In finance, Kirk Kerkorian's a guitar hero. . . could it work for McCain, too?
The name of Kirk Kerkorian, billionaire investor and Armenian-American Fresno native, photo right, popped up in a recent blog titled "Is 80 Really the New 50?" posted by the Anti-Ageism Task Force on the Web site of the International Longevity Center -- USA. When it comes to making us rich, we don't care how old the guy is. What do you think?
The item says that:
Newsweek’s Daniel Gross writes that 80 is new the 50 in his column “The Money Culture”. Gross notes the multitude of “frisky septuagenarians” who dominate CNBC, the financial news network. To wit, recent coverage of power elders has included that of:Carl Icahn, 72, corporate raider
George Soros, 77, power trader
Warren Buffett, 77, Berkshire Hathaway CFO
Kirk Kerkorian, 91, auto industry tycoonGone is the retirement age of 65, writes Gross, calling these elder pillars of industry “business guitar heroes” who are taking a cue from real-life rock stars like Mick Jagger, 64, and Tina Turner, 68, still selling out stadiums.
But, it isn’t so easy for the rest of us, Gross notes, turning to expert Ken Dychtwald, chief executive officer of the consulting firm AgeWave, an organization which specializes in aging and the workplace. Dychtwald said: "There is still enormous resistance and unwillingness to consider older people for job hires."But, Gross counters that CT Partners, an executive search firm, recently conducted an ad-hoc poll on its Web site, asking managers whether they'd hire a 72-year-old CEO (a thinly veiled reference to John McCain).The answer? Yes, by a comfortable 10% margin.
And the Arizona Republic recently cited our own poll on the McCain matter. Sixty-six percent of respondents to our question of whether McCain was too old to run said that the age of a presidential candidate mattered less to them than the candidate's health.
So, perhaps, little by little, society will follow the lead of business world visionaries and politicians alike.
Comments
If they can still be innovative and entertaining then more power to them. If they are still able to work then why not.
Posted by: Jackie Krage | June 27, 2008 4:42 PM
If anyone can, it is Kirk who can buy his youth back.
Posted by: Rich | June 28, 2008 8:06 PM
Thank you, I am very excited to see Senator John McCain gets all of the support he deserves, it is delight full to see people like Billionaire Kirk Kerkorian who is one of the supporters, and I am for supporters of Senator John McCain for the next President of the USA. Let the negotiations begin, we are ready and our vision is clear to continue to build stronger America. The American people are proud because they have glorious past and the proof is observable, past and present challenges will be met to build better life for every man, woman, and children who is a citizen of the USA.
Posted by: Mirijan Michael Kochian | June 29, 2008 3:30 PM
You fail to realize that Kirk Kikorian is not vital & yourthful just because of a number & comparing him to others....It's because of his Armenian genes. That is a proven fact. McCain is too old!!!
Posted by: Lee Leone | June 29, 2008 10:32 PM
It seems there were 4 responses to the BLOG right after posting,
and then no more.
Mr. Kirkorian's countenance does not captivate me. I makes me think of
"The Picture of Dorian Gray" (by Oscar Wilde). Refusing to yield to
prejudice (my own) I went to a search engine to gather a brief bio of
the man. It did not endear him to me any more. And that he seems
to support Senator McCain for president, is not a recommendation in my book. America is war weary, but McCain is but
carrying on the status quo.
What came through loud an clear was that Mr. Kirkorian's idol is
profit, and more of it at any price. And apparently he is still at it with GM (auto maker.) I did not find much about philanthropic activity. And may God allow him to live as long as Methuselah.
Posted by: Isabell Lawson | July 2, 2008 8:31 PM