Temper Temper
Sen. John McCain's temper is legendary, as is his inability to control it. It's one of his attributes that needs to be kept in mind when discussing his fitness for the presidency. As far as I can tell, only one news outlet has examined McCain's temper without making it look endearing, and it's no surprise that the outlet is McClatchy DC. The Sacramento Bee, one of McClatchy's papers, carried the article.
McCain's presidential campaign has tried to use his reputation to its advantage; in an early television ad, McCain said: "I didn't go to Washington to win the Mr. Congeniality award. … I love America. I love her enough to make some people angry." ...
But as McCain ascended in politics, he began to acquire a reputation for hotheadedness. On election night 1986, then-Arizona Republican Party executive director Jon Hinz recalled, McCain was unhappy, even angry, even though he'd just won a U.S. Senate seat and his party had just made a virtually unprecedented sweep of state offices.
McCain had hoped that night would help launch him as a national figure. Instead, when the 5-foot-9 senator-elect spoke at the Phoenix victory party, the lectern was too tall.
"You couldn't see his mouth," Hinz said.
A furious McCain sought out Robert Wexler, the Young Republican head in charge of arrangements.
"McCain kept pointing his finger in Wexler's chest, berating him," Hinz recalled. The 6-foot-6 Hinz stepped between them and told McCain to cut it out. "I told him I'll make sure there's an egg crate around next time," he said.
McCain walked away angrily.
About a year later, McCain reportedly erupted again, this time at a meeting with Arizona's then-Gov. Evan Mecham, who was about to be impeached after being indicted on felony charges.
Karen Johnson, then Mecham's secretary and now an Arizona state senator, recalled how McCain told Mecham that he was "causing the party a lot of problems" and was an embarrassment to the party.
"Sen. McCain got very angry," Johnson recalled, "and I said, 'Why are you talking to the governor like this? You're causing problems yourself. You're an embarrassment.'"
Johnson would go on to work at three different jobs in the next five years, and she said that each time, McCain would contact her boss and try to get her removed.
So, there you have it: hot tempered and vindictive. One who has known Mr. McCain for a long time put it best: "it's his way or no way." That ought to serve us well when he's in delicate negotiations with a foreign leader. Or when one of his aides has to give him some bad news, or when one of his advisers has to tell him that his view on an important issue needs an adjustment.
We don't need another four or eight years of a petulant five-year-old holding his breath until he passes out (which is also part of Mr. McCain's past).
It's nice to see that the McClatchy papers are doing their job. More like this, please.
McCain's presidential campaign has tried to use his reputation to its advantage; in an early television ad, McCain said: "I didn't go to Washington to win the Mr. Congeniality award. … I love America. I love her enough to make some people angry." ...
But as McCain ascended in politics, he began to acquire a reputation for hotheadedness. On election night 1986, then-Arizona Republican Party executive director Jon Hinz recalled, McCain was unhappy, even angry, even though he'd just won a U.S. Senate seat and his party had just made a virtually unprecedented sweep of state offices.
McCain had hoped that night would help launch him as a national figure. Instead, when the 5-foot-9 senator-elect spoke at the Phoenix victory party, the lectern was too tall.
"You couldn't see his mouth," Hinz said.
A furious McCain sought out Robert Wexler, the Young Republican head in charge of arrangements.
"McCain kept pointing his finger in Wexler's chest, berating him," Hinz recalled. The 6-foot-6 Hinz stepped between them and told McCain to cut it out. "I told him I'll make sure there's an egg crate around next time," he said.
McCain walked away angrily.
About a year later, McCain reportedly erupted again, this time at a meeting with Arizona's then-Gov. Evan Mecham, who was about to be impeached after being indicted on felony charges.
Karen Johnson, then Mecham's secretary and now an Arizona state senator, recalled how McCain told Mecham that he was "causing the party a lot of problems" and was an embarrassment to the party.
"Sen. McCain got very angry," Johnson recalled, "and I said, 'Why are you talking to the governor like this? You're causing problems yourself. You're an embarrassment.'"
Johnson would go on to work at three different jobs in the next five years, and she said that each time, McCain would contact her boss and try to get her removed.
So, there you have it: hot tempered and vindictive. One who has known Mr. McCain for a long time put it best: "it's his way or no way." That ought to serve us well when he's in delicate negotiations with a foreign leader. Or when one of his aides has to give him some bad news, or when one of his advisers has to tell him that his view on an important issue needs an adjustment.
We don't need another four or eight years of a petulant five-year-old holding his breath until he passes out (which is also part of Mr. McCain's past).
It's nice to see that the McClatchy papers are doing their job. More like this, please.
Labels: Election 2008
posted by Diane at 3:41 PM
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