He's OUR Hero Now

[NanceGreggs]

Dear Republicans:

Having spent much of the day reading the heartfelt farewells to Senator John McCain, I was struck by one incredible fact: the majority of those messages were written by Democrats.

I also had the misfortune to read many of the comments posted by Republicans on RW message boards. They were appalling – not only in their disrespect for the man, but in their complete acquiescence to their “pResident’s” wishes.

Despite having disagreed with many of Senator McCain’s political positions, we never questioned his patriotism. We never maligned his service to our country, both as a soldier and as a politician. And we certainly never encouraged our fellow Democrats to hate him – and yet, Republicans seem unable to refrain from doing so.

Over the past two years, we have watched a self-absorbed, draft-dodging traitor belittle a true war hero. Most Republicans sat silent while their long-time colleague’s reputation was ridiculed and spat upon – others joined the hate-filled chorus led by a hate-filled coward who isn’t worthy of speaking John Sidney McCain’s name.

We have heard the silence of Republicans who lacked the courage to speak out in defence of one of their own. We have seen the vitriol-laden comments of Republicans who lack the intellect to do anything other than what they’re told, along with the bravery required to stand up for what is right.

And sadly, we have read the pathetic words of a pathetic “pResident” who is so bereft of common decency, he cannot bring himself to lead his party, and the nation as a whole, in revering a man so very deserving of reverence.

In view of the aforementioned, we Democrats are more than happy to claim Senator McCain as “our own”, and to give him the respect due him.

Senator McCain was never a member of our party – but we still recognize him as “one of us”, due to his unwavering respect for his country and countrymen, and his determination to make our nation stronger, and to better the lives of his fellow citizens. In many respects, he was often more “us” than he was “you”.

So, Republicans, consider yourselves relieved of any responsibility to honour a man who stood up to all enemies, foreign and domestic, including the enemy currently in the White House. Feel free to go back to heeding the inane ramblings of an idiot who continues to do irreparable damage to our country, while tweeting absolute bullshit about how it’s really him who should have your unending admiration.

When it comes to doing what is right by John McCain, we’ll take it from here, GOP. And we’re more than happy to do so. We Democrats are not afraid to honour his life of service, his love of country, or his accomplishments.

John McCain is OUR hero now, and we are more than proud to claim him as such.

[CatMor]

1. Beautifully written.....my sentiments exactly.

[onit2day]

74. Statements of fact and the recording of history is not bashing McCain but there is a

time and place for everything. Now is a time for condolences and respect...not politics. For McCain I say may the holy spirit fill your soul with light and love and grant you serenity and peace. RIP
Truth will out in time. "The moving hand having writ moves along in time and all thy piety and all thy wit can not call it back again to change a single line"-Kabran

[Haggis for Breakfast]

142. Thank you, NanceGregg for your post

As a retired Sailor, I served with another P O W (whose name I will not put here out of respect for his privacy), who spent six and a half years in the Hanoi Hilton. He was already there when John McCain arrived, and he acted as a big brother to the young Lt. The two men would become life-long friends. He was also a "high-value" captive for the Viet Cong and was brutally beaten to give up sensitive, vital information. He repeatedly fed them lies and was beaten senseless for it.

Not one of us here at DU has the first iota of an idea of what it was like to survive in that hell hole. Nor have any of us ever seen, much less lived - and survived - that kind of barbaric, relentless, savage depraved brutality. The man that I knew spent two years in solitary. Does anyone here have any idea what that does to the human mind or the soul ? For those unfamiliar with the torture methods of the Viet Cong, I will refer you to the vast volumes that have been written on the subject. It's not for the faint of heart.

But don't for one fucking minute think that any of you have any idea what men like John McCain and the man that I knew had to endure just to survive, never knowing from one minute to the next if it would be their last.

Semper Fortis, John McCain. A patriot to the very end. A man of extraordinary courage and bravery.

[2naSalit]

2. K&R

[oberliner]

3. No, he certainly is not

He had his moments and his passing warrants respectful recognition, but he is certainly not our hero.

[tavernier]

8. He's not?

I think all Americans who fought for our country, were tortured and imprisoned, deserve the title of hero, regardless of party. That doesn’t mean that I necessarily share their politics, but I will always honor them for their heroism and bravery.

[oberliner]

10. Were you a member of DU in 2008?

If not, I would encourage you to read the posts on this site from that era.

McCain behaved heroically at times during his life, but he is not our hero. Out of respect, I will leave it at that.

[PaulX2]

25. All Veterans Are Our Heroes

Period.

[Rob H.]

30. Even the ones who served at and/or ran Abu Ghraib? nt

[oberliner]

44. Nope

Other people don't get to decide who my heroes are.

[LanternWaste]

60. Hence, your use of "we" and "us" rather than "me" and "I"

Hence, your use of "we" and "us" rather than "me" and "I"

And if your only justification is a literal and absolute interpretation of a sentiment (again), well then... bless your little heart.

[oberliner]

61. Pronouns can be tricky

Here's what I mean to express:

McCain acted heroically in his life, in my view.

The idea that McCain is "our hero" (i.e. the hero of DU or Democrats) is not something I agree with.

The idea that all veterans are heroes is also not something I agree with.

I respect that others feel differently - just wanted to express my own opinions on the subject.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

138. How sad it must be to be you.

[oberliner]

143. I don't understand what you mean by that

Can you clarify?

[Haggis for Breakfast]

146. Is your's a world bereft of nuance ?

You are sadly relentless in your compartmentalization. Is everything a matter of black or white to you ? As human beings, we are all still struggling to evolve, yet you seem to expect rigid perfection in every moment of one man's existence. Who could possibly live up to that standard ?

[oberliner]

150. Thanks for clarifying

Honestly, I just found the conversation to be interesting, and I wanted to try to express my feelings better on this topic. I respect that others think I am off base here - but I do think it is at least a reasonable position to argue that McCain is not our hero. (Just as it's reasonable to dispute that wholeheartedly and say that he is - though I obviously disagree).

[Haggis for Breakfast]

148. I just can't see through your lenses.

[oberliner]

151. Understood

And I am glad I have engaged with those who feel the way you do - it's given me a lot of food for thought.

[Gore1FL]

84. I don't buy that line of thinking unless we extend it to anyone who ever had a job doing anything.nt

[Voltaire2]

103. Veneration of the military is part of fascist ideology.

[tavernier]

40. I've been a member since 2004

Originally under the username Keys Disease.

I stand by my post.

[oberliner]

46. Fair enough

He certainly didn't seem to be the hero of DU in 2008, but I guess things change.

[Kaleva]

41. He may not be your hero but many of us consider him to be our hero.

You can only speak for yourself.

[oberliner]

43. The OP used the word "Our"

They didn't seem to be speaking just for themselves.

If the poster wrote that McCain was just their hero, then I would not have responded the way I did.

[Hortensis]

55. :) Fwiw, I also don't change my mind about politicians

from moment to moment, not even in the midst of national sentimentality about death. McCain's legacy to America is what it is, but we're obviously seeing a real need among many for heroes.

This bizarre event might work well for us politically. It's an embrace rather than outpouring of hostility, so that's a real plus. Huge numbers of conservatives have left Trump's party and are now calling themselves independent. Many of those are not spitting at McCain because he didn't obediently serve Dear Leader as completely as his followers demanded. So, now it seems we now have a hero in common with some of the people we really need to at least not vote against us.

Eyes on the prize.

?mod=1533691458

This Tax Bill Will Be Remembered As One Of The Greatest Robberies In American History ~ Bernie Sanders

[Hermit-The-Prog]

90. hero defined

Hero -- a person who tries to aid or protect someone else in spite of the risks to self that the attempt will pose

I disagreed strongly with much of McCain's politics and votes, but he remained a hero to the end. For example: https://www.democraticunderground.com/100211058161

[Kaleva]

63. Well, their are quite a few, maybe a majority, of us who think of him as a hero.

And it's a given that one will never achieve 100% agreement on anything. There will be DUers who are exceptions.

[oberliner]

64. Do you think its a majority of DU?

I would be surprised if that were the case.

Maybe I'm totally wrong.

[Kaleva]

65. I'm just guessing based on OPs and posts.

And that would be the way it is regardless of topic. We can only guess based on what people post but there's no way to tell for sure.

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

70. Oberliner...

As far as I can see you are the most vocal. Almost every McCain post it seems you have an opinion on. That’s great, it’s kinda why we’re here but really try to put politics aside and look at just the man. If you can’t that is your right but treading on the opinions of others so vehemently is disrespectful of their rights. I too was here under another name that now make no sense, “just in....something. That was 2004.

I’m a veteran of Vietnam. I served with former POW’s. Listen to their experiences in a POW camp, feel how the torture was distributed, then handled by those men/ women. You may change your opinion. Visit a VA hospital talk to some old soldiers they love to talk, talk kinda takes away the pain of memory, it’s therapeutic.

Yes, Senator McCain’s politics may not be your view, they are not mine. But that man had the courage to own up to his mistakes, he on some policies changed his mind. That is what’s missing in the Republican Party today. Honor, integrity, courage, that Dear Oberliner, is why he is considered a hero.

Can you say the same?

[marble falls]

80. As another Viet Vet, I'll answer for him: NOPE and mainly because he just doesn't get it. I am ...

being treated for cancer at Temple and though I could be treated a lot closer to home, I'd rather be around men and women who've been around vets and are probably vets themselves. I also have people to talk to who understand this one aspect of who I am before we even exchange a word sitting in the waiting room.

I didn't agree with everything Sen McCain said, but I understood where it came from. When I was at fire control school at Great Lakes, we got to see the footage from the Island that showed the jet warmer backed up to the nose of a wing mounted heat seeking missile on the flight deck of the Forestal. We also saw footage of John McCain walking through fire (getting 2nd and 3rd degree burns) rescuing another flyer caught in a burning plane while ordnance is going off all around them including bombs one of which sent out a concussion wave that blew a fire control team running up to the fire (five or six swabbies) completely off the deck. One second there they are, bang, and totally gone.

Sometimes I think the reason we Democrats fail a lot of the time is because we keep looking for a doctrinaire candidate and we'll never been able to agree on the doctrine we want followed. This what I think happened to us in 2016. Republicans at least can get a candidate elected and fight about the details later. Which is what I think is happening now.

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

91. Thank you, Brother...

I’m the same, checked outta for profit hospitals AMA many times cause they just didn’t get it that I received better care at the VA. I’m at the VA in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

At those FPH (for profit hospitals) I was treated very poorly compared to the VA, the only exception being U of M (University of Michigan) hospital. They are next to each other and work hand in hand with the VA. Both saved my life, I like to say I’m Greg V3.0.

My fellow Brothers and Sisters in the waiting rooms, talking with one another is a true bonding.
We are able to put aside our political beliefs and help each other, like we all should.

I truly believe that when you have experienced war with it’s smells and sounds it’s something that civilians will never understand. And it should be that way, the main populace should never experience that. That alone was our duty not saying there was more.

I’m a pretty hardened person but remembering Senator McCains actions bring me to my knees in tears.

[marble falls]

99. Some of his politics really made me scratch my head, but I am truly sorry to see this good man pass.

[maddiemom]

100. Excellent. Very well put.

Too many Democrats for too many years have been looking for (their version of) perfection in their candidates, thus getting far less desirable candidates elected.

[oberliner]

110. Thanks for sharing your perspective

I stand by my assessment of him as a man who behaved heroically at times in his life but was a hawkish neocon who was a staunch political rival. I will make respectful note of his passing, but will take issue with references to him as "our hero".

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

120. Oberliner...

Thank you.

Yes, politically, not on his side much in that regard I stand by you and will defend you.

I have to ask, how do you treat your rivals? If knowledgeable opposition is offered to me I love the verbal give and take I take it as a learning environment, not everyone holds my view.
You have shown in this response great understanding.

I have to ask though, have you ever served in the military or served in any civic duty? Jury duty is nonnegotiable.

Do you personally have any contact with anyone who served in any kind of civic duty?

Have you?

Your response will be very enlightening.

PM me if you don’t want to go public. It’s all good.

[oberliner]

130. Thanks for your response

I did not serve in the military but both my father and grandfather did.

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

133. Then you understand about honor and country...

Need I say more?
I respect your opinions. Just please understand ours.

That is what we fight for.
And I have to add I hate the “fight for” term. It should be a given in this land we should not have to fight for any of our rights, we already did.

[oberliner]

135. Yes, I do

To reiterate, I do respect John McCain and I do feel he has acted heroically in his life.

Happy to simply leave it at that.

I'll look for your posts in The Lounge!

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

136. ....

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

134. Hey come on we're playing in the lounge.

[blue cat]

115. I respect Mccain n/t

[Honeycombe8]

117. I was. In the heat of battle, there are enemies, but an enemy can stlll be an honorable foe. nt

[oberliner]

131. "Honorable foe" is exactly how I would describe John McCain

Not "our hero" but "an honorable foe" seems perfect.

[Honeycombe8]

144. Foe in politics. Hero in his military career. Which makes him an American hero. I'm American.nt

[oberliner]

147. How about George H W Bush?

[Honeycombe8]

149. I'm not aware that he was captured and refused to be released to go home...

until the ones who were there before him were released.

I don't view everyone who served in the military as heroes.

[oberliner]

152. He wasn't

But he did earn the Distinguished Flying Cross which is awarded for heroism.

CITATION: "For heroism and extraordinary achievement in aerial flight as Pilot of a Torpedo Plane in Torpedo Squadron FIFTY ONE, attached to the U.S.S. San Jacinto, in action against enemy Japanese forces in the vicinity of the Bonin Islands, on September 2, 1944. Leading one section of a four-plane division in a strike against a radio station, Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Bush pressed home an attack in the face of intense antiaircraft fire. Although his plane was hit and set afire at the beginning of his dive, he continued his plunge toward the target and succeeded in scoring damaging bomb hits before bailing out of the craft. His courage and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Reserve."

https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/biographies-list/bios-b/bush-george-h-w/bush-citation.html

[Rebl2]

72. I agree with you.

We don’t have to agree with his political views. We should respect his service to this country, the hell he went through and his love for his country. In my eyes he is a hero.

[melman]

4. Sorry

but John McCain is not my hero.

I agree with the sentiment in the threads the last few days about not dumping on a person who just died, but this takes it too far in my opinion. Showing respect to the recently departed is one thing, but no right wing Republican should be 'our hero'.

[oberliner]

6. Well put

People ought to read DU threads from 2008 to refresh their memories.

[treestar]

49. I get that, but we can run against someone

and still respect them; he asked President Obama to do his eulogy - they had mutual respect though they ran against each other. There is that level where you recognize what you've got to do in a campaign but when it is over, you are still friends. Look at Obama/Hillary after their bruising primary.

[oberliner]

51. Agreed

I am fine with saying we respect McCain - calling him our hero is a bit too far for me though.

[treestar]

58. Yes I get you there

[Old Terp]

85. Oh, you mean the ones that attacked Hillary and any who supported her?

[tkmorris]

96. This is like DU's version of Godwin's Law

As a thread grows longer, the likelihood that someone will try to make it about Hillary or Bernie approaches zero.

[Voltaire2]

107. 1. It approaches one.

If it approached zero it would never happen.

[progressoid]

111. Ha!

[oberliner]

108. No, the ones about McCain

[ansible]

9. Agreed, what the hell is with all this love for this neocon warmonger now?

Seriously guys? This asshole would've had us going to war with Iran if he won in 2008. Fuck McCain.

[BamaRefugee]

14. FINALLY, some truth! He gleefully messaged with this that he would happily...

...carpet bomb hundreds of thousands of innocent women and children into oblivion, given the chance.

He fought relentlessly against Martin Luther King Day.


HE ORIGINATED THIS JOKE, which shows all of his love and compassion for protecting children and defending women. Yes, THIS WAS HIM: “Do you know why Chelsea Clinton is so ugly? Because Janet Reno is her father", at a 1998 Republican fundraiser.

And this classic mysogyny at a 1992 campaign stop:
In his 1992 Senate bid, McCain was joined on the campaign trail by his wife, Cindy, as well as campaign aide Doug Cole and consultant Wes Gullett. At one point, Cindy playfully twirled McCain’s hair and said, “You’re getting a little thin up there.” McCain’s face reddened, and he responded, “At least I don’t plaster on the makeup like a trollop, you cunt.”
His excuse? It had been a long day!


And love of country????ANYONE who would put Sarah Palin a "heartbeat from the Presidency" did NOT love this country.

There's more, much more, but I've probably posted enough to get booted so I'll stop. But reading things on DU today, I felt like FDR, the Kennedys, MLK and Barak Obama had all passed on the same day judging from the gushing memorials.


I don't get it.

[Rob H.]

31. And then there's this

[melman]

98. Also this

[geardaddy]

69. Yep.

I'm with you on this.

[SkyDancer]

38. We're living in upside down world

[NanceGreggs]

11. The GOP's refusal ...

... to recognize McCain's life of service to his country is not merely a matter of "not dumping on a person who just died".

It is a concerted effort to dismiss the patriotism of a man they once pointed to as their "resident war hero" - at the behest of a "pResident" who praises his escape from contracting STDs during the Viet Nam years as comparable to those who actually served.

The GOP doesn't want him - and that's fine. We who can put party politics aside in order to acknowledge McCain's devotion to country can pick up the slack. If you have a problem with that, that's your problem.

[nolabear]

12. Amen.

[leftofcool]

13. Thank you, Nance. I am with you on this

A lot of the kids around here weren't alive when John McCain was released from prison in Hanoi. I remember watching him come home and while I protested the Vietnam war, I cried tears of joy at his release. I will always consider any returning soldier, especially one from a POW camp, a returning hero.

[melman]

17. Yeah well

I was referring to the threads here about posts here as I'm sure you know.

But no, I'm not prepared to laud right wing Republican John McCain for supposedly standing 'up to all enemies, foreign and domestic'

And I'm not going to accept him as 'one of us' just because they hate him. He's not. He was a right wing Republican.

[JCanete]

18. I still think that characterization goes too far. There is a decency that I am wiling to extend to

McCain, but I can certainly recognize why others may not find him justified of it. He clearly had a conscience. And occasionally it was too heavy for him to just keep it under his jacket. So many other times he voiced meek concerns and simply caved to the rest of the party.

Again, we can be decent and should. We can cherry pick the best of him and praise those moments. I just rankle a little myself at the general declaration that he's "our hero," since that comes off as referring to more than his military service.

[pazzyanne]

21. Amen!

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

92. +1000

[tkmorris]

97. But you didn't merely "acknowledge McCain's devotion to country"

You elevated him to bona fide Hero status, and you attempted to foist him on everyone else here as well. Sorry, but no. He did some worthy things in his life, but has spent the last 40 years or so cancelling them out and then some. I respect his military career, but that is all and it ended a long time ago.


And no, that isn't "my problem", it's HIS. And, apparently, yours.

[melman]

155. +1

Exactly this.

[Hekate]

153. Thanks, Nance. The GOP reaction has been nothing less than bizarre, toadying to a treasonous potus.

[defacto7]

154. Hear hear!

[R B Garr]

161. THIS times a million. What's so pathetic is the so-called "Independent"

crowd that would happily have Trump voters vote for Bernie don't realize that a lot of borderline GOP'ers have been looking at the Trump reality and run screaming. We'll gladly take them in to support Democrats. Democrats look like the only decent, honorable, honest, party going. So much for the "independent" mantra which we know is only about supporting one person.

[Autumn]

47. I can respect that he gave a lifetime of support to his party and his family

seems to adore him but he certainly isn't my hero. There are things I do not forget.

[demmiblue]

89. This is one of the most bizarre threads that I have seen on DU. n/t

[melman]

95. It's insane

And really pretty infuriating.

[Scruffy1]

106. I'm leaving this silly discussion with one thought.

When anyone ask me about McCain "I'll just say he was better than Trump". Of course a steaming bag of shit is better than Trump.

[CentralMass]

5. Well written.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

7. I'm not sure I'd go as far as "our hero," but I agree that he can be a powerful symbol

of everything Trump is not and will never be as a leader. I think the contrast with Trump drives at least some of the praise McCain is receiving. McCain had plenty of faults and I didn't agree with him on much of anything, but at least he acted in accordance with some principles he believed in and not just to fluff his ego. Will any of the other GOPers think hard about whether they want to be remembered as someone like McCain, or someone like Trump? We shall see.

[geardaddy]

71. +1

I respect his service and find sympathy for him and his family, but I wouldn't go as far as calling him our hero.

[Cha]

15. All because of the evil monster in the WH, installed

by Russia.

If Hillary had her rightful place as Madam POTUS it seems like the country would be recognizing McCain for his service but repubs would be revering him like they did Reagan at one time.

But Big Blow Hard says No.. and Doormats follow.

Link to tweet

[ffr]

23. +1

[JI7]

16. i don't really see him as "ours" in a partisan sense. i see him as an Patriot in a non partisan

sense.

[Hekate]

19. Thanks, Nance

[elmac]

20. He was the first and only republican I donated money to

When he ran against George w during the primaries. I wasn't going to vote for him but thought he would be a better pres if repugs took the ge, which they did.

[ffr]

22. Decency, among other things, is what they lack.

Take away the TV and radio source of their brainwashing and they actually return to normal. Well, almost normal. They still drool on themselves uncontrollably.

[dalton99a]

24. Deplorables disowned him because Putin declared him an enemy of Russia

And the traitor followed suit and behaved accordingly

[rusty quoin]

26. I sometimes agreed with him. Most times he made me furious.

But I do admire the guy. That is that and I am sorry he has passed. The Biden, Kennedy, McCain, and Luger days are gone. Those were different, and I miss them. Some were better than others. Some outright sucked, but they were different days than our days now.

Yet when McCain went out there and pointed his thumb down like that, I knew the real person, not the politician, was still in him.

No one has experienced what he has. Fuck Donnie for not knowing how to properly handle it because he knows how much of a loser he really is.

[True Blue American]

27. Lindsey Graham

Was the worst. After his little speech about replacing Sessions after the election I have had several friends ask me if Lindsey said anything about McCain. I have not. Has anyone heard from him?

Lindsey is another of the low life weasels that rejected McCain for Trump. I hope they rot in their own slime.

Sorry, but that is how I feel.

[Honeycombe8]

119. Lindsay Graham is going to be on FoxNews tonight. Here are some of his tweets.

He and McCain were very close. I think it threw him for a loop.

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[True Blue American]

122. Lindsey and Graham were

At odds with each other after Lindsey became a Trump suck up.

Any one who would suck up to Trump after the things Trump said about McCain has no chacter at all.

[Honeycombe8]

124. I agree he has no character. But I don't think they "broke up." They were very close...

and had been for years.

Unless...did you read something about he and McCain being on the outs?

[True Blue American]

125. Yes, that was my point

Friends do not do that to life long friends.

I have a life time friend. I would be terribly hurt if she began to suck up to someone that hated me.

[Honeycombe8]

128. Do what?

They were close but not tied at the hip. It's possible they had a talk & McCain understood that Graham had to do or say certain things, up to a point, for preservation...esp since McCain was out of the picture. There were almost no other Repubs to support any hitting back that Graham might do. Or it could be that Graham & McCain agreed it was best to keep the enemy close.

You just don't know. But there was a man-love there, and that doesn't go away. McCain would not hold that against him. Graham idolized him. He could barely speak after finding out how sick McCain was last year.

[True Blue American]

159. Thank you

You posted my thoughts.

[Jane Austin]

29. Bravo!

And I am grateful for his patriotism.

[GWC58]

32. I respect John McCain for his service, for the

5 years of captivity in Hanoi. I’ll leave it at that.

[MFM008]

33. My dad was USAF 23 years

We lived the military life.
I respect that service.
I respect his Vietnam ordeal.
An honest love of country and duty.
Not his politics or his votes.
One of the last old school types.

[pandr32]

34. Beautiful!

[argyl]

35. And the transformation is complete. The GOP is now the Party of Trump.

[Vinca]

36. Excellent post. I noticed few tributes from the GOP, too. It's shameful.

[SkyDancer]

37. This to me a hero

and that is all I'm saying.

[BamaRefugee]

79. YES. And McCain spent at least the first decade in the Senate...

..FIGHTING AGAINST Martin Luther King Day.

[SkyDancer]

93. Yup....

[Le Gaucher]

39. When anyone acts by listening to their inner voice that squares with the world outside

They are Democrats.

[proglib217]

42. McCain is not and never was my hero

I am not going to speak ill at length of the recently departed, but I feel compelled to say that John McCain was never my hero and he is not my hero now.*

*His one crowning moment was when he shut up that racist deplorable who questioned Obama's religion at a town hall during the 2008 campaign. Even there he could have done a better job, but I nevertheless give McCain kudos for putting that disgusting pig of a woman in her place.

[rzemanfl]

45. Hmmmm. n/t

[Gothmog]

48. Another great post Nance

[ailsagirl]

78. [phone]

[Omaha Steve]

50. K&R!

Thanks AGAIN!!!

[Soxfan58]

52. Very nice

I am very proud to be a democrat right now. And thank you Senator.

[Tom Rinaldo]

53. Yes. He was very far from perfect. He often was our adversary. He could be mean spirited,

and way too often he was dangerously wrong. But John McCain was still, for reasons both large and small, an American hero. It showed in his personal acts, like refusing to leave his fellow P.O.W's behind in North Vietnam when he was offered his freedom for political reasons. It showed in the political courage and personal magnanimity he demonstrated when he ardently later argued for normalization of relations with Vietnam, supporting Democratic President Bill Clinton in pursuing that policy in the face of a howling Republican gale. It showed in purely private ways like when his wife and he readily adopted an orphaned child from Bangladesh after Cindy met her on a relief mission there. It showed in how he stayed true to his friend Mo Udall when seemingly the entire political world had moved on and forgotten him in his dying days.

John McCain was always, always willing to consider breaking ranks with his party for his country. John McCain was very much a Republican, so far more often than not he backed his party believing that best served the interests of our nation. For that reason I usually vehemently disagreed with John McCain, but I honor the fact that he was capable of searching his own conscience for answers rather than simply relying on party orthodoxy to guide him.

He loved this nation very much and he served his nation to the best of his ability. There are many heroes in America. John McCain may not be my personal hero, but he is very much collectively one of ours.

[Hoyt]

54. Great post. On a link posted by DUer, white wingers were calling him a liberal GOPer or RINO.

[workinclasszero]

56. I agree

What use does the present day GOP have for a war hero like Sen. McCain?

They worship a draft dodger that’s is selling out America to the Russians.

The Republican Party died with McCain, only the anti American Trump cult remains.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

139. Amen, Brother.

[oasis]

57. I'll side w/John Kerry, Joe Biden and NanceGreggs on this issue. nt

[True Blue American]

123. Biden and McCain were friends.

[Vogon_Glory]

59. Beautifully-Written, Fine Sentiment, And I Agree

The Republican Party’s leadership should be smacking down the trolls, the bottom-feeders, and the filth presently occupying themselves heaping abuse on the late senator from Arizona.

[harumph]

62. He did serve honorably...bUT

he's not my hero. He was a complex man who voted party line MOST of the time and
in a very instances, voted with the minority.

The OP is hagiography. That said, I understand the impulse. He was the least odious of an odious bunch.

[Devil Child]

66. He's most certainly not my hero and I don't understand this rush towards glorification of McCain

I say this as a lifelong AZ resident, outside his opposition to Trump there is not much to celebrate. McCain has aspects of his person and history that I grudgingly respect but to make him into a hero of the Democratic party seems a bit excessive and rushed to me.

[moriah]

73. It's more the Democratic instinct to stand up for those treated unfairly...

... the one that insists we treat others as we'd like to be treated.... perhaps what they'd call our "bleeding heart" tendency...

... that makes us offended by the behavior of Republicans in the wake of his illness and death, and at least willing to say the only nice things we can about him.

Even if they boil down for me to "I disagreed with him on how he thought we should run this country, but I never doubted that he actually cared that it ran."

[George II]

67. Very good post, Nance. I can't understand all the push back here about the sentiments...

...you've expressed, but are perfectly willing to "malign his service to his country, both as a soldier and as a politician".

As Jesus said (I don't normally quote the Bible), "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone...."

I don't think there is a single person in public life who has not done something in their life and/or career that we find objectionable. Yet we still admire many of them.

[Act_of_Reparation]

82. Here, I'll help:

1 - John McCain was a Republican. And it's not like John McCain was just a little bit Republican. He voted with Trump 83% of the time, which is 83% more than any right thinking human being really should.

2 - Parking in a handicapped space is "objectionable". Preemptive war is, I think, a little more severe.

3 - Unconditional forgiveness is great, as long as you're immune to illness, unemployment, and clusterbombs. If not, you can't afford to be that naïve.

[Bonheur]

68. That's funny. McCain will never be a hero to me.

Sure, he opposed Trump, and I guess you could cherry-pick some other positions he held that were not downright evil - but for the most part, he was just as bad as the rest op the Republican cabal. Fuck all Republicans, including McCain. Abraham Lincoln was the last good Republican. The love-fest for McCain among certain Democrats is ridiculous.

[Major Nikon]

76. Agreed

Someone alerted on your post, BTW, and probably will this one as well because they obviously can't read and understand the rule they are using to alert.

[Bonheur]

81. That's cute!

The ToS I had to agree to says to support Democrats. I guess the alerter missed the glaring fact that McCain was a Republican right-winger! He didn't suddenly turn into a saint just because he croaked! Disgusting!

[Act_of_Reparation]

75. "John McCain is OUR hero now"?

Dafuq?

[Major Nikon]

77. It will be a cold day in hell before my "hero" votes with the GOP party line 87%

The median senator during that period voted with his or her party 91 percent of the time.

[Autumn]

118. I can't remember DUs hero McCain voting for and protecting Obamacare

until he stuck it to Trump with his thumb down vote. In his last senate campaign he ran on repealing Obamacare.

In his 2018 memoirs, “The Restless Wave,” McCain said even Obama called to express gratitude for McCain’s vote against the Republican repeal bill.
“I was thanked for my vote by Democratic friends more profusely than I should have been for helping save Obamacare,” McCain wrote. “That had not been my goal.”
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/analysis-john-mccain-hated-obamacare-ultimately-saved/story?id=57423435

He is not MY hero.

[Rob H.]

162. He only voted against the repeal

because he didn’t like the way his fellow Republicans were trying to do it, not that they were trying to do it in the first place.

[Autumn]

163. Yep, he was fine with it being repealed. Had it been his way he would

have given it a thumbs up. The rewriting of his history to make him a Democratic hero is pathetic and disgusting.

[Rob H.]

164. I honestly don't get it

Given the number of hard-right issues he’s championed over the years and the number of times he’s voted in line with Trump it makes zero sense that Democrats should embrace him (or even worse, claim him as one of our own) just because Trump can’t stand him.

[Autumn]

167. It puzzles the hell out of me too.

Had he done anything while he was alive for Democrats, like becoming a Democrat before he died I could see a little of the admiration for something like that but he did nothing. I really am stumped by the notion that he should be our hero.

[WoonTars]

83. He called his wife a cunt, but he's our hero now?

This is DEMOCRATIC underground still, right?

[Rob H.]

114. I also wonder how minoritiy DU members

feel about all the fawning over a man who only stopped using the word “gook” because he was afraid it would harm his presidetial ambitions.

[demmiblue]

86. No, just no.

There are a lot of things I respect about Senator McCain... but he is not my hero.

[Liberalagogo]

87. The man that foisted Sarah Palin on the country

within a hair's breadth of the Presidency? That helped normalize and embolden the people that became the deplorables?

He's our HERO now?

No fucking thanks.

[scheming daemons]

88. By naming Palin, he practically guaranteed a blowout win by Obama

...so in an indirect way, he helped usher in 8 years of Obama.

Try to look at it that way.

[workinclasszero]

94. Good point!

[Liberalagogo]

121. Except I'm not going to

It was fucking irresponsible, and I'm not going to excuse the man for it.

McCain was NOT a saint, and I'm not going to be a fucking hypocrite.

I held my tongue and didn't bash him during his health crisis and death. That's ALL the man is going to get from me.

"Indirect".....what a pant load.

[JI7]

132. Obama would have won anyways but i agree it was greater because of Palin

[Haggis for Breakfast]

141. Let's get something straight

John McCain did not pick Sarah Palin as his running mate. She was foisted upon him by none other than Ralph Reed of the Christian Coalition. After years of the Bushes and Reagans paying lip service to the christian right, Reed told the RNC that if they did not pick a VP candidate that passed CC muster, there would be hell to pay. Sarah Palin was his top choice.

We saw the interview of this exchange between Reed and RNC leadership on the telly while on summer holiday on CBC network in Canada in 2007. We asked friends if it was carried on US networks. No one we asked had seen it.

[Liberalagogo]

158. Another apologist

Take your pant loads elsewhere.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

166. I'm not apologizing.

I'm stating fact. Some people confuse truth with opinion. You must be one of them. Check out a dictionary for the distinction,

[melman]

168. So you're saying he let Ralph Reed choose his running mate

Maybe it's just me but somehow that doesn't really seem better. Or very Mavericky.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

170. No, I'm saying the RNC gave him no choice.

Do you understand HOW politics works in this country ?

[wiley]

101. Thanks

He certainly is, are all veterans that have served voluntarily as well as those that have been forced into service. That said, let's say all veterans are not equal. Those that go on to lead in public positions, such as super racist, scumbag, steaming pile of feces General John Kelly is neither a hero nor a veteran still worthy of respect for any reason. McCain made some extremely flawed and fuct up mistakes as a politician. He also showed more courage and integrity than 3 or 4 dozen Senators on specific occasions. His calling bullshit on the transgender ban wasn't brave for McCain, but brave for a Republican. He saved tens of thousands of people's lives by calling bullshit on the repeal of Obamacare. When he admitted to being a coward for what he said in South Carolina about the Confederate flag, it became impossible not to at least accord the man some respect for owning his own bullshit. He is definitely your hero and my hero. It doesn't matter if anyone disagrees with you. They have every right to do so, as some have been doing. They remind me of our current idiot in The Whites Only House. Unless it's about them, or unless they have expressed their opinion, no opinion is valid. I wonder what they are doing with their lives, you know? Does whining and mewling help others in any way? Sen. Inhofe and other crawling scum will quickly support every one of those here who simply refuse to understand that every human has their faults, refuse to speak well of the good someone has done, and offer nothing positive to anyone else.

[Voltaire2]

102. Not my hero.

He was a Republican from a different era, a not yet batshit crazy Republican Party era, a Bob Dole Republican.

He volunteered for a war that was, as far as I am concerned, a crime against humanity. Not a war criminal, but not a hero.

He supported the despicable policies of his party right to the end, with few exceptions.

[guyfromla]

104. If he only supported Obama when he was alive

Obama would have the impact that Reagan had.

[dlk]

105. Republicans Require Someone to Hate. It's a Pathology.

[True Blue American]

160. After readinf this

It explains the Trump hate.

https://themoscowproject.org/collusion/mccain-delivers-dossier-comey/

[WhiskeyGrinder]

112. Christ, this is a garbage take.

[Kurt V.]

113. he's a hero because deplorables said deplorable things about him?

no. rip John McCain.

[Honeycombe8]

116. So true! I totally agree. He's an American hero, which means he's OUR hero, now.

He wasn't perfect. And his ideology was different. But he was ethical, honorable, brave, compromising when it counted, and a good person. I'm proud to call him my hero. I don't have to agree with all his policies for this to be so.

[True Blue American]

126. Same here.

[Va Lefty]

127. I respect John McCain for his service and what he went through in Hanoi. He is not my Hero.

[FakeNoose]

129. A lot of those nasty posts are written by Russian trolls

Putin started all of this years ago - long before Trump was in office. His hatred festered even more when when McCain turned over the Steele Dossier, the votes against the GOP bills, etc. But it goes way back.

I wouldn't be surprised if I learned that Putin is getting these alt-rights, NRA members, fundamentalists, neo-Nazis and other crazies to all jump on the Hate McCain wagon. I agree with you, this makes me sick. John McCain deserves better than this.

[tymorial]

137. Democrats certainly seem encouraging people to hate him

I find it gross and tired. I wish all Democrats were exempt from miserable nasty behavior. Sadly it isnt true. Thankfully far more seem to have restraint.

Anyway, I thank you for your awesome post. It is poignant and moving.

[JDC]

140. Perfectly put.

[Marcuse]

145. Hero, Anti-Hero or Villian?

[radical noodle]

156. I went to a party this weekend

The Democrats there referred to McCain as a hero. I think Nance's OP is pretty much on target with Democrats at large.

[True Blue American]

157. I do agree

Politics are pretty petty at this time. John spent a lot of time admitting his mistakes, including backing the Iraq War. Takes a brave man to do that.

But nothing will take away his Service and Heroism during that time.

[Scurrilous]

165. K&R

[alarimer]

169. Not really, no.

Personally, I do not have heroes. No one deserves to be put on a pedestal, not McCain or even Obama. They are people; they have flaws, and sometimes big ones. History will judge McCain in the end. He did some good things; he did plenty more that were bad. Mostly, though, he was not anywhere near the maverick he was cracked up to be.