Thursday, September 25, 2008
McCain and the politics of mortality
McCain and the politics of mortality
By ALEXANDER BURNS
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Since John McCain announced Friday that first-term Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin would be his running mate, Democrats have been quick to point out that the 44-year-old governor could soon be just “a heartbeat away from the presidency.” The veiled reference to McCain’s advanced age is hard to miss.
“For a man, that’s above the expected lifetime at the present,” said Michael Powers, a professor of risk management and insurance at Temple University’s Fox School of Business.
The odds of a 72-year-old man living four more years, or one full White House term, are better. But for a man who has lived 72 years and 67 days (McCain’s age on Election Day this year), there is between a 14.2 and 15.1 percent chance of dying before Inauguration Day 2013, according to the Social Security Administration’s 2004 actuarial tables and the authoritative 2001 mortality statistics assembled by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
Going by the Social Security Administration’s tables, that’s nearly ten times the likelihood that a man aged 47 years and 92 days (Barack Obama’s age on Election Day this year) will die before Jan. 20, 2013.
Read the rest of the story:
McCain and the politics of mortality
By ALEXANDER BURNS
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Since John McCain announced Friday that first-term Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin would be his running mate, Democrats have been quick to point out that the 44-year-old governor could soon be just “a heartbeat away from the presidency.” The veiled reference to McCain’s advanced age is hard to miss.
It’s a macabre point to raise on the night when Palin will speak to the convention here — but a look at the actuarial tables insurance companies use to evaluate customers shows that it’s not an irrelevant one. According to these statistics, there is a roughly 1 in 3 chance that a 72-year-old man will not reach the age of 80, which is how old McCain would be at the end of a second presidential term. And that doesn’t factor in individual medical history, such as McCain’s battles with potentially lethal skin cancer.
“For a man, that’s above the expected lifetime at the present,” said Michael Powers, a professor of risk management and insurance at Temple University’s Fox School of Business.
The odds of a 72-year-old man living four more years, or one full White House term, are better. But for a man who has lived 72 years and 67 days (McCain’s age on Election Day this year), there is between a 14.2 and 15.1 percent chance of dying before Inauguration Day 2013, according to the Social Security Administration’s 2004 actuarial tables and the authoritative 2001 mortality statistics assembled by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
Going by the Social Security Administration’s tables, that’s nearly ten times the likelihood that a man aged 47 years and 92 days (Barack Obama’s age on Election Day this year) will die before Jan. 20, 2013.
Read the rest of the story:
McCain and the politics of mortality
McCain, Obama debate question still uncertain
McCain, Obama debate question still uncertain
Obama says he'll be there; McCain says he's hopeful, but bailout comes first
Associated press - September 25th, 2008
WASHINGTON - Prospects were questionable at best that John McCain and Barack Obama would meet Friday for their first presidential debate as progress appeared to dissolve between Congress and the Bush administration on a $700 billion financial industry bailout.
McCain didn't plan to participate in the debate unless there was a consensus. Obama still wants the face-off to go on, arguing that Americans need to hear from the candidates. The Democrat was scheduled to travel to the debate site in Oxford, Miss., on Friday.
"I believe that it's very possible that we can get an agreement in time for me to fly to Mississippi," McCain said late Thursday. "I understand how important this debate is and I'm very hopeful. But I also have to put the country first."
Read the rest of the story:
McCain, Obama debate question still uncertain
Obama says he'll be there; McCain says he's hopeful, but bailout comes first
Associated press - September 25th, 2008
WASHINGTON - Prospects were questionable at best that John McCain and Barack Obama would meet Friday for their first presidential debate as progress appeared to dissolve between Congress and the Bush administration on a $700 billion financial industry bailout.
McCain didn't plan to participate in the debate unless there was a consensus. Obama still wants the face-off to go on, arguing that Americans need to hear from the candidates. The Democrat was scheduled to travel to the debate site in Oxford, Miss., on Friday.
"I believe that it's very possible that we can get an agreement in time for me to fly to Mississippi," McCain said late Thursday. "I understand how important this debate is and I'm very hopeful. But I also have to put the country first."
Read the rest of the story:
McCain, Obama debate question still uncertain
Bailout Talks Go On Amid Presidential Scuffle
Bailout Talks Go On Amid Presidential Scuffle
Dems Rip McCain, McCain Rips Obama as Leaders Try to Revive $700B Bailout
By JAKE TAPPER, CHARLES HERMAN and Z. BYRON WOLF - Sept. 25, 2008
ABC News
Members of Congress and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson returned at the Capitol tonight to try to revive a $700 billion bailout plan that became the focus of partisan finger pointing and attacks on the presidential nominees after a meeting today at the White House.
Result of bipartisan meeting on bailout seems intensified partisan infighting.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said bipartisan negotiators at an 8 p.m. ET session at the Capitol were trying to "put this train back on the tracks." The meeting broke up after 10 p.m. with no agreement
Reid continued to cast blame on Republicans, and specifically Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
Reid said McCain was "not helpful" by suspending his campaign and heading to Washington, claiming it was difficult to "understand what John McCain said at the [White House] meeting." He said McCain spoke last and only for several moments, and did not contribute anything.
"McCain only hurt this process," Reid said.
Asked if McCain expressed interest in taking part in negotiations on Capitol Hill, Reid said, "No."
Soon after Reid's attack, which followed another blast at McCain by House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank, D-Mass., the McCain campaign suggested Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., was at fault.
Read the rest of the story:
Bailout Talks Go On Amid Presidential Scuffle
Dems Rip McCain, McCain Rips Obama as Leaders Try to Revive $700B Bailout
By JAKE TAPPER, CHARLES HERMAN and Z. BYRON WOLF - Sept. 25, 2008
ABC News
Members of Congress and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson returned at the Capitol tonight to try to revive a $700 billion bailout plan that became the focus of partisan finger pointing and attacks on the presidential nominees after a meeting today at the White House.
Result of bipartisan meeting on bailout seems intensified partisan infighting.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said bipartisan negotiators at an 8 p.m. ET session at the Capitol were trying to "put this train back on the tracks." The meeting broke up after 10 p.m. with no agreement
Reid continued to cast blame on Republicans, and specifically Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
Reid said McCain was "not helpful" by suspending his campaign and heading to Washington, claiming it was difficult to "understand what John McCain said at the [White House] meeting." He said McCain spoke last and only for several moments, and did not contribute anything.
"McCain only hurt this process," Reid said.
Asked if McCain expressed interest in taking part in negotiations on Capitol Hill, Reid said, "No."
Soon after Reid's attack, which followed another blast at McCain by House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank, D-Mass., the McCain campaign suggested Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., was at fault.
Read the rest of the story:
Bailout Talks Go On Amid Presidential Scuffle
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