Old-time common sense over at the National Review Online.

It is not just in physical tasks that age takes its toll. Even when our minds remain sharp, our energy levels are seldom the same, and that affects how long we can concentrate on a given day without taking a rest.

It is easy enough for me to take an afternoon nap and wake up refreshed, especially since my younger research assistants are working while I am dozing, and have plenty of material ready for me when I am ready to resume work.

But a president of the United States has to be ready to take on any crisis that arises anywhere in the world, at any hour of the day or night.

And if he has to deal with it around the clock, then he just stays awake around the clock to deal with it.

Ageism — defined as discrimination based on age, especially prejudice against the elderly — is wrong when it is vicious, unfounded, and generalized (i.e. “All old people are bad drivers and should be kept off the road.”).  However, I have always been a proponent of drivers’ tests for adults of a certain age (65+) and other precautionary measures to ensure we best protect all of society — the elderly and the young.  Perhaps this is because a close friend of mine was killed in a car accident and the other driver was an elderly man with Alzheimer’s.

In that way, I think Sowell makes an excellent point regarding the office of the President.  I can’t think of a public figure who looks and acts as old and worn out as John McCain.  It’s nothing personal, but if he can’t do the job, then he can’t do the job.  Is it really worth endangering the lives of 300+ million Americans to find out?

Obviously, it doesn’t matter how old he is if he is the nominee and the Democrats are pushing Hillary or Obama.  I’d rather have a crazy, napping-throughout-the-day old guy in office any day that a creeptastic younger man or woman.