I am really starting to think Matthews has brain damage.

Words have connotations, and I think Matthews has a point-- of course those overtones are there, and Obama is well aware of it. Problem is, there's nothing culpable about it-- somebody should make his age a factor. It would be crazy not to-- many American people are already, on their own.

Of course, it has nothing to do with his age, but it has everything to do with how his campaign is being run. They're telling him to say one thing on Monday, and then something different on Monday night, and something totally different Tuesday morning. McCain's campaign is erratic, and it's not because of his age, it's because whoever is running his campaign doesn't know what the "F" they're doing out there. And that makes me happy, because Obama is going to roll this.

"Of course, it has nothing to do with his age."

But even if it did, McCain is freaking old! It's not like Obama would be saying McCain palled around with criminals.

But even if it did, McCain is freaking old!

Man how old are you? Are you over 30?? You'll see age differently the older you get.... 72 is not freaking old. Sure it's getting up there but I have Aunts & Uncles & a Mom who are functioning in their 70's just fine thank you. McCain is simply a a desperate man, who knows he's probably going down to defeat.

I am 73 and I can tell you that's OLD.  There was a period when I was "mature", then, "older man", then, "elderly", now, OLD.  There is nothing you can do about it.  To be chipper at this age is a roll of the dice.  We all know geezers who are still sharp and even athletic! Have you ever noticed all the OLD winos out there?  Once, a short time ago, I had a conversation in a local bar with a black musician about my age.  He asked me how old I was.  I replied, in jest, 29.  He looked at me sideways and said, "Man, you better slow down."  I haven't a CLUE as to what's going on in McCain's head.

TO donaldmaddog5642:

The next time that I see your name above a post I will "NOT" be preparing to drink a glass of water.I justed LMAO with that comment.

Right, and I think Matthews is doing the country a favor by backdoor-wise sliding into the topic.

Donald, you may be old (according to you),  but you are one righteous old dude if that's the case. McCain, not so righteous. "-)

How many 72 year olds do you know want a job that is pretty much a 24/7 gig? I don't know any like that. Heck, my Dad is 75, and well, he's been retired for quite some time, he's still chipper, athletic, walks and runs, and plays golf, but he's still good to go for bed at around 7PM.

I'm just saying. Being Prez ain't no cake walk.

Jeter, you're right. I should have been more specific, as I did not mean that all people who have lived the same number of years as McCain are "freaking old," only that McCain himself is old, especially for a presidential candidate. He would be older than Reagan, who famously lacked his wits about him at times and needed to nap during high-level policy meetings. Perhaps more importantly, McCain has indeed shown signs of being erratic, confused, and forgetful.

But to call a 72-year-old "freaking old" in general is not necessarily right. There are lots of septuagenarians who are srpy, fit as a fiddle, mentally competent, and not erratic. Just not the one running for president. Look, I'm not trying to pick on him, but I don't think it's ageist to notice that he's not in his prime anymore. It would be ageist to assume that about, for instance, your aunts, uncles, and mother. So, I don't.

I'm 34 years old, and looking forward to seeing age differently. :)

I meant "spry."

"There are lots of septuagenarians who are srpy, fit as a fiddle, mentally competent, and not erratic. Just not the one running for president."

Everyone ages differently.  When looking at McCain, we really do not see any of the above mentioned characteristics (I don't think he's totally mentally incompetent--just enough to be scary).  But there are other factors that combine to make him this way (stress, health, war injuries, guilt from lying, etc.)  So it's not age; it is the things that result from age combined with everything a person's been through.

I, for one, was shocked at the debate watching him pace around and then walk in front of the camera as Brokaw was signing out.  There may be other reasons for his behavior, but it sure doesn't look good.

Herb,

I agree. McCain actually gives other more spry & alert 72 yr olds a bad name. I wouldn't put McCain in charge of scheduling checker games at some old folks home anymore than I'd want him running this country.

All right then. We are in accord.

Mrhebert, old dude, Jeter just had a birthday yesterday, so he's a bit touchy about his advancing old age :-0) But he's still prime!

But he's still prime!

And of course you'd know that from personal experience Miz Julia ;-)

Damn straight, cowboy!!! :-)

Like fine wine....! Aged to perfection. or is that beef? Stop me now.....! Moooo.

Exactly, or if McCain said Obama was Black. It's not bigotry to point out that someone is old. There's scientific evidence that age hurts.

Of course, it has nothing to do with his age, but it has everything to do with how his campaign is being run.

I agree Mag. The McCain campaign is running scared now. They know it's slipping away. Desperate folks will say just about anything.

"...whoever is running his campaign..."?  I'd hold McCain responsible for the McCain campaign.  This morning William Kristol suggested in his column that McCain "fire his campaign", like it was Dr. Strangelove's wayward left hand, I guess.  But I think McCain has some influence over his campaign, at least as much as, say, a master has over his dog.  For whatever reason, both Matthews and Obama are right - McCain's behavior, and that of his campaign, have been erratic, chaotic, non-sensical, you name it.  Obama cannot afford to overlook this; I think Matthews may be projecting his own concerns about McCain's age.

AJ, I agree, McCain seems to be getting a pass on distancing himself from his surrogates. What's scary is that even the official McCain spokespeople are indistinguishab;e from the am radio screechmonkeys at this point.

I turned on MSNBC before leaving for work this morning, and there was split screen with a rep. for each candidate. Obama's surrogate was talking about the economy, McCain's was screaming out "He associates with leftists!" and "He's never done anything!" repeatedly, as the host and the Obama spokesman looked embarrassed for him.

I actually heard one of these twits claim that Obama would never pass an FBI background check because of his "associations".  Apparently they've decided to ride this horse all the way to the finish. How can these people not be embarrassed?

I hope Obama wins in a friggin' landslide.

Wasn't there someone on here last week claiming that as well? Something about Obama wanted to be a Secret Service agent, but couldn't pass the background check?

I also hope Obama destroys McCain on election day. The best thing about that, is that this would also probably mean that Palin would be over and done for on the national stage, and Tina Fey can hang up her up-do.

Actually I think it's true that the Secret Service would not hire someone who had an association with a former criminal. Like John McCain, for instance. But thankfully the presidency has a different, arguably much tougher job application process from that of Secret Service agent.

I keep hearing the same thing from McCain surrogates, and of course when pressed on what McCain has done, we usually get, "He was a POW." Of course Obama consorts with leftists, he's, you know, a liberal. And depending on who you ask, he's the MOST liberal Senator going (of course, he's not, but we all know that).

True enough. Good point. Ultimately, McCain is the ONE person really responsible for his campaign. But I'm sure that they have filled his ears with honey about what it takes to "win". I'm not absolving the man, but when you do run a campaign this large, there are some things that you don't control. It is all McCain's fault though that his campaign has now become downright insane.

Chris Matthews is being erratic simple because he's erratic.....

Matthews is insane, his crazy screaming. He is worthless to even listen to.

Perhaps his erratic behavior is caused by the tingling in his legs?

Matthews behavior is erratic. Just pick a crush and stick with it.

Ha! Best post of the day so far.

Someone should buy Chris a dictionary. 

Why buy him one where's one available online for free?

OT - Fewer than 100 days left in WPE Bush's presidency!!

May I ask what makes Chris Matthews so special to where he gets his own section of MMFA (Matthews Monitor)?

He hates Hillary (and Bill and Gore) with all his heart and all his soul and all his mind.  Now that it's all Obama the monitor isn't necessary.

I thought he was coming around,but I guess old habits are hard to get rid of.I hadn't watched him for awhile and The other day I caught his show and he had two guest on, and all"THREE" of them were talking at the same time.Talk about erratic.

Mr. Matthews is a popular personality widely listed as a 'liberal' voice in sources wishing to cast the MSM as overtly left-leaning. One thing we gain by tracking him is a picture of his real position, which varies from right of center to, well, erratic. Secondly, he made himself a nuisance during the primary campaign by allowing his disdain for Hillary Clinton to come out in grotesque outbursts of sexism.

Erratic: 1. Having no certain course; roving about without a fixed destination; wandering; moving; -- hence, applied to the planets as distinguished from the fixed stars. 2. Deviating from a wise of the common course in opinion or conduct; eccentric; strange; queer; as, erratic conduct. 3. Irregular; changeable. Old: Not young; advanced far in years or life; having lived till toward the end of the ordinary term of living; as, an old man; an old age; an old horse; an old tree. Both from Webster's Unabridged. Get a dictionary, Tweety.