Regarding John McCain [View All]

[H2O Man]

The following two paragraphs are from Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.'s November 2, 1998 journal. I hope that DUers will appreciate what America's liberal historian was saying. More, I hope this stays "kicked" until tonight's republican debate, as I think a few recent threads have shown that we benefit from a proper analysis of the character of Senator McCain.

Schlesinger is writing about a conversation he had with his close friend, George McGovern:

"We also talked about the incident some years ago on the MacNeil-Leher show when John McCain harshly questioned McGovern's patriotism, saying something to the effect that he would still be in a Viet Cong prison camp if George had been elected in 1972. George started to reply that, if he had had his way, McCain would never have gone to Vietnam and was preparing to mention his own record as a decorated bomber pilot in the Second World War when Robin MacNeil interrupted and brought the interview to an end.

"McCain is a loose cannon. He has commendably defied his party on campaign finance, but he is also capable of bizarre behavior. Recently, speaking at a Republican dinner, he told the following so-called joke: why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly? because she is the illegitimate child of Hillary Clinton and Janet Reno. This plus his reputedly wayward sex life will surely destroy his evident presidential aspirations." (Journals: 1952-2000; page 833)

These two paragraphs should remind us of several things: (a) McCain's attempts to question anyone who differs with him on their patriotism; (b) the way the corporate media enables republican lies and distortions; (c) McCain's a bully who will pick on a teen-aged girl; (d) McCain has some skeletons in his own closet.