Rep. Gordon teases Hall about his age

House Science and Technology Committee Chairman Bart Gordon (D-Tenn.) made an eyebrow-raising old-age joke about ranking member Ralph Hall (R-Texas) on Friday during a hearing about aerospace workforce.

While introducing new committee member John Garamendi (D-Calif.), Gordon, 50, said to Hall, "Ralph, I'm afraid you and I are the only ones -- you know, this -- this is sort of scary, but ... we are the only ones that remember [Garamendi], I'm afraid, [who] are still members [of the committee]."

Garamendi has known both Hall and Gordon since the 1970's, when he was a member of the Tennessee State Senate and served on the Science and Technology Committee. He later moved to California, where he continued to focus on aerospace issues.

Hall, 86, replied, "I remember..."

Gordon went for the punch line. "Well, you, you remember Herbert Hoover, too, but I..." He then changed the subject.

Gordon was technically correct: President Hoover was elected to office in 1928, when Hall was five years old.