My goodness, the McCain folks are touchy! They read a whole lot into one pretty tame phrase.

Obama, 46, was asked about a recent comment by McCain, 71, that the Islamist Palestinian group Hamas favors Obama for president.

“I think (this) is unfortunate, particularly since my policy toward Hamas has been no different than his,” Obama said on the CNN program “The Situation Room.”

“And so for him to toss out comments like that I think is an example of him losing his bearings as he pursues this nomination,” he said.

‘Kaay. And what’s bad about that?

The McCain campaign said the “losing his bearings” comment was an underhanded reference to the fact that McCain is 71 years old.

Mark Salter, one of the advisers, said, “Obama’s attack today: He used the words ‘losing his bearings’ intentionally, a not particularly clever way of raising John McCain’s age as an issue…”

“That quote is a not-so-subtle attempt by Obama to insinuate the age issue into the race,” another McCain adviser said. “He attacks viciously with subtlety and innuendo…”

Yeah, it was so subtle it went right past me. Thanks for pointing it out, guys. I would have read that and thought it meant McCain was getting so wrapped up in the quest for office that he’ll say anything, or maybe that he had his facts mixed up. Now I see it was Obama’s subtle way of reminding us McCain is 71. Kraf-tee!

Of course, McCain’s folks weren’t concerned about crying foul when the old guy recently said Obama was an out of touch elitist who is “not ready” to be president. Pipe down, Gramps, and quit crying victimhood.