Death and Politics
E and I were talking about Sarah Palin at lunch today, and about how now that the election is over, all the people in McCain’s camp who didn’t like her are leaking juicy tidbits about what an ignorant diva she was, as if that wasn’t evident to anyone with eyes. I wouldn’t have voted for her for meter maid, but it hardly mattered for me, because there was no way I was going to vote for her boss anyway.
What interested me, though, is the dilemma she posed for Republican and undecided voters who saw her in much the same way I do. Their lament was “She’s a breath away from the Presidency…and McCain is 72, after all…”
I have to admit, that while I thought she was wholly unqualified, that particular potentiality was never a concern for me. It just didn’t figure into my personal electability equation, but for some people, it was THE thing. It wasn’t until today that I had another thought, which was that perhaps the people who were really afraid the elderly McCain would die and leave us stuck with Palin were still uninitiated into the reality of an untimely death of someone who mattered to them.
Because in my world view, McCain is no more likely to die today than I am. I no longer assume anyone will live any amount of time. This is one of the vistas of the perspective that bereavement has given me. My A died at 55. His own father at 39. His mother well into her 80s. Everyone whose stories I know through the widow board and via widow blogs lost their loved ones long before the age of 72. I went to my first funeral, that of a third-grade classmate and friend, at the age of 8. There was a time when I willingly confused mode with mean and assumed most people lived into their 70s. Now I fully understand “average lifespan” is a myth made up of millions of people who lived both very short and very long lives.
John McCain’s MOTHER was on hand for his concession speech Tuesday night; she’s a spry 95. McCain is as likely to live until term limits threw him out of the White House as not. I can only shake my head somewhat indulgently at those who still possess the naivete to believe that only old men are at risk of dying. I wish had no reason to know better.
I would have thought that too but for the fact that he has had melanoma four times in the last ten years with his last episode being invasive. Knowing what I do about it now, from Rob, I know it is a matter of “when” and not “if” it strikes again. I was also more concerned about his lapses during his speeches because it reminded me of Reagan in his last term when it was obvious he was not tracking. Reagan lived to be what? Almost ninety? But his mind went long before that and anymore that is the bigger worry.
But anyone can die. At any time. heck, Palin could’ve gone first.
it is true that you never can predict when someone will die. I lost my 15 year old son from a previously undiagnosed heart ailment that we now know runs rampant through our family.
This was October 30th, 2006.
In this world you cannot count on anything.
I enjoy reading your blog.
Tamara
Thanks, Tamara, for reading and commenting. I’m so very to hear about the loss of your son. My sweetie as well was taken by unknown heart disease. You lose all ability to take things for granted when something like this happens. Hugs and best wishes for the rest of your family; that must be a heavy reality to be reckoning with.