Dan Rather on Charlie Rose: ..."and the 'young' John Edwards...."

[cryofan]

Anyone catch the meme propagation act by Dan Rather who did a report from NH for Charlie Rose on PBS tonight? In talking about the results from the race there, he mentioned Edwards in passing, describing Edwards as the "YOUNG John Edwards." Now, I know that portraying Edwards as young and inexperienced is a major focus of the GOP attack, but what on earth is Rather doing using it in his report? Outrageous! Edwards is 50, which I think is older than Clinton in 1992, and just a bit younger than Bush was in 2000.

[ArtieBoy]

1. I did a "John Edwards is 50!" thread

awhile back. If I was advising Edwards I would say, "Go grey immediately!" I'm getting really worn out on this "young, inexperienced 50 year old John Edwards" thing myself.

[pacifictiger]

2. from Dan's aged perspective

he is pretty young.

[LiberalVoice]

3. From Dan's perspective everyone is young...

[elsiesummers]

4. Yes Dan is an old dude

I think that Edwards has a hidden advantage here - yes he needs to make sure voters know he is old enough - and coming across with substance is more important because he looks young. Maybe being seen more with his fully grown daughter would also help age Edwards.

Bottom line - with Gephardt out of the race Kerry is the official Bob Dole of this primary. Edwards is no Bob Dole and that's a good thing.

[spooky3]

5. What is most outrageous about this is that he as a journalist ought to

know and report facts rather than respond to appearances (an alternative hypothesis to his having a RW agenda, which I am not ruling out, by the way).

I would bet he does not know Edwards is 50, because if you are concerned about 50, why wouldn't you also be concerned about Dean, who is just a few years older?

An ironic point is that I remember when he was 50 and looked younger than that, and some people questioned his "authority" as an anchor.

[AP]

6. One of the majors called him the youngest candidate in the race the other

day. Never mind that it isn't true (Sharpton is).

[SpaceCatMeetsMars]

7. Kennedy was 43 years old when he was elected, or was it 42?

At any rate, compared to that, saying Edwards is young at 50 is ridiculous.