Sep 05 2008
John McCain, The Man I Thought I knew
Today is a new day. The RNC has concluded their business. The candidates are hitting the campaign trail.
My readers who know me, that have followed for a while, know I have skewered John McCain. I have covered him in syrup and thrown him in a pile of fire ants. I have been anything but nice to Senator McCain – which brings us to his acceptance speech.
McCain is known for many things, but being a great speaker is not one of them. He has never done well reading off of a teleprompter, and last night was no exception. The delivery was atrocious. McCain flourishes in the less formal town hall style meeting, where he is able to walk around holding a microphone and going one on one in a conversational style.
The speech itself was too long. Combined with his horrid performance he lost many viewers before he got to the point in the speech that gave me a respect for and understanding of John McCain I did not previously have.
Most everyone has heard the story of McCain’s POW years. Many were getting tired of hearing about it. Some even claimed he was milking it. Over the course of these past few days I learned many things about those years I did not know. As I listened I garnered a new appreciation for all he endured. Though I have always respected his service, and his time as a POW, I realized I had no respect for the man himself and that was based on my lack of understanding of who he is and why.
As John McCain began telling us his story I was transported in time. I could see the selfish, self-serving, obstinate, hard-headed, trouble making, spoiled, ingrate that was an admirals son, chasing women, and flying by the seat of the pants with no regard for others or loyalty to anyone other than himself.
I saw that same horrid young beast brought to his knees and remade into the humble, strong, loyal, grateful servant of this country that he is today. He still angers me. He has not lost that obstinate, hard-headed, trouble making part of self. However, as I listened to McCain, raw and as honest as I have ever seen a politician, I began to understand that this humble man, known for a flash temper, truly is fighting for a country and a peoples that he loves.
I’ve been an imperfect servant of my country for many years. But I have been her servant first, last and always. And I’ve never lived a day, in good times or bad, that I didn’t thank God for the privilege. Long ago, something unusual happened to me that taught me the most valuable lesson of my life. I was blessed by misfortune. I mean that sincerely. I was blessed because I served in the company of heroes, and I witnessed a thousand acts of courage, compassion and love.
On an October morning, in the Gulf Of Tonkin, I prepared for my 23rd mission over North Vietnam. I hadn’t any worry I wouldn’t come back safe and sound. I thought I was tougher than anyone. I was pretty independent then, too. I liked to bend a few rules, and pick a few fights for the fun of it. But I did it for my own pleasure; my own pride. I didn’t think there was a cause more important than me.
Then I found myself falling toward the middle of a small lake in the city of
Hanoi, with two broken arms, a broken leg, and an angry crowd waiting to greet me. I was dumped in a dark cell, and left to die. I didn’t feel so tough anymore. When they discovered my father was an admiral, they took me to a hospital. They couldn’t set my bones properly, so they just slapped a cast on me. When I didn’t get better, and was down to about a hundred pounds, they put me in a cell with two other Americans. I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t even feed myself. They did it for me. I was beginning to learn the limits of my selfish independence.
Those men saved my life. I was in solitary confinement when my captors offered to release me. I knew why. If I went home, they would use it as propaganda to demoralize my fellow prisoners. Our Code said we could only go home in the order of our capture, and there were men who had been shot down before me. I thought about it, though. I wasn’t in great shape, and I missed everything about
America. But I turned it down.
A lot of prisoners had it worse than I did. I’d been mistreated before, but not as badly as others. I always liked to strut a little after I’d been roughed up to show the other guys I was tough enough to take it. But after I turned down their offer, they worked me over harder than they ever had before. For a long time. And they broke me.
When they brought me back to my cell, I was hurt and ashamed, and I didn’t know how I could face my fellow prisoners. The good man in the cell next door, my friend, Bob Craner, saved me. Through taps on a wall he told me I had fought as hard as I could. No man can always stand alone. And then he told me to get back up and fight again for our country and for the men I had the honor to serve with. Because every day they fought for me.
I fell in love with my country when I was a prisoner in someone else’s. I loved it not just for the many comforts of life here. I loved it for its decency; for its faith in the wisdom, justice and goodness of its people. I loved it because it was not just a place, but an idea, a cause worth fighting for. I was never the same again. I wasn’t my own man anymore. I was my country’s.
I’m not running for president because I think I’m blessed with such personal greatness that history has anointed me to save our country in its hour of need. My country saved me. My country saved me, and I cannot forget it. And I will fight for her for as long as I draw breath, so help me God.
McCain will continue to anger me. Heck he almost did last night in his speech. Fortunately he “glossed over” those portions of policy that would have ticked off the conservatives in the room and watching on television.
What is the final result of last night’s speech? I already knew John McCain the politician and he will continue to anger me in the future. But, now I know John McCain the man and I will be a bit more understanding, though no less disagreeable.
Click HERE to read John McCain’s acceptance speech in full.
