Getting to Know John McCain (by teh Rove; a "must read" about John McCain)

[Wretched Excess]

I sense that there are a lot of these kinds of stories about our nominee that people know nothing
about.  the more they hear about his background, the more the choice between him and Baroque
Obama* will become clear.

it bears mentioning that this transpired more or less concurrently with Baroque Obama's youth in
indonesia (or wherever), which he has attempted to represent on the campaign trail as "foreign policy
experience".



*Advisory: The BarackStar!'s nickname has been changed.

Getting to Know John McCain

It came to me while I was having dinner with Doris Day. No, not that Doris Day. The Doris Day who is married to Col. Bud Day, Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, fighter pilot, Vietnam POW and roommate of John McCain at the Hanoi Hilton.

As we ate near the Days' home in Florida recently, I heard things about Sen. McCain that were deeply moving and politically troubling. Moving because they told me things about him the American people need to know. And troubling because it is clear that Mr. McCain is one of the most private individuals to run for president in history.

When it comes to choosing a president, the American people want to know more about a candidate than policy positions. They want to know about character, the values ingrained in his heart. For Mr. McCain, that means they will want to know more about him personally than he has been willing to reveal.

Mr. Day relayed to me one of the stories Americans should hear. It involves what happened to him after escaping from a North Vietnamese prison during the war. When he was recaptured, a Vietnamese captor broke his arm and said, "I told you I would make you a cripple."

The break was designed to shatter Mr. Day's will. He had survived in prison on the hope that one day he would return to the United States and be able to fly again. To kill that hope, the Vietnamese left part of a bone sticking out of his arm, and put him in a misshapen cast. This was done so that the arm would heal at "a goofy angle," as Mr. Day explained. Had it done so, he never would have flown again.

But it didn't heal that way because of John McCain. Risking severe punishment, Messrs. McCain and Day collected pieces of bamboo in the prison courtyard to use as a splint. Mr. McCain put Mr. Day on the floor of their cell and, using his foot, jerked the broken bone into place. Then, using strips from the bandage on his own wounded leg and the bamboo, he put Mr. Day's splint in place.

Years later, Air Force surgeons examined Mr. Day and complemented the treatment he'd gotten from his captors. Mr. Day corrected them. It was Dr. McCain who deserved the credit. Mr. Day went on to fly again.

Another story I heard over dinner with the Days involved Mr. McCain serving as one of the three chaplains for his fellow prisoners. At one point, after being shuttled among different prisons, Mr. Day had found himself as the most senior officer at the Hanoi Hilton. So he tapped Mr. McCain to help administer religious services to the other prisoners.

Today, Mr. Day, a very active 83, still vividly recalls Mr. McCain's sermons. "He remembered the Episcopal liturgy," Mr. Day says, "and sounded like a bona fide preacher." One of Mr. McCain's first sermons took as its text Luke 20:25 and Matthew 22:21, "render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and unto God what is God's." Mr. McCain said he and his fellow prisoners shouldn't ask God to free them, but to help them become the best people they could be while serving as POWs. It was Caesar who put them in prison and Caesar who would get them out. Their task was to act with honor.

Another McCain story, somewhat better known, is about the Vietnamese practice of torturing him by tying his head between his ankles with his arms behind him, and then leaving him for hours. The torture so badly busted up his shoulders that to this day Mr. McCain can't raise his arms over his head.

One night, a Vietnamese guard loosened his bonds, returning at the end of his watch to tighten them again so no one would notice. Shortly after, on Christmas Day, the same guard stood beside Mr. McCain in the prison yard and drew a cross in the sand before erasing it. Mr. McCain later said that when he returned to Vietnam for the first time after the war, the only person he really wanted to meet was that guard.

Mr. Day recalls with pride Mr. McCain stubbornly refusing to accept special treatment or curry favor to be released early, even when gravely ill. Mr. McCain knew the Vietnamese wanted the propaganda victory of the son and grandson of Navy admirals accepting special treatment. "He wasn't corruptible then," Mr. Day says, "and he's not corruptible today."

The stories told to me by the Days involve more than wartime valor.

For example, in 1991 Cindy McCain was visiting Mother Teresa's orphanage in Bangladesh when a dying infant was thrust into her hands. The orphanage could not provide the medical care needed to save her life, so Mrs. McCain brought the child home to America with her. She was met at the airport by her husband, who asked what all this was about.

Mrs. McCain replied that the child desperately needed surgery and years of rehabilitation. "I hope she can stay with us," she told her husband. Mr. McCain agreed. Today that child is their teenage daughter Bridget.

I was aware of this story. What I did not know, and what I learned from Doris, is that there was a second infant Mrs. McCain brought back. She ended up being adopted by a young McCain aide and his wife.

"We were called at midnight by Cindy," Wes Gullett remembers, and "five days later we met our new daughter Nicki at the L.A. airport wearing the only clothing Cindy could find on the trip back, a 7-Up T-shirt she bought in the Bangkok airport." Today, Nicki is a high school sophomore. Mr. Gullett told me, "I never saw a hospital bill" for her care.

A few, but not many, of the stories told to me by the Days have been written about, such as in Robert Timberg's 1996 book "A Nightingale's Song." But Mr. McCain rarely refers to them on the campaign trail. There is something admirable in his reticence, but he needs to overcome it.

Private people like Mr. McCain are rare in politics for a reason. Candidates who are uncomfortable sharing their interior lives limit their appeal. But if Mr. McCain is to win the election this fall, he has to open up.

Americans need to know about his vision for the nation's future, especially his policy positions and domestic reforms. They also need to learn about the moments in his life that shaped him. Mr. McCain cannot make this a biography-only campaign – but he can't afford to make it a biography-free campaign either. Unless he opens up more, many voters will never know the experiences of his life that show his character, integrity and essential decency.

These qualities mattered in America's first president and will matter as Americans decide on their 44th president.

Linky

[BlueStateSaint]

WE, H5 for posting that.  That was good.

[Chris_]

The more we dig into McCain's past, the better he looks.

Compare that with mrs. clinton and hussein. 

Thanks for posting this.  Maybe it will have an effect on our "I would rather stay home" types who would let the country become a Socialist Paradise rather than vote for someone who is Not Conservative Enough.
 

[DixieBelle]

Their task was to act with honor.

Something the Democratic nominees would NEVER understand.

I had only heard bits and pieces about McCain's wartime service. H5 for posting this.

[Dixie*Darling]

The more we dig into McCain's past, the better he looks.

Compare that with mrs. clinton and hussein. 

Polar opposites with integrity being the key here.  Amazing.
 

Thanks for posting this.  Maybe it will have an effect on our "I would rather stay home" types who would let the country become a Socialist Paradise rather than vote for someone who is Not Conservative Enough.

I forwarded the link to my sister who told me the other day that she would be not be voting this time.  I hope that she'll take the time to read it. 

I do hope that McCain will open up a bit more and put some backbone into his campaign.  The lackluster run for nomination by Fred Thompson comes to mind.  I never came to "know" him and I'm afraid most (myself included) don't "know" John McCain (or follow the DUmmie meme of "McSame).

H5 and thanks WE.

[WinOne4TheGipper]

That is really something.  We all have our disagreements with him, but he really is a great person.

[Lauri]

another aspect of McCain that I am really starting to admire is that he doesn't trot his sons out all the time who are serving in Iraq - its hardly even known by the viewing public that this man has kids, much less serving soldiers. and he doesnt hawk his own hero status all the time. i dont think most people know that he served almost a decade after he got back home from Vietnam.

i really think at this point, unless McCain does something truly vile or stupid, that he has the whole thing sewn up. Dems can vote for him cause he is pretty vehement against Bush lately. he has not once yet gotten down in the mud with any of the Dems as of yet and that just makes him look more and more presidential and like the mature adult in the room that everybody can trust.

[Wretched Excess]

another aspect of McCain that I am really starting to admire is that he doesn't trot his sons out all the time who are serving in Iraq - its hardly even known by the viewing public that this man has kids, much less serving soldiers. and he doesnt hawk his own hero status all the time. i dont think most people know that he served almost a decade after he got back home from Vietnam.

i really think at this point, unless McCain does something truly vile or stupid, that he has the whole thing sewn up. Dems can vote for him cause he is pretty vehement against Bush lately. he has not once yet gotten down in the mud with any of the Dems as of yet and that just makes him look more and more presidential and like the mature adult in the room that everybody can trust.

in fact, he has declared his sons off limits to the media.

[Lauri]

well, good for him. the kids arent running and should be left alone even if they are adults. buut especially if they are in iraq they dont need a big target on their back as the kids of a president or a potential president.

[Wretched Excess]

well, good for him. the kids arent running and should be left alone even if they are adults. buut especially if they are in iraq they dont need a big target on their back as the kids of a president or a potential president.

exactly.  I posted the story about this somewhere in this forum . . .

[rich_t]

For example, in 1991 Cindy McCain was visiting Mother Teresa's orphanage in Bangladesh when a dying infant was thrust into her hands. The orphanage could not provide the medical care needed to save her life, so Mrs. McCain brought the child home to America with her. She was met at the airport by her husband, who asked what all this was about.

Today that child is their teenage daughter Bridget.

Was that NOT a violation of the immigration laws at the time? 

I know folks that had to have US government approval to bring back foreign born children that they wanted to adopt.

[Lauri]

For example, in 1991 Cindy McCain was visiting Mother Teresa's orphanage in Bangladesh when a dying infant was thrust into her hands. The orphanage could not provide the medical care needed to save her life, so Mrs. McCain brought the child home to America with her. She was met at the airport by her husband, who asked what all this was about.

Today that child is their teenage daughter Bridget.

Was that NOT a violation of the immigration laws at the time? 

I know folks that had to have US government approval to bring back foreign born children that they wanted to adopt.

maybe keeping the child alive trumps international laws at the moment? i have no idea... but while a child is in the care of medical providers, maybe they got the paperwork in order..

i would think if they did something illegal at the time, it would have been uncovered since McCain got the nomination .. but maybe a gravely sick child supercedes everything else under those circumstance.

[rich_t]

For example, in 1991 Cindy McCain was visiting Mother Teresa's orphanage in Bangladesh when a dying infant was thrust into her hands. The orphanage could not provide the medical care needed to save her life, so Mrs. McCain brought the child home to America with her. She was met at the airport by her husband, who asked what all this was about.

Today that child is their teenage daughter Bridget.

Was that NOT a violation of the immigration laws at the time? 

I know folks that had to have US government approval to bring back foreign born children that they wanted to adopt.

maybe keeping the child alive trumps international laws at the moment? i have no idea... but while a child is in the care of medical providers, maybe they got the paperwork in order..

i would think if they did something illegal at the time, it would have been uncovered since McCain got the nomination .. but maybe a gravely sick child supercedes everything else under those circumstance.

Oh come now...

This story never even came up while McCain was running for the nomination.

And for the record, I am NOT claiming anything illegal was done.

I was simply asking about it.

[Lauri]

For example, in 1991 Cindy McCain was visiting Mother Teresa's orphanage in Bangladesh when a dying infant was thrust into her hands. The orphanage could not provide the medical care needed to save her life, so Mrs. McCain brought the child home to America with her. She was met at the airport by her husband, who asked what all this was about.

Today that child is their teenage daughter Bridget.

Was that NOT a violation of the immigration laws at the time? 

I know folks that had to have US government approval to bring back foreign born children that they wanted to adopt.

maybe keeping the child alive trumps international laws at the moment? i have no idea... but while a child is in the care of medical providers, maybe they got the paperwork in order..

i would think if they did something illegal at the time, it would have been uncovered since McCain got the nomination .. but maybe a gravely sick child supercedes everything else under those circumstance.

Oh come now...

This story never even came up while McCain was running for the nomination.

And for the record, I am NOT claiming anything illegal was done.

I was simply asking about it.

well, thats not entirely true.. these stories have been out there, but they dont get much traction cause McCain doesnt talk about any of it. and i didnt mean to imply that you thought something illegal happened.. i honestly dont know how it works, but Madonna's adoption of that little Malawi boy seems much the same. the family gave this kid to her cause they thought he would survive and even thrive in America.. and she still hasnt gotten the adoption finalized yet.

but like i said, i honestly dont know how immigration works for children in those situations.

[Wretched Excess]

For example, in 1991 Cindy McCain was visiting Mother Teresa's orphanage in Bangladesh when a dying infant was thrust into her hands. The orphanage could not provide the medical care needed to save her life, so Mrs. McCain brought the child home to America with her. She was met at the airport by her husband, who asked what all this was about.

Today that child is their teenage daughter Bridget.

Was that NOT a violation of the immigration laws at the time? 

I know folks that had to have US government approval to bring back foreign born children that they wanted to adopt.

maybe keeping the child alive trumps international laws at the moment? i have no idea... but while a child is in the care of medical providers, maybe they got the paperwork in order..

i would think if they did something illegal at the time, it would have been uncovered since McCain got the nomination .. but maybe a gravely sick child supercedes everything else under those circumstance.

I am sure there are hardship waivers and exceptions to immigrations laws in extreme situations like that.

[Lauri]

i would certainly hope so.

and i would think it would be political suicide for any Dem to cry foul over it..

[DixieBelle]

I'm sure that the ones doing "oppo research" are looking into it.

You know, the more I think about it, the more I can't wait to see them try to smear his heroism or anything else remotely associated with his service to our country. His politics will be a different matter but his wartime service and the adoptions? Anyone who tries to spin that negatively is going to look really foolish.

[Lauri]

I'm sure that the ones doing "oppo research" are looking into it.

You know, the more I think about it, the more I can't wait to see them try to smear his heroism or anything else remotely associated with his service to our country. His politics will be a different matter but his wartime service and the adoptions? Anyone who tries to spin that negatively is going to look really foolish.

and as a Republican, the guy has a definite record of reaching across the aisle, whether we like it or not. i think he is going to pull massive Dems to his side after Hilary and Obama are done gutting each other..

[Chris_]

I'm sure that the ones doing "oppo research" are looking into it.

You know, the more I think about it, the more I can't wait to see them try to smear his heroism or anything else remotely associated with his service to our country. His politics will be a different matter but his wartime service and the adoptions? Anyone who tries to spin that negatively is going to look really foolish.

and as a Republican, the guy has a definite record of reaching across the aisle, whether we like it or not. i think he is going to pull massive Dems to his side after Hilary and Obama are done gutting each other..

I hate to be contrarian, but I still believe that his non-confrontational approach to the campaign, combined with a lackluster appeal to real conservatives will result in him LOSING big in the general election.  I certainly respect his military record and his values at home, but I see him as a weak, fundamentally flawed politician.  He will get the votes of the "squishy middle/undecided", however, because they are "squishy" they cannot be counted on to turn out the vote in large numbers (by definition, they just are not that passionate about anything) , and as far as the conservatives are concerned,  I can only speak for myself, but if I have something as interesting and attention grabbing as a root canal going on November 5th, I will be hard pressed to tear myself away to go to the polls and vote for the Senator......

I see a Bob Dole redux coming on.....

doc

[DixieBelle]

^no, you bring up valid points. Let's hope he goes all out once the Dem nominee is selected.