Recent polls show that the demographic MOST likely to vote against McCain because of his age are “seniors”. I'm not quite there yet, but we aging boomers are witnessing our own declining mental and physical abilities, and we're dealing with medical issues, assisted living arrangements and funerals for our parents, who are just a little over McCain's age. McCain marching out his mother won't cut it either. Women live longer. My mom is still alive, but Dad isn't, and in his last decade of life he would have been no match for a job like the presidency. Young Americans can imagine that a 72 yo will be perfectly capable of handling this staggeringly stressful job. Older Americans know better.

Everything McCain does to try to convince us he's not too old just does the opposite. And every 'senior moment' he has to admit to is death for his campaign.

Will his maverick days be put behind him? Or is he a closet maverick still?

Stein also highlights the key problem Democrats will have: “to bring down that Wizard of Oz façade without alienating voters who respect his lifetime of service to the country.”

Gloria Steinem mocked McCain's POW status. Obama will not be as stupid, but progressive blogs have tried this as well. It will not fly.

Progressive blogs have mocked McCain's age of late. Seniors are the most consistently reliable and powerful voting bloc in America. Obama may have Berkely and the youth vote behind him…but if he goes down the path of hinting about McCain's age then — regardless of the media and Moveon.org support — Barack Obama is TOAST!

McCain is a hard target. Moreover, well-liked by the press corps, unlike every other GOPer.

Obama needs to wrap up fast, move to the centre, and develop strategies and surrogates to hammer McCain in subtle ways. Not an easy task.