If John McCain wins the U.S. Presidential Election, he will be 72 years old when inaugurated, making him the oldest first term president in U.S. history. According to insurance actuarial tables, a 72-year old man has a 1 in 3 chance of dying before the age of 80. If McCain and Palin were elected to a second term, there would be a 1 in 3 chance that Sarah Palin would automatically succeed McCain as President of the United States.Politico: McCain and the Politics of Mortality (September 3, 2008)
ABC Panels Questions McCain's Age
During a September 21, 2008, episode of This Week with George Stephanopoulos, panelist Sam Donaldson said he believed McCain's gaffes during the preceding turbulent week in the world financial markets put the issue of "age... back on the table" in the 2008 Presidential campaign.The Huffington Post: ABC Panel Tears Into McCain (September 21, 2008)
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Fast Facts
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McCain born
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Potential age at inauguration
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Potential age during 2012 re-election campaign
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Potential age at end of second term
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Fact:
Actuarial tables say 72-year old man has 33% chance of dying before 80Politico: McCain and the Politics of Mortality (September 3, 2008)
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Fact:
McCain's former smoking habit may make odds even higherUPI.com: Old Smoking Habit Hurts McCain (September 3, 2008)
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Fact:
McCain six times as likely to die before end of first term than ObamaPolitico: McCain and the Politics of Mortality (September 3, 2008)
