Obama and McCain: The Wrinkly Issue of Age

The combination of the two factors may mean the McCain campaign has already erred. They have chosen to follow Clinton's line of attack, calling Obama too inexperienced to lead. For example, on energy policy the campaign repeated attacks on Obama Tuesday: "And anybody who says that we can achieve energy independence without using and increasing these existing energy resources either doesn't have the experience to understand the challenge we face..."

If Obama were to win and be sworn in on Jan. 20 of next year, he wouldn't be close to the youngest president to assume the office. Theodore Roosevelt holds the distinction for youngest at 42 years and 10 months, followed by John Kennedy, Bill Clinton and Ulysses Grant. His age doesn't stand out compared to these well-known presidents.

If McCain were to win in November, he would be the oldest president elected. Polls have gone back and forth as to whether or not his age is of concern to voters. Ronald Reagan holds the record for oldest president assuming office less than a month before his 70th birthday.

McCain often uses Reagan's trick of humor to deflect questions on his age. Reagan said during a debate in 1984 with Walter Mondale, who was about 56 at the time: "I want you to know that also I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience." Reagan took office at the age of 69 and won re-election four years later at 73. McCain would be 76 and a half if he were to win a second term. McCain likes to say he's "older than dirt."