Headline Of The Week Weak
Filed under: Headline of the Week > John McCain
"Make-Believe Maverick
A closer look at the life and career of John McCain reveals a disturbing record of recklessness and dishonesty"
Scandalicious! CLICK HERE to read the article accompanying this headline.
[Image by Robert Grossman for Rolling Stone.]
Make-Believe Maverick
A closer look at the life and career of John McCain reveals a disturbing record of recklessness and dishonesty
At Fort McNair, an army base located along the Potomac River in the nation's capital, a chance reunion takes place one day between two former POWs. It's the spring of 1974, and Navy commander John Sidney McCain III has returned home from the experience in Hanoi that, according to legend, transformed him from a callow and reckless youth into a serious man of patriotism and purpose. Walking along the grounds at Fort McNair, McCain runs into John Dramesi, an Air Force lieutenant colonel who was also imprisoned and tortured in Vietnam.
McCain is studying at the National War College, a prestigious graduate program he had to pull strings with the Secretary of the Navy to get into. Dramesi is enrolled, on his own merit, at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in the building next door.
There's a distance between the two men that belies their shared experience in North Vietnam — call it an honor gap. Like many American POWs, McCain broke down under torture and offered a "confession" to his North Vietnamese captors. Dramesi, in contrast, attempted two daring escapes. For the second he was brutalized for a month with daily torture sessions that nearly killed him. His partner in the escape, Lt. Col. Ed Atterberry, didn't survive the mistreatment. But Dramesi never said a disloyal word, and for his heroism was awarded two Air Force Crosses, one of the service's highest distinctions. McCain would later hail him as "one of the toughest guys I've ever met."
On the grounds between the two brick colleges, the chitchat between the scion of four-star admirals and the son of a prizefighter turns to their academic travels; both colleges sponsor a trip abroad for young officers to network with military and political leaders in a distant corner of the globe.
"I'm going to the Middle East," Dramesi says. "Turkey, Kuwait, Lebanon, Iran."
"Why are you going to the Middle East?" McCain asks, dismissively.
"It's a place we're probably going to have some problems," Dramesi says.
"Why? Where are you going to, John?"
"Oh, I'm going to Rio."
"What the hell are you going to Rio for?"
McCain, a married father of three, shrugs.
"I got a better chance of getting laid."
Dramesi, who went on to serve as chief war planner for U.S. Air Forces in Europe and commander of a wing of the Strategic Air Command, was not surprised. "McCain says his life changed while he was in Vietnam, and he is now a different man," Dramesi says today. "But he's still the undisciplined, spoiled brat that he was when he went in."
McCAIN FIRST
This is the story of the real John McCain, the one who has been hiding in plain sight. It is the story of a man who has consistently put his own advancement above all else, a man willing to say and do anything to achieve his ultimate ambition: to become commander in chief, ascending to the one position that would finally enable him to outrank his four-star father and grandfather.
In its broad strokes, McCain's life story is oddly similar to that of the current occupant of the White House. John Sidney McCain III and George Walker Bush both represent the third generation of American dynasties. Both were born into positions of privilege against which they rebelled into mediocrity. Both developed an uncanny social intelligence that allowed them to skate by with a minimum of mental exertion. Both struggled with booze and loutish behavior. At each step, with the aid of their fathers' powerful friends, both failed upward. And both shed their skins as Episcopalian members of the Washington elite to build political careers as self-styled, ranch-inhabiting Westerners who pray to Jesus in their wives' evangelical churches.
In one vital respect, however, the comparison is deeply unfair to the current president: George W. Bush was a much better pilot.
CLICK HERE to continue reading this long and great story!
CLICK HERE to continue reading this long and great story!
CLICK HERE to continue reading this long and great story!
Re: sweetpiece – #194
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Hugs, sweetpiece. Mwah!
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Re: Leona$ Gho$t – Love you, LG!! xxxooo!
ARRORA-,that garbage like you live near me in L.a sickens me,why dont you move to downey or simi valley where your type live. Im sure your rightwing dad who sponges off the military his whole life and his subservient little girl he married while abroad defended Kerry and his 5 medals for bravery right hypocritical cnt? Im sure you feel that all men who went to war in vietnam deserve respect and not to be swift boated,even if that experience led them to think the war was wrong like most decent people.NO but the republican lowlives think they can win every time by tearing down the characther of any man they run against,well its not going to work this time,fundie fascist whre.If kerrs war and medals were somehow tainted,Mccain will get the same lack of dis-resect hypocrite. Kearing 9 geezer and white trash Palin retard are going to be crucified.
THE KEATING 5 CROOK GEEZER AND HIS POLAR BEAR HUNTING WHITE TRASH WITCH WILL BE CRUCIFIED.
Re: sweetpiece –
Funny you say they're proven facts, you're such a liar. You never answered my questions about Obama's shady associations. You're a lot like Obama, vague and great a dodging questions.
Re: knowitall – shut the fuck up. if anyone thinks this country is bad now, put obama in office and you will tearfully beg for bush or mccain to come into office and save your sorry asses.
Luvmygirlz= is that a redneck sounding ghetto way of speaking either way youre trash. Your hard ugly face matches your ugly mind.what are you half texas white trash and half illegal now run along and go watch nascar with daddy and his 3rd wife. Obama/Biden yeah.
Well she's a brick..house. She's naughty naughty lettin it all hang out, well brick house. John McCain picked a sexy little chick, I like her. She's got a tight little ass. I want to play with her ass.
Re: kennnnn – Bullshit. Next you'll say he's a fucking Muslim.
Re: Frogger – Obama's a better man than that shit-eater McCain will ever be.
Re: SheriMoonZombie – Ooo, someone sounds stupid. Are you from Mississippi? I know some stupid people from there, and I think they're related to a dumb fuck named Roy.
Re: luvmygirlz7104 – #104 Wow, you're a complete racist bitch. What the hell is wrong with you?
McCain's health policy (directly from the McCain website) to allow individuals $2,500 a year, families $5,000 — and then you pick your own insurance. The money will be sent directly to the insurance company.
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Are you Kidding Me???? Basic, ordinary health insurance for an individual is 700+ per month - and for families its 1,000+.
I know this as fact. I looked into, and I have several friends who are consultants, and have to purchase their own insurance.
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So let's see - how would this work for the average family? Insurance will cost you - at a minimum - $12,000. John will give you $5,000.
So how does this work for the normal family?? For those who currently have insurance — it will now cost you — at a minimum, and additional $7,000 per year.
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So you already had insurance — now, UNDER THE MCCAIN POLICY - you will have to pay out a little less than and extra $600/month.
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Who in the name of god thinks this is a good idea???
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If you don't believe the above, please go directly to his website www.johnmccain.com and check under the health plan section — only thing not mentioned is how much it COSTS to get insurance on your own.
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I feel sick at the prospect of this.
Something else from McCain's webpage — "you can pick only the health care coverage you need."
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Okay, lets investigate — I have health care that covers, simply put, my health. There is NO COST for the coverage you have UNLESS you use it for whatever specific illness you have. I'm covered for diabetes - I don't have diabetes, probably won't ever - BUT, there is NO COST to anyone simply by the fact I am "covered" for it.
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Had bronchitis (sp?) last year - yep, covered for it, and got care for it - ONLY THEN IS THERE A . . . COST.
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Thus - what the hell is McCain talking about when he says "only select the coverage you need" ?????
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Folks, you need to be "covered" for any potential health problem - its only COST the insurer if/when you get sick — NO COST simply if you are "covered."
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Re: forever_the_sickest –
WHAT AN ACCURACE DEPICTION OF MCSTAIN, DARLING!
Re: knowitall – 206 Not crucified honey for that implies Martyrdom.
TheY will be trash compacted and recycled. We need to save the planet and conserve our resources.!
:)
BLUE RULES!
Re: forever_the_sickest –
Well, if your dumbfuck mouth knows some people from there, then
you must fuck those darkies! If you wanted a fucking date with
a fucking Roy, why didn't you fucking say so, fukard? Only thing, I know in Mississippi, is the gateway to Hell at the crossroads. Go down there and whistle, Satan will come to fuck you like you fucking love. Don't fucking talk to me, or I'll cut your fucking dick off.
whether you like it or not, obama is our only choice.
Re: Leona$ Gho$t –
I have NEVER copy and pasted anything, not everyone has such a limited vocabulary such as yourself, I can actually write a comment that contains more than your silly "Unvocabulary-isms"
Re: Leona$ Gro$$ –
Hahahaha now all you can say "Your Father" you really are a Junior Highschooler, You're Momma must be next right? Your comments are just laughable, contain no intelligence, no substance, all you have is a classic case of daihria of the mouth.
Re: RashManly –
Thank You and you're posts are great as well. Glad some people actually do their research =)
Re: knowitall –
I already know the type of person you are from your many hatefilled posts. I think EVERY MAN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE FOUGHT IN THE MILITARY TO PROTECT THIS COUNTRY ARE HEROES…including my father who is a great man…my father raised me in his dorm room in college, he was a single father, he lost his job to the worldcom scandle, he served over 20yrs in the military. I was lucky enough to be one of the few women I know who actually had a great, loving, caring father.
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Bashing my parents or anyones family for that matter just further reiterates how hateful and ignorant you truly are. Keep your personal attacks to yourself and that goes for Shitlona's Ghost too! It makes no valid point except to let your real age and ignorance shine through.
Now if this were a smear article against Obama, you would dismiss it as a ridiculous attack by the desperate right wingers. Just sayin'.
Re: arrora – you are one ugly putita mami.
I've read this 10 page article from start to finish, and - - - why am I not surprised?!??! Even BEFORE this account I instinctively knew that John McCain was not what he presented himself as being. He most certainly is NOT altruistic, and is most definitely NOT motivated by his desire to put the country's well-being first. Au contraire, he has demonstrated just how arrogant and self-serving he can be - and has a long history indicating just how narcississtic and egomaniacal he really is. Can you imagine seating this spoiled brat as leader of one of the most powerful countries in the world??? This delusional person will be declaring war on everything outside the United States!!! And choosing Sarah Palin as a potential V.P.?!?! That action alone proves this candidate's sense of denial and tendency to live in a fantasy world. WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!! If you thought Bush was a disaster electing John McCain will undoubtedly be a catastrophe….
And Obama is so qualified with a whompin 142 days in the senate?? Riiight…. Since when are stories told by "friends" from years ago considered ligitimate news sources? Because, you know, hes so not biased or anything, right? How bout we hear some "scandel" on Obama? Im sure there someone out there who would be willing to make up a story about him as well.
I just read the whole article in the new issue of RS…Very informative…And very truthful & ballsy…about time someone writes the truth…Next we need his real medical records…Something the McCain campaign has not been. I dont think all this negative shit is really John McCain, but that what happens when you sleep with the devil…Karl Rove. He cannot even bring himself to that low, even though he wants this more than that ho-bag wife of his. He lost his second debate and at what price? The whole truth about what a lie his whole life is is coming out in black and white. The Keating 5, how he sleeps with the whole gambling industry and now this…And he lets that tard Palin run around on his behalf spewing lies….terrible…disgraceful….Thank God he is going to lose. I bet he puts a gun in his mouth when he does.
all of you need to shut up!