Tuesday, September 02, 2008

The Toll of Office

George W. Bush in 2000. Age 54.


George W. Bush an hour ago. Age 62.



The Senator from Arizona has had a history of melanoma (skin cancer).


John McCain in 2002. Age 66.


John McCain today. Age 72

How much of a toll would the next 4 years of a country at war on 2 fronts with a nation divided take on John McCain?

Is Sarah Palin really ready to take on the mantle of the President of the United States should John McCain not survive his first term?

Think about this people.

Who would you rather have a heartbeat away from the presidency? Sarah Palin?


Or Joe Biden?



I can't believe there is any question about this.

13 comments:

Trelvix said...

Ok - this went a completely different direction in my head.

Thinking that I knew your style - I saw the first picture of Jorge Boosh and just assumed that he would transform to a chimp.

I figured McCain would either become Cheney or Darth Vadar in his later years.

Palin, I figured, would either be Charo or one of the Gabor sisters.

You threw me a curve ball there by not throwing the curve.

Xavier Onassis said...

stink - sorry to disappoint you.

But if I had more time, I'd have probably gone in that direction.

Trelvix said...

Oh you didn't disappoint - you kept me on my toes.

You're better at this whole political thing than I am.

Unknown said...

It was fitting for the old dude to pick presidential barbie as his running mate.

May said...

rrrright... because I pick my candidates based on their appearance.

Anonymous said...

Why didn't you compare the way Palin looks now to Biden's current pic? And, is there ANY woman in the world you would compare to Biden? If so, who? Does the VP (she) have to be childless or with grown children like Nancy Pelosi with 5 kids who is currently 3rd in line? Forget all the experience or not, I want to know what kind of woman, agewise, would you trust?

Remember, Joe Biden was in the Senate when his wife and infant daughter were killed in that unfortunate accident. His sons were 3 and 4 years old. Did he quit? No, he went back to his job and traveled every night to and fro his home in Delaware. Surely you must agree this was a life jarring event but he did it. He had help from his mother but he got himself together despite the horror of such an event and raised his sons and did his job.

Anonymous said...

I forgot to say his sons, 3 and 4, were also badly injured in the accident. He took his oath of office at Beau's hospital bedside.

Anonymous said...

Sorry for yet another post but one more clarification. Biden was 29 years old when the accident happened. He had been elected but not yet taken office .. the accident happened in November of that year so I assume it was shortly after he was elected but he wouldn't have had to be on the floor of the senate till January of the following year.

And, by the way, "dianne" is me, travel. I need to get MY act together today .. lol

FletcherDodge said...

Hurray! Yet another issue you and I agree on!

Anonymous said...

Well all looks aside I'd rather have someone with experience at an executive level. Someone who has balanced a budget. Someone who was in command of a military. Someone who was in charge of an education system.

Senators and Congress men don’t do that. Governors do.

Unknown said...

"Biden has sponsored more damaging drug war legislation than any Democrat in Congress. Hate the way federal prosecutors use RICO laws to take aim at drug offenders? Thank Biden. How about the abomination that is federal asset forfeiture laws? Thank Biden. Think federal prosecutors have too much power in drug cases? Thank Biden. Think the title of a “Drug Czar” is sanctimonious and silly? Thank Biden, who helped create the position (and still considers it an accomplishment worth boasting about). Tired of the ridiculous steroids hearings in Congress? Thank Biden, who led the effort to make steroids a Schedule 3 drug, and has been among the blowhardiest of the blowhards when it comes to sports and performance enhancing drugs. Biden voted in favor of using international development aid for drug control (think plan Columbia, plan Afghanistan, and other meddling anti-drug efforts that have only fostered loathing of America, backlash, and unintended consequences). Oh, and he was also the chief sponsor of 2004’s horrendous RAVE Act.

Biden does appear to have eased up a bit in the last couple years, including taking a fairly strong position against federal raids on medical marijuana clinics (though he still opposes making marijuana available for medicinal purposes). But that’s little consolation for all the damage he’s done over the years.

Biden’s record on other criminal justice and civil liberties issues is just as bad. Opponents of the federalization of crime might note that the 1994 crime bill he sponsored created several new federal capital offenses. Biden also wants to expand federal penalties for hate crimes. He supports a federal smoking ban. His position on the federal drinking age is, and I quote, “absolutely do not” lower it to 18. He believes “most violent crime is related to drugs” (if he had said “drug prohibition,” he’d be closer to the truth). Biden also has an almost perfect anti-gun voting record. He said last year he favors “universal national service,” either in the Peace Corps or the military. Sounds like conscription to me. He says he’s opposed to the PATRIOT Act, but he voted for both the original bill and its re-authorization in 2005."

I think I would take my chances with Palin keeping out of people's business, which would be change I can believe in.

Not an endorsement of Palin, just an endorsement of the non-career politician.

Xavier Onassis said...

OK, I think some of you have misconstrued my meaning and that's my fault. The Palin picture I chose may have contributed to that.

Let me clarify...

When I talk about the toll of the office, I'm not talking about it's effect on the outward appearance.

I'm talking about the fact that the job ages you at an accelerated pace. Being the leader of the free world is a stressful job. Even if you're a bad one.

My point was that I don't think John McCain has any room for accelerated aging and I don't think that Palin is qualified to suddenly be thrust into the presidency.

But her lack of qualifications isn't because she's a woman, or because she has kids, or because of the pregnancy, or any of that crap.

It's because her only experience has been as the mayor of a podunk town with a population of about 6,000 and just 2 years as the governor of a state that is mostly empty and north east of all of Canada. That doesn't exactly put her finger on the pulse of mainstream, middle class, Americans.

Mainstream, middle class Americans don't live in the fucking arctic circle.

FletcherDodge said...

"just 2 years as the governor of a state that is mostly empty and north east of all of Canada."
North East? When is the last time you looked at a map. So much for credibility.