McCain laughs off kid: Thanks, 'you little jerk'

McCain, the Arizona senator whose presidential bid has stumbled through the summer, countered the Concord High students with humor.

''Thanks for the question, you little jerk,'' McCain joked back to one student who asked the 71-year-old about his age. ''You're drafted.''

Students pushed McCain on the environment, his support for gay rights and even his age.

''If elected, you'd be older than Ronald Reagan, making you the oldest president. Do you ever worry you might die in office or get Alzheimer's or some other disease that might affect your judgment?'' one student asked.

The audience groaned; McCain slid into a joke.

''I think it was one of my sons that alleged I'm getting to the point I hide my own Easter eggs,'' McCain said to laughter. ''When you saw my 95-year-old mother [on a video introduction], you saw the kind of genes I have.''

AP