Even The Sun Goes Down…

My final thoughts on a 72 year old running for POTUS.

Introduction

I love the fact that my observations have sparked some thought and disagreement among the bloggers. The observations that I put into my post caused so much thought that one of my fellow bloggers felt it was not enough to leave a comment, but instead took action and posted a response. This is a first for this blog and hopefully not the last. So as we count down the last seven days of this blog here is my closing argument...

Only the old and quixotic and the young and immature truly believe that “age ain’t nuttin’ but a number.”

Why? Because the old and quixotic don’t realize that their time has come and gone. They don’t see that they have had their moment to lead and their season has passed. Although their knowledge might be still relevant they don’t comprehend that their ability for leadership is all but extinguished.
The young and immature simply don’t know what they don’t know. They believe that the parameters of the world they comprehend encompasses all there is to know of the world. The complexity of the world is unknown to them and their ignorance is bliss.
Therefore both groups conclude that they have a current leadership role when in reality the former group is an advisor and the latter group is merely an apprentice.

Mama’s and Marathons

A 61 year old mama’s ability to complete a race at one point in time is a great example of what this nation does not need. A person with only enough focus and energy to step up one time, even if it is at the right moment and do a decent job, all things considered. Your mama’s accomplishment speaks wholly to her ability to train mentally and physically for a discrete event. But are you really trying to compare one 61 year old woman’s physical ability to run marathon to a 72 year old former POWs physical and mental ability to run this country?

Clearly, being the POTUS is not a discrete event. However, if you want to describe it as a discrete event, then it is the culmination of discrete events, one following the other in a constant barrage; minute by minute, day by day, monthly, annually until your term is complete.

That is the equivalent of running a marathon a week, followed up by a daily 10k run, with some 200m sprints at noon and midnight for 4 years straight starting at age 72! Could a 72 year old do that, I doubt it. Regardless of your ideology, transformational leadership requires a high level vitality that is not common at age 72. In fact it would be wrong to even suggest that this required level of vitality is rare at 72 because to say that the required level of vitality is rare at age 72 would make it seem even more commonplace than reality supports.

Conclusion

One of the great fallacies that revolve around leadership is that it is important or even required to involve everyone in the process. That is simply untrue; the offer is for everyone to participate, however, true involvement is only for the select few that can actually bring about change. Our global society has always had incredible challenges to face, together and independently. This year does not mark the beginning or the end of those challenges. The question that remains unanswered is whether the transformational leadership that is necessary to navigate the current circumstances can be found in 72 year old body?

At end of the day it does not appear that McCain will be getting either of our votes. The difference is that for me my check list of desired qualifications for POTUS includes an additional box to be checked before I get to the box where I consider ideology and that box it simply reads:

-Eligible for Social Security? ___ yes ____ no