Maverick McCain Goes to Bermuda!

I still can't make up my mind which McCain narrative obtains. Was he a straight shooter gone crooked, as lamented by David Brooks and the rest of McCain's former base? Or was he always a spoiled, irascible, goof off who cultivated a fictional biography for politlcal purposes, as exhaustively detailed by Tim Dickinson in Rolling Stone?

We may never know. And after Tuesday, we may not ever have to care again. But in the meantime, here's one more data point to add to the McCain graph: my friend Ross Tuttle has a story just up at The Nation about McCain's week long, tax-funded, family reunion at the Bermuda Naval Air Station in 1991. Yes, this was a while back but the timing is important: the trip was taken just after McCain's Keating censure, the supposed moment of McCain's political transformation into a reformer. I guess reform includes flying to Bermuda on military planes and having sailors carry your shopping bags around.

Cross posted here.

Comments

[OpusIsUnderTheBed]

Dad got him into the naval academy. Dad got him graduated, fifth from the bottom of an 800 person class. Crummy sailor. Crummy pilot. Three crashes. Kept his wings. Told his captives, Dad a bigshot, to improve his captivity, not his fellow pow's. Built his own false reputation. First wife and two kids waited, painfully, during his captivity. Dumped first wife after her car crash and 80 operations. Married rich, young girl. Ran for Congress with Keating's money and influence. Abused congressional power in behalf of crooked Keating. Elected to Senate. Continues crafting his false reputation. "Reaches across the aisle", insuring that almost no Senators respect or like him. Wallows in lobbyists. Viciously battles against POW/MIA groups, using power to permanently deny access to records of pow's not returned. Has repeatedly, miserable record on pro-veteran legislation. Announces years ago, that he covets the Presidency. Runs and runs. Aligns with Bush/Cheney/Runsfield for eight years. Gets to be 72 yrs. Mental faculties erroding and erratic. Psychological baggage increasingly intruding on judgement and personality. Runs horrid, hateful presidential campaign. Picked unprepared Palin for V.P. slot, to get him the Presidency.

Joshua, it's your latter point. He's never been a good person. He wrote of himself, that as a child, he threw tantrums and held his breath until passing out, in defiance of his parents. His core personality and values, never improved. He's always been all about himself, and hurt many people, over years.

[piper1233]

Reaches across the isle out of spite against his own party

[KarenGeorgetown]

Hmmmm.... he had to take a vacation after the USS Forrestal disaster too. Maybe there IS a long standing pattern here.

[ShinjiIkari]

The narrative is basically the same employed by Dubbya: ne'er-do-well son and grandson of money and power, trying in vain to live up to the standards of his family while also hedonistically chasing his own pleasure and demanding total obedience from . If only one (or both) of them had ever had an awakening like Francis of Assisi. Neither man, however, has shown much interest in compassion or humility.