What Did You Think Of John McCain?
I knew John McCain did not have long to live when they said what his diagnosis was. He had a full life with many highs and extreme lows. Only a couple thousand people, those POWs in Japanese hands still alive from World War Two and those from the Vietnam era can truly understand what he went through. He was one of the strongest proponents to reconcile with North Vietnam.
When I was a student in Australia in 1974, the brother-in-law of my host mom was a POW of the Japanese for 4 years under unspeakable conditions, torture and depravity. Thirty years after the war he still had a deep hatred of the Japanese and would kill any of them if he could get away with it. John McCain put his experience behind him and tried to do what was best for both countries.
He had very tough political battles in the Senate but did not take things personally. Some of his closest friends were Democrats. I don’t know how he would have fared as a President. With his pick of Sarah Palin as his running mate, that did not show great judgement. He claims he really wanted Senator Joe Liberman but was talked into Palin. The President needs to lead and make tough choices. If he was talked into someone he didn’t really want for his most important personnel choice, would he cave in other more important decisions? Hard to say. His time for the Presidency was really in the 2000 election. Age was a factor in the 2008 run.
I did not always agree with his positions. I don’t think he was vocal enough in his denouncements of President Trump. He could have rallied his colleagues. He put politics ahead of principle until too late. That said, he gave a lot for his country. I will miss his voice in the Senate. We need more people like him who will not only talk to members of the other party but form close personal relationships.
Fair winds and following seas John McCain. You had a good life.
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