Racism, Sexism Not the Only "Isms" at Play in This Year's Campaign

Yesterday, John McCain unwisely said that bringing our troops home from Iraq is "not too important" and that he is more concerned about eliminating casualties. Obviously, McCain's political opponents pounced. While I agree with the Obama campaign's opposition to McCain's position, I didn't like their means of pouncing. Both Sen. John Kerry and one of Sen. Obama's foreign policy advisors suggested that McCain was "confused" and had a muddled understanding of history. I've heard others of McCain's political opponents use the word "confused" several times. In my opinion, this is a not-so-subtle way to pain McCain—if I'm not mistaken, the oldest non-incumbant presidential candidate nominated by a major party—as old and senile: It is ageism (as much as I don't care for that word—the ei bugs me). While dementia afflicts many septuagenarians, it is not a condition we should take lightly or use for political gain. Those of us who have been disturbed by the sexism directed toward Sen. Clinton and the racism directed toward Sen. Obama should also be upset by the ageism direted toward Sen. McCain.