Being McCain Means Always Having to Say You're Sorry

Give him this: John McCain is a world-class apologizer for his sins so far.

It's just a matter of time before McCain says he's sorry to Sen. Barack Obama and the country for the mean-spirited turn his presidential campaign took since a well-dressed Hurricane Sarah made landfall at the Republican National Convention. Once the election is over, he'll seek to make amends and repair the damage done to his shattered image.

The strange thing is, it will seem endearingly sincere.

The first time this happened on a national stage was notably in South Carolina in 2000, where McCain was engaged in an early presidential primary fight with the governor of Texas, George W. Bush. When asked about the notorious Confederate flag that flew over the statehouse there, he replied it was a "symbol of heritage."

Later, after he lost that race, McCain 'fessed up he had sacrificed principle to personal ambition. His disarming candor helps to deflect attention away from the flawed deed.

Recently, the senator made a handsome apology to CBS's late-night talk show host David Letterman, whom he had previously stood up. Smiling broadly on the air, McCain repeated, "I screwed up." It's hard to stay mad at a guy like that.

As a rookie reporter covering Congress as the U.S. Senate adjourned in fall of 1996, I jotted down a side-scene where McCain warmly extended his hand to an Arkansas senator, David Pryor, who was retiring. Pryor had served on the Ethics Committee which investigated the Keating 5, of which McCain was one. For years, McCain had shunned and refused to speak to his colleague. Yet, the Arizona Republican said to Pryor, "Let's let bygones be bygones."

A gracious parting gesture, I thought then. That leaf of memory has now crystallized as part of a larger pattern reflecting an uneven character.

The Keating 5 debacle almost undid McCain. He was especially close to Charles Keating, the savings and loan head alleged to have improper dealings with 5 senators (4 of them Democrats) to influence federal regulation of the industry. Keating had contributed mightily to their campaigns.

In the end, McCain was cleared with an official rap of "poor judgment." But he spent many a day and night, as the New York Times reported, salvaging his reputation as a public servant. He had a mantra that began with acknowledging that meetings on behalf of Keating with government officials gave the "wrong appearance...of undue influence." McCain often concluded his remarks: "It was the wrong thing to do."

Dredging up the Keating 5 affair may be fair game. But McCain's style of the artful apology may be more relevant to voters today than the substance of the charges. Simply put, the man is the political maestro of the mea culpa. Whether it's a strategy of sorts is for you to judge.

One last thing, and it's personal. McCain's penchant for self-criticism extends to the end of his first marriage. He left his first wife Carol, and quickly started seeing his soon-to-be-second wife Cindy, in a late '70s whirlwind courtship which culminated in their 1980 nuptials. I don't doubt it's a true love match.

Yet McCain has said that was his worst moral failure. Sometimes, you can't have it both ways.

Methinks he doth apologize too much.

Jamie Stiehm is a political journalist in Washington.

Comments

[Vurz]

I remember reading excerpts from John McCain's book and being struck how many times sentences like "I let my temper get the better of me, it was the wrong thing to do, I've learned my lesson, I apologize" appeared. I think it was only 10 pages of excerpts at most, and they were being used by a supporter to show what fantastic judgment McCain had while the selection for the Republican nominee was still going on.

Just reading those excerpts showed me that McCain doesn't have the judgment to be President. He spends way to much time acting quickly and repenting at leisure. There is no deep thought, no stepping back from the situation and looking at all the angles. It's just react, panic, attack, apologize, react, think with the crotch, apologize, react, panic, apologize. Over and over.

[PatriciaAnnB]

Again, Jamie Stiehm has hit the nail on the head re this campaign. I have come to the conclusion--finally--that despite all his past accomplishments--McCain is not a nice guy. He just sticks the knife in with a little more charm. The "decency" face is a lie--he's a Bushman--through and through. So sad!

[JRsNana]

He's a serial apologizer which, after a fashion, becomes tedious. His judgement is impaired. Plain and simple. He has a short fuse (always has had), he is reckless and impulsive. Add all that together and he MUST apologize a lot. If he's elected, what's he going to have to apologize to the American people for? God only knows, but I sure don't want to find out.

[Willow712]

I think that a lot of people think that saying "I'm sorry," means everything is okay. Even if they don't feel sorry, saying it seems to be the magic. Telling a small child, "you go tell Jimmy that you are sorry." Especially when that small child really wants to kick Jimmy, but to placate Mom will go apologize. saying "I'm sorry" does not change the event, especially if there is no change in behavior. I suspect McBush was a spoiled small child who only said apologies to placate Mom, and in reality he is still a small child inside.

[respectingothers]

I wish someone would make a you tube clip showing Mccain calling to fire the SEC then run the clip of him saying "i screwed up" on letterman's show. then showing him canceling his campaign to rush to the capitol then again playing "I screwed up" then a clip of him announcing hi running mate then replay the clip of him saying "I screwed up" and again and again with all his many screw-ups.. then we could send it viral. it would be hilarious

[fedupinpa]

McCain doesn't apologize too much. He has too much to apologize for.

[Figerre]

Honor = never having to say you're sorry.

[longislandlol]

He is an ambitious man -all 4 candidates are very ambitious-- Barack left no one wanting-- he is caring-- Joe had to rebuild his shattered life---Sarah liked to have babies and appears to have found a caring soulmate as all 4 are highly adored by their spouses---historians and sociologists will write all this

[deliriousgod]

car salesmen are always apologising for all the untrue stuff they told you, too

[deliriousgod]

what's worse: a guy like Bush who never says he's sorry but always thinks he's doing the right thing even though he's wrong, or a guy like McCain who knows he's doing the wrong thing but figures he'll just apologise his way out of it later (but does as he damn-well pleases in the meantime)? McCain is one of those : "It's easier to say you're sorry than ask permission"- guys.

[NationalTreasure]

after all the lies McCain has told there is no way an apology from McCain will be considered genuine

[lvdragonlady]

Sorry I do not agree. I do not see him doing anything of the sort.

[Glenn1441]

Ms. Stiehm: Your post brings up the interesting discussion of consequences.

Yet I believe this time, a McCain apology doubtfully will be accepted.

I realize that McCain cannot publicly ditch Sarah Palin, in spite of Letterman's pressing questions regarding his judgment. But I doubt the majority of Americans -- the same majority I hope will vote for Barack Obama -- will forgive McCain for that choice, or for subjecting a crisis-riddled nation to the hateful, racism-tinged campaign he has waged -- largely through Palin's lipsticked pit bull's lips.

How deep does McCain's ambition go? Perhaps to the deplorably subterranean level of authoring a campaign that allowed for Palin's RNC acceptance speech -- a speech that quoted the words of Westbrook Pegler, American author, and infamous racist and anti-Semite. The quote extols the virtues of 'small town' values. Charming? Perhaps, if coming from the pen of Garrison Keillor. But Pegler is the same thug who cried for Democratic presidential candidate and leading civil rights proponent Bobby Kennedy's death at the hands of some 'white patriot from the southern tier.' See Robert Kennedy's Huff post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-f-kennedy-jr/governor-palins-reading-l_b_126478.html

To my mind, the implications are nefariously clear. Win at all costs.

I will never forgive John Sidney McCain.

[lisakaz2]

How about any of his supporters? Shouldn't THEY apologize, like that backwards "B" "victim"?

[PuppaX]

He is certainly an expert apologizer.

[MinuteMan]

Actually, I think the chronology is wrong. McCain was still living with his wife while wooing Cindy; in his divorce filing he state that he was cohabiting with his first wife until 3-4 months before he married the golden goose so he was fooling around for 8-9 months while he was still cohabiting with his first wife. What a fairy-tale romance!