Wash Post: McCain [on SNL] Touts 'Oldness' to be President
 

By Michael D. Shear, Washington Post
May 19, 2008

Article Excerpt:

Sen. John McCain mocked his age by declaring he has the "oldness" to be president and urged Democrats to continue fighting over the nomination even beyond their convention, as he made his second appearance on "Saturday Night Live."

"I have the courage, the wisdom, the experience and most importantly the oldness necessary," the 71-year-old McCain said. "The oldness it takes to protect America, to honor her, love her and tell her about what cute things the cat did."

In an address to the nation on the show, McCain also made fun of his reputation for opposing pork-barrel spending, saying that he had helped shoot down $15 million for a stamp commemorating Tom Delay's lawyers and a $160 million Defense Department project to jam gaydar.

"I have not once sought to bring pork-barrel spending back to my state," he said. "Not even highway funds. When I entered the Senate in 1987, Arizona had forty-seven thousand miles of paved roadway. Today, it's less than nine hundred."

Later, in an appearance on the show's Weekend Update, McCain urged Democrats to keep fighting their primary nomination battle.

"You have two incredibly talented candidates, why not take every possible second to weigh each of their pros and cons?" he said. "For all you know, there are a bunch of cons you don't even know about yet. Cons that won't reveal themselves should you choose a candidate too early."

Update anchor Seth Meyers responded: "But of course, the convention is in late August so I guess that would be the deadline."

To which McCain added: "What's the rush, Seth? I'd urge Democrats not to get caught up in the idea that the candidate has to be decided by the time the convention ends. I've been to a lot of conventions and they are a lot of fun. But when they end, there is always that empty feeling of, 'Oh well, we've picked a nominee. I guess the party's over.' Imagine the excitement of leaving the convention and still not knowing who the nominee was? That would be crazy. Crazy exciting. . . ."

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