john mccain

The John McCain Spin

Well, well, well......the politicos are rolling and as usual, the people take back seat. Fred and Rudy have withdrawn and John McCain seems to be the Republican frontrunner. John McCain, the alcohol industry's best friend and avoider of anything resembling a Vietnam Vet is trying to convince us he is the man!!!

Those of us in Arizona realize McCain came to this state as a carpetbagger merely to be elected to the House of Representatives. He quickly became best friends with Charles Keating Jr., CEO, American Continental Corporation, until he was convicted of fraud, et.al., and then John backtracked very fast; discounting all those free vacations, et. al. Much effort was exerted sanitizing McCain from the Keating Five affair, but there were more serious issues.

McCain ignored Vietnam Veterans and their numerous plights to a degree many VietVets came to wonder what he was frightened of. Speaking from my own experience, the erstwhile now Senator almost preferred to steer clear of Vietnam Veteran issues as much as he did Vietnam Vets themselves. It was not uncommon to enter his Tucson office, find no one to greet us and even if so, end up waiting awhile to see a staff member. Forget about seeing McCain himself as broken appointments were his mainstay. He liked the hero mantle, but living up to it was difficult indeed since many of us saw through it; and came to openly question his sincerity and honesty. The conclusion was arrived that John McCain had been given things too easily as a result of his Silver Spoon status and was terrified of questioning Vietnam Vets destroying his self conceived legend. Symbolic of McCain was his Tucson Office Veterans Rep attending a community homeless meeting and openly discussing which country club had the better golf course. So much for caring about your brother and sister....I was there when it occurred. By the way, McCain has voted against Veterans bills 27 times indicating he is no friend much less advocate for those who serve.

John McCain's father was a Navy Admiral and of course, John enjoyed the privileges commensurate with being the offspring. In fact, he crashed aircraft during Navy flight training (2) who normally meant being hacked (cut) from the program. He wasn't (surprise!!) and even after being taken prisoner by the North Vietnamese, still enjoyed privileges. John was injured and while other Americans suffered, accepted a surgeon flown in from Moscow to operate on him and him alone. His operation and recuperation was in a Hanoi Officers Hospital....not the run of the mill enlisted shack. Never mind about the obvious violation of the Code of Conduct and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Apparently, he is afraid of those instances of him volunteering for propaganda radio broadcasts to the south (copies are available on the web) and narrating similar movies. Major, major violations of conduct, but he was an Admiral's son. There are other stories emanating from Hanoi Hilton inmates about McCain, but John avoids discussion. He is definitely afraid some of those former Prisoners of War may open up and sink the legend in his own mind war saga. In fact, he even went so far as to introduce a bill signed into law forbidding public access into prisoner of war records. By the way, McCain admits in his autobiography to giving the enemy military information, but no investigation much less an indictment followed.

McCain zealously denies the existence of any living prisoners of war following the end of hostilities. Again, he went so far as to attack POW advocates including being publicly rude and abrasive to Eleanor Apodaca, sister of a MIA-POW, during her testimony to a senate hearing in which he wasn't even invited. He went to Hanoi several times espousing the No POW line and the only memorable moment was hugging his former North Vietnamese captor.

John divorced one wife while she was ill and married the Beer King of Phoenix's daughter, Cindy Hensley. All his talk about not adhering to PACs seems rather transparent when one examines his record with the alcohol industry. Meanwhile, Cindy became addicted to prescription narcotics while head of a nonprofit, The American Voluntary Medical Team, which supplied these meds to needy children. She ended up in dire trouble with the law for not only pilfering narcotics out of the AVMT's coffers, but also for forging prescriptions in her employees' names. John soft-soaped the entire issue knowing very few would probably remember it in the future. A deal was made with the US Attorney to limit punishment to financial restitution and drug rehab entry. Meanwhile, those less fortunate would have been chastised and then served jail time. By the way, there is no evidence Cyndy ever went to rehab. It pays to be the Son of An Admiral's spouse.


What better example of McCain flip-flopping than the trashing he took during the 2000 South Carolina primaries by George W. Bush and Turdblossom. Instead of standing up to those leveling accusations about his military career and adopted daughter, McCain caved in. He learned to love his President and hoped everyone would be charmed by his outward show of affection. John McCain is not tough minded; he is confused.

John McCain is captivated by his demons and has earned the discomfort of Arizona voters by forsaking his senatorial duties during the recent presidential bid. His voting record is atrocious due to absences and flip-flopping seems to be his notoriety. Undoubtedly, he wants to be president to avoid the possibility of being voted out of office this next election. Its that serious!!

Should he be President? Judge the record for yourself, but demand full accountability for his past actions. Scrutinize his personal and professional life carefully.....beneath that veneer is another spoiled silver spoon boy whose father resurrected him continually after career demise....sound familiar?





john mccain

Contrived Hero Myth-John McCain

Objective analysis points to a simple fact: John McCain is not a hero. A close examination of his history indicates a parallel to George W. Bush Jr. and not in a flattering manner. Both had fathers who continually bailed them out from trouble and these sons took ready advantage of their fathers’ reputations to achieve unearned status.

*McCain earned an extraordinary amount of demerits at the Naval Academy, but was allowed to graduate 5th from the bottom of his class.

*He crashed an aircraft in Naval flight training which mandated expulsion, but McCain was allowed to complete the course.

*McCain ran into power lines on the Iberian Peninsula while deployed to the Mediterranean causing a second crash without repercussion.

*Oddly enough, he was made an Instructor Pilot upon return to Pensacola, Florida, and proceeded to lose another aircraft while flying to the Army-Navy football game. The Navy rewarded him by assigning to the carrier, USS Forrestal.

*McCain lost his fourth jet on July 29, 1967, when a rocket slammed into his fully loaded jet killing 134 sailors. He escaped injury, according to some by immediately going below while others battled the flames. Oddly enough, McCain took it upon himself to simply leave the Forrestal without notifying his superiors to party in Tokyo. The Benevolent Navy took no action against him and transferred the erring pilot to the USS Oriskany.


*He lost his fifth jet after being shot down over North Vietnam and captured on October 26, 1967.

*According to an article written by him for the U.S. News and World Report, May 14, 1973, ...”After being periodically slapped around for “three or four days” by his captors who wanted military information from him, McCain called for an officer on his fourth day of captivity. He told the officer, “O.K., I’ll give you military information if you will take me to the hospital.” Not only was this a violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice and the Code of Conduct, but can be viewed as collaboration with the enemy.

A surgeon was flown in from Moscow and McCain accepted preferential medical treatment at a hospital near Gia Lam airport reserved for Vietnamese officers. No other POW received the same which again violated the UCMJ and Code of Conduct.

*According to sources and McCain in his autobiography, specific military information was given such as the carrier he flew from, number of pilots lost, specific flight information and rescue units currently available. Apparently, he did this to gain medical attention.

*Retired Army Colonel Earl Hopper states McCain told his captors "highly classified information, the most important of which was the package routes, which were routes used to bomb North Vietnam. He gave in detail the altitude they were flying, the direction, if they made a turn...he gave them what primary targets the United States was interested in." Hopper further contends this information allowed the North Vietnamese to adjust their air defenses and subsequently the US lost sixty percent more aircraft resulting in the curtailment of North Vietnam bombing. All this was due, Hopper states, because of the information McCain divulged.

*McCain participated in propaganda films and radio broadcasts aimed at American troops. According to the Saigon UPI, June 4, 1969: “Reds say POW Songbird is Pilot Son of Admiral...Hanoi has aired a broadcast in which the pilot son of United States Commander in the Pacific Adm. John McCain purportedly admits to having bombed civilian targets in North Vietnam and praises medical treatment he has received since being taken prisoner.” He had earned the nickname “Songbird” from his captors.

*He talks often of torture, but did not transfer to the Hanoi Hilton until December, 1969. According to the Phoenix New Times, March 25, 1999, Two former POWs, Air Force Colonels Ted Guy and George “Swede” Larson, said in a feature article they could not guarantee that McCain was not physically harmed, (but) they doubted it. Both Guy and Larson were senior ranking officers (SROs) in McCain’s POW camp at a time he claims he was in solitary confinement and being tortured.

*Larson told the New Times, “Between the two of us, it’s our belief, and to the best of our knowledge, that no prisoner was beaten or harmed physically in that camp (known as ‘The Plantation’). My only contention the the McCain deal is that while he was at the Plantation, to the best of my knowledge and Ted’s knowledge, he was not physically abused in any way. No one was in that camp. It was the camp that people were released from.”

*McCain bases his hero myth on the contention he refused to be released unless everyone was. Sources state this was not a big deal since McCain was ordered by Senior Officers to state this. Secondly, former Rep. Bob Dornan (CA) states transcripts exist from former POWs reacting to McCain’s collaboration negatively. According to Dornan, McCain has always been afraid these transcripts would turn up particularly during a presidential campaign. Dornan offered another reason why McCain refused release by the North Vietnamese. He said those released first were collaborators, which McCain was one, and this would have ended not only his military career and hurt the Navy, but would impact his father also.

*McCain has actively opposed the efforts of MIA/POW activists and according to witnesses, physically attacked at least one. He has rudely interrupted hearings to berate MIA/POW family members and has worked religiously to curtail any POW information being released either from the government, any POWs or their family members. It seems rather odd he would take these positions, but he has been no friend of Veterans as well. McCain voted against 27 Veterans bills indicated by his record, but falsely states support for Veterans. He simply does not consider Veterans a priority much less MIA/POWs, but brags of his support.

*He returned from captivity to his wife, Carol, who was in a wheel chair from a car accident. He desired a coveted Admiral slot and the Navy assisted by reinstating him to flight duty in lieu of his disabilities. McCain assumed an Executive Officer, Replacement Air Group 174 position, which trained pilots and crews for deployment. While Executive Officer and later Commander, McCain authorized flights allowing him to mingle with subordinates and engage in extra-marital affairs again violating the Uniform Code of Military Justice regarding adultery and fraternizing with subordinates. The Navy, however, continued the tradition of excusing McCain from penalties and he got away with it.

*Robert Timbert, author of The Nightingale’s Song, wrote: “Off duty, usually on routine cross-country flights to Yuma and El Centro, John (McCain) started carousing and running around with women. To make matters worse, some of the women with whom he was linked by rumor were subordinates...At the time the rumors were so widespread that, true or not, they became part of McCain’s persona, impossible not to take note of.” The Navy overlooked his behavior and excused him from any discipline.

It seems apparent John McCain has contrived his own history and should be viewed as lacking sufficient character to hold the office of the Presidency or the Senate. His POW and Naval records need to be scrutinized for collaboration and other accountable acts. The truth needs to be ascertained prior to this man ascending to any higher office for to do otherwise would be looking the other way. This is exactly what caused the current problems with John McCain.




john mccain

Senator John McCain Dies From Brain Tumor

Title: Senator John McCain Dies From Brain Tumor
Category: Health News
Created: 8/26/2018 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/27/2018 12:00:00 AM




john mccain

Former Presidents Bush and Obama Eulogize John McCain

Copyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit SCOTT SIMON, HOST: Memorial services are underway, as we speak, for Senator John McCain at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. Meghan McCain spoke urgently and passionately about the legacy of her father. We're joined by Ron Elving. He's NPR's senior editor and correspondent on the Washington Desk. Ron, thanks for being with us. RON ELVING, BYLINE: Good to be with you, Scott. SIMON: And NPR's Kelsey Snell is outside of the cathedral. Kelsey, can you hear us? KELSEY SNELL, BYLINE: Yes, I can. SIMON: Henry Kissinger is speaking at the moment. We've also heard from Senator Joe Lieberman. Let me ask you both about the remarks made by Meghan McCain - deeply personal eulogy, deeply personal memories of her father and reaction but also some very pointed things to say with political smack, if I might put it that way. Ron and Kelsey, let me just quote one. She said, "we gather here to mourn the passing of American greatness, the real thing, not




john mccain

POSTPONED — The Future of U.S. Foreign Policy: An Address by Senator John McCain (R-Az)


Event Information

June 11, 2014
8:15 AM - 9:15 AM EDT

The Brookings Institution
Falk Auditorium
1775 Massachusetts Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20036

This event has been postponed, and will be rescheduled for a later date.

With ongoing crises in Ukraine, Syria, and other regions of the world, U.S. global leadership is arguably as critical now as it has ever been. However, many question how the United States should exercise its leadership, what foreign policy agenda it should pursue, and how it should configure its military and security agencies going forward. In a recent speech at West Point, President Obama laid out his foreign policy agenda for the remainder of his presidency. While the Obama Administration will pursue the president’s agenda as laid out at West Point, others in Washington have different views on how best to manage U.S. foreign policy going forward.

On June 11, the Foreign Policy Program at Brookings will host Senator John McCain (R-AZ), former presidential candidate and member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, for an address on the future of U.S. foreign and security policy. The address will be introduced by Brookings Senior Fellow and Director of Research for Foreign Policy Michael O’Hanlon, and the discussion following the Senator’s address will be moderated by Senior Fellow Robert Kagan.

After the program, Senator McCain will take audience questions.

Join the conversation on Twitter using #McCain

     
 
 




john mccain

John McCain, Republican senator, 1936-2018

Vietnam vet and old-school conservative whose friendships crossed the political aisle




john mccain

Rand Paul sparks firestorm with claim that John McCain posed with ISIS-linked jihadists in Syria

Sen. McCain 'did meet with ISIS, and had his picture taken, and didn't know it was happening at the time,' Sen. Paul claimed, setting off angry denials and a D.C.-wide press scrum to call him a liar.




john mccain

John McCain's widow Cindy marks anniversary of his death with string of rebukes to Donald Trump

Cindy McCain marked the one-year anniversary of her husband John McCain's death with a string of rebukes to Donald Trump and his leadership of the Republican Party.