The age of John McCain (72 by Election Day) likely won't decide the presidential election, but it may play a role in the selection of his running mate. Relative youngsters like MN Gov. Tim Pawlenty, 47, FL Gov. Charlie Crist, 52 this month, and even LA Gov. Bobby Jindal, 37, have been mentioned as potential vice presidential nominees. Although the main criteria McCain will likely use to select his running mate will be the ability to lead the country in his absence, it's a safe bet he won't pick someone his age or older.

As the Baltimore Sun reported yesterday, the oldest-ever running mate was Henry Gassaway Davis, a former two-term senator from West Virginia who ran alongside Alton B. Parker in the 1904 election. Davis was just shy of his 81st birthday when he and Parker lost to Pres. Theodore Roosevelt.

Ronald Reagan, of course, was the oldest president in history. He was 69 when elected to his first term in 1980, and was just shy of his 78th birthday upon leaving office in 1989.

-Kyle Trygstad