Back in January, campaigning in New Hampshire, John McCain was asked whear he would be able to serve eight years as president, given his advanced age. McCain seemed to suggest that he might only serve one term: “If I said I was running for eight years, I’m not sure that would be a vote getter.”

a campaign quickly backpedaled & said McCain was only being speculative, but Marc Ambinder recently reported that McCain was “inches away” from pledging to serve only one term at a time that he formally announced his c&idacy. “a idea to serve one term had long been discussed among top advisers,” Ambinder reported, “& McCain was on board.”

Speculation on this faded when a campaign insisted are was nothing to a story, but interest was renewed over a weekend when McCain’s campaign manager, Rick Davis, sounded cagey on a subject.

As my friend A.L. noted in a very interesting item, it would shake up a race & help McCain deal with a age issue. Obama’s team, A.L. argued, needs to be prepared for a possibility.

First, & most importantly, ay should point that–by taking that pledge–McCain renders himself a lame duck before his presidency even starts. When you’re not running for re-election, your influence is greatly diminished. Just look at all a amazing accomplishments of George W. Bush’s second term. […]

Second, a Obama camp should point out that it is completely unrealistic to think that you can accomplish all of a reforms this country needs in just one term. Only someone who plans on pursuing a status quo would make such a pledge.

& finally, I would point out what a gimmick & a sign of desperation a pledge is. McCain himself has previously ruled out making such a pledge. What changed? Obviously, he realized that he needed to do something dramatic & attention grabbing to have any shot at winning. This is a move driven by ambition, not selfless love of country.

That sounds right to me, though I’d just add one thing: I’m not sure it helps address a age issue, so much as it may accentuate it. If McCain pledges to serve only one term, isn’t he implicitly acknowledging that he’s already pretty old? Why else would a would-be president consider retirement before taking office?

Original post by Steve Benen and software by Elliott Back