By Guest Blogger Humphrey Taylor, Harris Interactive
If John McCain is elected President in the upcoming elections, he would be the oldest first time president to enter the White House. Harris Interactive has studied the impact of sexism, racism and ageism in this election because Hilary Clinton, Barack Obama and John McCain were the three leading candidates.
For the rest of today's blog, continue at the Boomer Blog
We concluded that ageism might or might not be an issue and that it would depend not on McCain’s actual chronological age but on whether he is perceived as past his peak. Our research has shown that people judge somebody as too old to do the job not because of his age but if his mental and physical capabilities and his energy level appear to have declined.
The common belief that America, because of its worship of youth, is more of an ageist society, with more prejudices against older people than other countries is now a myth. The belief that the Chinese, Japanese and Indians have much more respect for the elderly than we do is another myth. And like many myths it will probably continue to be repeated for many years to come.
For more information, please visit www.harrisinteractive.com.
Humphrey Taylor
Humphrey Taylor is the Chairman of The Harris Poll, a service of Harris Interactive. Previously he was Chairman and CEO (1992-1997) and President (1981-1992) of Louis Harris and Associates. He has had overall responsibility for more than 8,000 surveys in 80 countries, for governments, corporations, and foundations, on such subjects as housing, insurance, transportation, welfare planning, marketing, communications, banking, industrial relations, education and health care. He has testified to Congressional Committees and Subcommittees on Social Security, health care cost containment, Medicare, aging, policies affecting disabled people, drug exports, the taxation of employee benefits, and privacy. He has made presentations in the White House and on Capitol Hill on these subjects, and on Health Maintenance Organizations, productivity, consumerism, health promotion and disease prevention. He has published many articles and papers on survey research and public policy, and broadcasts frequently on radio and television. Over his working life, Humphrey has authored over 1,000 columns, papers, op-ed page articles, and book chapters. He has written editorial page articles for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and (London) Times.