McCain’s Father Died at 70 Grandfather at 61 McCain is 71

Recently John McCain, whose full name is John Sidney McCain III, has referenced his mother and her advanced age in his battle to convince the electorate that he is not too old to be President. After seeing a new commercial from McCain that stars him and his mother, I was convinced that John McCain would live into his nineties or longer. That is when it occurred to me that I have not heard anything about his father’s age at death. Could there be a political spin to the old mother story?

A few minutes of Google-searching provided me with the answers. John McCain’s father was Admiral John Sidney McCain, Jr. Like John McCain, his father attended the Naval Academy. He later went on to have a prestigious and brave career in the military. This information was found on the McCain 2008 website.

So, just how old was McCain’s father when he died? The answer is that he was born in 1911 and died of a Heart Attack in 1981. If my math skills serve me properly, that would make him 70. John McCain III currently is 71 years old. If elected to the office of President of the United States for two full terms, McCain would be 80 years old at the end his service. No president has ever held office at that age.

Maybe his father’s death was an anomaly in the family. I went back to Google to check his paternal grandfather’s age at death. Again, within a few minutes I had the information. His name, of course, was John Sidney McCain, Sr. He was the first McCain to attend the Naval Academy and also had a prestigious military career. But, how long did he live? John Sidney McCain was born in 1884. He died in 1945. That is 61 years old.

McCain had better hope that he takes after his mother’s side of the family. If not, the Republicans may be looking for a new candidate during their convention this summer. For a brighter outlook on McCain’s probability of a long life you may want to visit, “Can McCain Survive the Presidency? Longevity Calculator Says Yes.” (SEE HERE). In that article, published on Associated Content, his lifespan was estimated at near 100 years.

McCain may well live to be a very old and healthy man and I hope he does. His mother seems like a lovely lady, and it was very nice of her son to include her in his ad. McCain’s use of his mother in his ads seems to work better than the live appearance they made together. While on the air, she referenced the Mormons messing up the Olympics in Utah. John turned red next to her and then issued a disclaimer about her opinions. Videotaped commercials seem like a better option.

I wonder if it occurred to John McCain that by using his mother to show how young he is, that actually, he is using his mother to show how old she is. It appears the new political props will include elderly people. I just hope that Barack Obama does not claim Jimmy Carter as his real Grandpa.

This was a Zane Waltz Opinion