This is the year to be young, political and running for President of the United States. If George W. Bush created the standard for what C students could accomplish, then Sen. Barack Obama is the earmark for what young politicians can do in a very short amount of time.

But not everyone is a fan of young leaders rising in the ranks. John McCain has made the obvious point that Barack Obama is too young and has not had enough experience to take on the office of the White House.

In a new ad, McCain targets Obama’s inexperience and his new celebrity status.

When I first watched the new McCain ad, I thought McCain had officially caved to the pressure of competing against the popular democratic candidate. I mean, if you tweaked the ad just enough, it could have been re-used as a pro-Obama TV spot.

“He’s the biggest celebrity in the world,” the soothing female TV voice says over the picture of Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and then Sen. Obama. In order to use Obama’s youth in a negative way, McCain picked young celebrities known for their antics, in order to probably showcase the young Senator’s lack of experience. Maybe this was his way of asking: Is this the generation you want to govern you? But last time I checked Sen. Obama wasn’t a young 20-something Hollywood starlet. I wouldn’t worry about that too much unless Obama starts hanging out with Lindsay Lohan – then we might have a problem.

I feel a little bad for John McCain. He has the biggest political handicap since the media played up Howard Dean’s ‘scream’ in 2004. McCain has not only failed to capture the interest of the younger demographic of voters, but he has not distinguished himself from the title of ‘the older dude running for President’. In comparing the treatment of the two Senators by the media, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of love for the older Senator.

FOX News doesn’t even seem too thrilled with the Republican candidate. If you’re the lead nominee for the Republican Party and the lead conservative news organization, known for its rightwing point of view doesn’t show you love, then you’ve got much bigger problems to deal with.

McCain’s pot shots at Obama will do their job. It’ll get talked about, become headline news around the country for a few days and ultimately give him some kind of a fighting chance before November. But by the following morning after FOX, CNN and MSNBC have discussed it for a good 24 hours straight—McCain will have to make up for more than what Obama will have to prove.
—Eming Piansay