It's possible too that McCain would say the same sort of thing about a male running mate. He's old enough to be a mentor to a lot of pols out there, and talking like a proud parent (Proud parent of Congressional Honors Congressperson!) is also part of talking like a mentor.

I totally missed Biden's comment about Obama. I'm glad it slipped under the radar the way it did. I wish this comment would too, because I think you've hit it for both men: they came of age before both the civil rights movement and the sexual revolution.