Things younger than John McCain

As we wait for the results to come in from Oregon and Kentucky, you might like to stroll on over to a blog called Things Younger than John McCain. It does kind of put things into perspective. Now, of course, with age comes wisdom. Of that there is no doubt. However, with parents who are only 10 years older than Senator McCain, I also know that with age comes a few other things -- in terms of health, technology, and culture.

I mean, my parents are very smart people. They have college degrees -- my father has a Masters in Economics from the University of Chicago. No dummy there. (His thesis was reviewed by Kate Turabian, and all she questioned was the use of one semi colon. What?!)

But here's the thing: they write out emails by hand and have my brother go on line and send them. They constantly put the phone receiver down off the hook, so that it's busy for days (their physician even called me once to make sure everything was o.k.). They have a cell phone, which they keep plugged in in the kitchen. It rings sometimes, and they stare at it. They sit at the breakfast table and read the newspaper for hours, and then eat lunch at 4 pm. They take naps.

I love them more than life itself. But dear god, I would not want them in the White House.

They have seen so much in their lifetimes: they grew up during the Depression, my father fought in WWII, they served in the Foreign Service in exotic and rural places. I don't knock them for not knowing how to operate the DVD player we got them several years ago. They just can't keep up with all the new technology that is constantly coming at them. And there are just so many things younger than my parents (and younger than John McCain):

• Penicillin
• minimum wage
• the Lincoln Tunnel
• Scrabble
• area codes
• nylon
• the Slinky
• Alaska
• the Polio vaccine
• Helvetica (the font)
• ballpoint pen

None of this really has to do with being a good president. I'm just sayin'