To a degree, the Democrats have made age, gender, and race an issue in Campaign 2008. Due to that reality, it might help to examine some facts, and a myth regarding some firsts in this campaign.

Hillary Clinton is the first woman in American history to have made it as far as she did in the race for the presidency. She didn't miss the Democratic nomination by much, and she can still wield a measure of influence.

John McCain is the Republican presumptive nominee, and he would be the oldest individual elected for a first term as president if he wins in November. Moreover, he would be the first president in our history to have endured years of captivity as a POW during the Vietnam War. All of these are facts.

On the other hand, the media continues to report that Barack Obama is the first African-American in our history to reach presumptive nominee status for any major party. The problem with this reporting is that it's a myth. Surprisingly, Chris Matthews recently got it right when he noted that Obama is a product of an interracial marriage.

We know that during the last couple of decades Obama worked his way up through Chicago's political machine. But how was he raised? Well, he was born in Hawaii to a white mother (Ann Dunham from Kansas) and a Kenyan father. When Barack was two, Barack Obama, Sr. left the family for good. So young Obama was raised in the early years primarily by his mother and his mother's parents.

After a divorce, his mother got remarried to an Indonesian (Lolo Soetoro),and they moved to Indonesia. Obama lived there from the ages of six to ten. He wanted to go back to Hawaii, so his mother allowed him to return, and he spent the next eight years being raised by his maternal grandparents. He attended and graduated from the elite Punahou school in Hawaii.

From there he attended Occidental College (LA) for two years, then on to Columbia University and Harvard Law School. He carried out community organizing in Chicago, and worked in the Illinois legislature before becoming a U.S. Senator.

Even if the media portrays Obama as a black man, the facts speak for themselves. One wonders when the Old Media will get it right? Obama is biracial, although he might choose to identify to a greater degree with certain aspects of American black culture.

Most of his upbringing was influenced by his mother and her parents. Perhaps to pander to voters at the eleventh hour, Obama will discuss that part of his life, as well as his interactions with folks from a variety of cultural backgrounds.

However, the bottom line is that his age and ethnicity don't matter that much in American society. American voters are more concerned about the experience and judgment factors of both nominees for president. Can they provide sound leadership and keep America strong?

On the one hand, Obama speaks quite well, but he has never served in the armed forces. He hasn't run a business, or managed a company. He hasn't governed at the local or state level. He doesn't understand business or the economy very well, and he's a neophyte in the realm of foreign policy.

By contrast, John McCain (Naval Academy graduate) served for over two decades in the armed forces. He led a Navy flying squadron, and trained pilots. He endured over five years of hell as a POW at the hands of the North Vietnamese. He doesn't just talk about national security, he has experienced several facets of it.

McCain has served the good people of Arizona for twenty-six years in the U.S. Congress. During that time he has worked with both sides of the aisle and helped to pass important legislation. He has a better grasp of economic issues, and a good understanding of how tax cuts and minimal regulations can boost employment and productivity.

Obviously, Sen. McCain possesses the gravitas and qualifications to be an effective president, while Sen. Obama lacks the experience and wisdom that are necessary. These are the facts.