Murtha again plays age card on McCain

by Aamer Madhani

Rep. John Murtha is hardly a spring chicken, but it doesn't seem to keep the Pennsylvania Democrat from tweaking the 71-year-old presumptive Republican nominee about his age.

During an address this morning at the liberal Center for American Progress to mark the fifth anniversary of President Bush's "Mission Accomplished" speech, Murtha poked at Sen. John McCain's age by alluding to the senator's earlier comment that he could see the U.S. military maintaining a presence in Iraq for 100 years.

McCain, who made the comment on the campaign trail ahead of the New Hampshire primary, said such a presence would be similar to the U.S. military's involvement in Korea.

"Some in Washington say they support staying in Iraq for 100 years," said Murtha, 75. "Must have been an older guy. He doesn't expect to be around."

It wasn't the first time that Murtha has brought up McCain's age.

In the leadup to last month's primary in Pennsylvania, Murtha took a shot the septagenerian presidential candidate while introducing Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) to the AFL-CIO's Building Trades National Legislative Conference.

"This one guy running is about as old as me," Murtha said in the April 16 speech. "Let me tell you something, it's no old man's job."

If elected, McCain would take office at age 72. Ronald Reagan, the oldest president to serve, took office when he was 69.