Early 70s is old by any standard

Richard J. Mundy, Las Vegas

Saturday, April 12, 2008 | 2:03 a.m.

Regarding Glen J. Gillette’s Thursday letter, headlined “When experience counts, not youth”:

At what point would Mr. Gillette say a person is old?

Pilots were required to stop flying at age 60, and soon after could collect Social Security. Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, this August will be 72, which makes him old by anyone’s standard.

Keep in mind that if elected, he wouldn’t be sworn in until Jan. 20, 2009, closer to 73, and then as each year passes, 74, 75, 76.

Ask someone in his 70s (like me) whether he feels old, and you will most likely get a universal yes. We have aches and pains, forget things and are just not the people we used to be.

As for McCain’s knowledge, both Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama were outstanding scholars in college and earned law degrees, but McCain finished fifth from the bottom in his 1958 Naval Academy class.

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.