.Once you have a stout vibrant Obama at the podium going toe to toe with his GOP rival, it will make McCain look febble, old, & stagnant.A picture can be worth a thousand words.Lastly, we all know John McCain isn't the best on the debating front.Everytime he opens his mouth he seems to says something stupid to eliminate one core group at a time.Prime example, his 100 years of war eliminated the young voters since they are more nuanced in terms of thinking of other countries around the world.Next, McCain is working on killing the women vote invoking judges that threaten Roe vs Wade.Then to top it off he's killing off the working class supporting Nafta.Believe me Obama has been taking notes, & you best believe Obama will be hitting those talking points one after another.Meanwhile John McCain slow on his feet will probably add one gaffe after another to the list.I don't think americans should put all their eggs in the McBush basket.I think Obama will be happy to have this debate with John McCain!
Did we expect anything else?  I don't think so!  Bring it on!  May the best man win!  That will be Barack Obama!
I am a white and I get it.  His comments brought tears to my eyes.  


Millie

________

I get tears in my eyes when Obama speaks too. It sounds like fingernails on a chalkboard.
Lost his bearings equals the age card? If I were McCain, I wouldn't be illumination this issue. How about 100 years in Iraq or confusing Sunnis and Shias. Is that playing the age card? The more he brings up his age, the more we will all wonder if he still has all his senses.
******* IMPORTANT  ************

THE TRUTH ABOUT SEN. OBAMA  --IN HIS OWN WORDS AS WRITTEN IN HIS BOOKS!!

AMERICA WAKE UP and DECIDE WHO YOU FEEL IS THE BETTER CHOICE TO LEAD OUR COUNTRY !!

Below are a few lines from Obama's books ' in his own words:

Does is appear he wants to unify our country as he has been saying.

Pay close attention to the last statement from his book.

From 'Dreams of My Father':  'I ceased to advertise my mother's race at the age of 12 or 13, when I began to suspect that by doing so I was ingratiating myself to whites.'

From 'Dreams of My Father':  'I found a solace in nursing a pervasive sense of grievance and animosity against my mother's race.'

From 'Dreams of My Father':  'There was something about him that made me wary, a little too sure of himself, maybe. And white.'

From 'Dreams of My Father ':  ; 'It remained necessary to prove which side you were on, to show your loyalty to the black masses, to strike out and name names.'

From 'Dreams of My Father':  'I never emulate white men and brown men whose fates didn't speak to my own. It was into my father's image, the black man, son of Africa , that I'd packed all the attributes I sought in myself, the attributes of Martin and Malcolm, Dubois and Mandela.'

From 'Audacity of Hope' :  'I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.'
A third republican term in the executive, particularly after the worst president in modern history would be devastating to the average American.  Of course if you're going to be earning in excess of $200,000. each year for the next few years and really don't care about the hardly mentioned poor in the country go ahead and vote for Old "Bomb Iran" McCain, and then hope you can live with yourself as the soldiers bodies pile up.
If Obama battled the Clinton slime machine to a standstill in the primary, one could assume that he's ready for the McCain machine this fall. Chicago pols are tough, as the Republicans are about to find out. And so far, McCain seems not to be aware of his very real vulnerabilities. A policy debate will be interesting; a slugfest will not. American voters are tuned in like never before!
It's not his bearings he's lost.  It's his MARBLES.

I wish the last 8 years didn't happen--and I could still like McCain (and he'd be 8 yrs younger.)
Someone, anyone please put these farty old coots out of their misery.  The difference between McCain and Obama will simply be stunning! I can't wait till Obama has McFart all to himself and can focus on that fool with laser like precision.  I respect his service to our nation over 100 years ago, but that does not make him deserving of the highest office in the land! He will have to work to prove it just like Obama will.  Thank you very much!!

Obama '08
Lieberman also changed the batteries of McCain hearing aid and checked his Depends.  They were dry this time.
Now this is a comment that is CLEARLY being played out by the media.  I don't thin Senator Obama meant that comment as an age issue, but the fact that McCain claims to ride the "straight-talk express".

Why doesn't someone ask Obama whether this is what he meant?

Ridiculous....absolutely ridiculous.
I am glad to hear you say that john...since numerous terrorists have also said that yours and bush's war is their best recruiting tool for new terrorists...do you want to talk about that too john?

If McCain is going to pursue the wright nonissue then he is just lost my respect big time.
Isn't this sort of like checking your GPS readings with a sextant?

Joe Lieberman's "bearings" have been wobbly for years!
Can we put Obama's political record on the table too? We need to look it over in great detail. Shouldn't take more then a minute or so.
Hey McCain, let's talk about why you voted for waterboarding.

Let's talk about why you voted against giving MLK his own holiday.

Let's talk about why you are glad to have the endorsement of a pastor who thinks the Catholic church is the "great whore".

Let's talk about why you are glad to have the endorsement of a pastor who believes Katrina was God's judgement on homosexuals.

Let's talk about why you are glad to have the endorsement of a pastor who thinks 9/11 was the fault of the "abortionists", the homosexuals, and the ACLU; and that they deserved it.

Let's talk about why you don't want our troops to get an improved GI Bill because you think if we treat them too well, they might not want to fight anymore wars.

Let's talk about why in 2005 you thought a permanent presence in Iraq was bad, but in 2008 you think it is essential.

Let's talk about why Bush's tax cuts offended your conscience in 2003, but in 2008 you think it is essential to make them permanent.

Let's talk about why you think corporations are more deserving of tax cuts than middle class Americans.

Let's talk about why you called your wife a c**t in public.

Let's talk about how you got free rides on corporate jets in exchange for favors.

Let's talk about how you not only want to keep fighting the war in Iraq forever, but you also want to fight a war in Iran, and anywhere else George Bush tells you.

Let's talk about the Keating 5.

Let's talk about the possiblity that you were brainwashed at the Hanoi Hilton and now you want to infiltrate our government and destroy it from the inside.

Yes, Mr. McCain, let's have a discussion.
So, we're back to Jeremiah Wright, I see.

Senator McCain, that dog won't hunt.  Forget what polling might have said about it, we have something called "results" from North Carolina and Indiana that say that nobody really cares about him.

Did you ever consider that Hamas' preference of dealing with Senator Obama might have more to do with you than it does with him?  You think "Bomb-Bomb Iran" is funny but did you ever consider that it gives you no credibility?

I suggest you stick with the issues, but that probably won't work well for you or the GOP, will it?

------------------------------------------------
“I just want to report that this morning I personally checked John McCain's bearings. He has not lost any of them," said the white-haired Connecticut senator. "They are all in really great shape."
------------------------------------------------

Uh...no comment.
Let's start the insanity.
Lieberman: stick to your day job...humor isn't your strong suit...and quit calling yourself independent...you're a republican...sheesh...denial at it's finest.


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