Old Issue in N.J. Race Could Be Preview

Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.), who turned 90 in November, remains chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee despite suffering from a tremor and three hospitalizations this year, the most recent coming last night [Story, A2].

McCain's presidential candidacy has raised the age issue to its greatest political prominence since Ronald Reagan batted back a question in 1984 by promising not to exploit the "youth and inexperience" of Democratic presidential challenger Walter Mondale in 1984. If elected, McCain would be 72 next January, the oldest person ever sworn in for their first term as president.

Obama has yet to raise the issue directly. The McCain campaign has reacted with ferocity at what it perceives to be even subtle hints aimed at bringing attention to McCain's age, most notably when Obama questioned in early May whether McCain was "losing his bearings" over Middle East peace issues.

But there has been nothing subtle about Andrews's attacks on Lautenberg. In the only televised debate Lautenberg agreed to, Andrews accused the incumbent of making "a commitment to run a vigorous campaign" and said, "I believe he has not done that."

Murphy, the top Andrews adviser, said Andrews, a backer of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, is also trying to frame himself as an "agent of change" like Obama. "Maybe 90, 91 years old at the end of another term will give voters pause," he said, defending hard-hitting ads with the number 91 splashed across the screen.

Ahead comfortably in most polls, Lautenberg has focused his campaign on Andrews's dalliances with the Bush White House on Iraq and his own legislative record since first joining the Senate in 1983, while taking every chance to show off his energy.

Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-Del.) was one of many national figures brought in to stump for Lautenberg and tout his effectiveness in the Capitol. "Have they gone helicopter-skiing with this guy?" the Foreign Relations Committee chairman asked local reporters last week. "Find me someone 60 or any age that has more energy than Frank Lautenberg."