by Michael Kenney - February 8, 2008
John Sidney McCain III. Arizona Senator, born August 1936 in the Panama Canal Zone. Father and grandfather were Admirals in the navy. Graduated from Annapolis in 1958, and was sent to the Naval Air Station at Pensacola for flight training (same place my dad went in 1942 for basic seamanship.)
Married Carol Shepp, July 1965 with whom he had one daughter, Sidney. Shepp had been previously married to a McCain classmate at Annapolis, and was the mother of two children when she married McCain.
December 1966, he requested a combat mission, was assigned to the USS Forrestal, and began flying A4-Skyhawks over Vietnam. Nearly toasted in the 1967 Forrestal fire. Shot down later that year, and badly injured. Held for 5 years in the infamous North Sioux City Red Carpet Inn.
Released from the Hanoi Hilton in 1973 as a result of the Paris Peace Talks.
Upon returning to the US, McCain was re-united with wife Carol, who was recovering from a horrific car crash that had left her 4" shorter and needing crutches to walk.
After some serious rehab to fix his own busted up body, in 1974 McCain was sent to Naval Air Station Cecil Field outside Jacksonville, Florida. It was during this time that McCain began cheating on his wife, including one affair in 1979 with Cindy Lou Hensley. It was love at first sight for Johnny, so he filed for and received an uncontested divorce from Carol in April 1980. In May 1980, dickweed married Cindy, a slightly younger woman. (17 years difference. I know, it shouldn't matter. But it's really starting to show now, isn't it?)
"My marriage's collapse was attributable to my own selfishness and immaturity more than it was to Vietnam, and I cannot escape blame by pointing a finger at the war. The blame was entirely mine." said Flyboy Johnny.
"I attribute [the breakup of our marriage] more to John turning 40 and wanting to be 25 again than I do to anything else." said Carol.
Retired from the navy in '81, moved to Arizona, jumped into politics. US House of Reps in '82 for two terms, elected to the US Senate in 1986. (re-elected in '92-'98-'04)
Things got messy for Big Mac in the 1980s. He, and 4 other Senators were investigated for intervening with the federal regulators on behalf of Charles Keating. Keating was in the process of fucking up the S&L business, and needed some Congressional help while moving shells around. McCain took in over $100,000 from Keating (big money back then), while the lovely Mrs. McCain and her father were investing over $350,000 in a Keating shopping center a year before Johnny met with the regulators. Oops.
Ultimately, got a slap on the wrist from the Senate Ethics Committee for using 'bad judgment.'
Ran for president in 2000, took an early lead, scared the old boys, got Rove-slimed in South Carolina. End of that story.
Couple of notable mentions like the proposed McCain-Feingold Act , and his wheeling and dealing on immigration with Fatso Teddy.
Rush hates him. I hate Rush. Coulter hates him. I hate Coulter. The entire freakshow wing of the Republican party apparently hates him. Normally this would lead me to like him, but not now.
Now, I don't care.
None of this matters to me anymore. I don't need any of this. I've heard everything I need to hear from Senator McCain. His words, and those of his opponents have caused me to make a huge personal decision. (Note to John Griffin.....did I say that argument and rhetoric rarely cause people to change their minds on big issues? Scratch that okay?)
Up until now, I didn't want to face the idea of deciding between Senator Clinton from New York and Senator McCain from Arizona.
The issue in this election for me is not gender. The issue is not race. The issue for me is not abortion.
The main issue is the Iraq War, and the disastrous results of the decision to embark upon it. Up until now, I was convinced that if it came down to McCain v Clinton, I'd probably stay home because they both voted in favor of the invasion.
I'm not trying for melodrama, but I gotta tell you that I am still very angry at both of them for this fucking situation that we're in, ...but enough about what people should have done in 2002.
It's 2008 and Senator John McCain has stated clearly that we'll stay in Iraq 'if it takes 100 years' to win.
It's 2008, and Senator Hillary Clinton has stated clearly that she'll have us out of that place within 100 days of taking office in January 2009.
It's 2008 and I have been listening to (my Junior) Senator Barack Obama badmouth the decision to invade Iraq for years.
Now, I understand that 100 days might be a tall order, but I'm confident Senator Clinton will live up to her promise and get us out of that shithole in as quick a manner as is practical.
I know Barack Obama will make a sensible withdrawal from Iraq Priority One.
John McCain has convinced me, with his words, to do what I said I wouldn't do.
With his words, John McCain has forced me to eat mine.
Fuck staying home in November.
Fuck the 2002 vote.
Fuck 100 years in Iraq.
Fuck John McCain.
I'm still hoping Senator Obama takes it, but I will indeed vote for Senator Clinton if she wins the Democratic nomination, and I'll do so gladly.
Michael Kenney is a Chicago contractor, living in Park Ridge,Il., hometown of Hillary Clinton. He practically never blogs at Out of The Loop.