Posted on 08/01/2006 6:08:10 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher
President Bush's chief of staff, Andrew H. "Andy" Card, Jr. has observed Senator John McCain's notorious outbursts of anger first-hand, Card said in his first extensive interview since leaving the White House.
Referring to the Republican front-runner for president, Card said, "Sometimes he was pretty angry, but I felt as if he was putting on a show. I don't know if it was an emotional eruption or for effect."
In a July 5 NewsMax.com article, former Senator Bob Smith, a New Hampshire Republican who served with McCain on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said, "I have witnessed incidents where he has used profanity at colleagues and exploded at colleagues . . . He would disagree about something and then explode.
"It was incidents of irrational behavior. We've all had incidents where we have gotten angry, but I've never seen anyone act like that."
McCain's outbursts often erupted when other members rebuffed his requests for support during his bid in 2000 for the Republican nomination for president, the story said.
"He had very few friends in the Senate," said former Senator Smith, who dealt with McCain almost daily. "He has a lot of support around the country, but I don't think he has a lot of support from people who know him well."
McCain has alternately denied he is given to outbursts of anger and admitted he struggles to control his anger. The March 20 Baltimore Sun quoted McCain as saying, ". . . for someone to say that McCain became just angry and yelled or even raised my voice or — it's just not true."
Interviewed in the living room of his northern Virginia home, Andy Card said he thought McCain could turn his anger on or off. McCain would say, "I don't want to deal with you anymore, or I don't want to deal with this topic anymore, or I don't want to deal with this subject or whatever."
Card said McCain would seem to "flip the switch and turn [his anger] off. It was less with me, and more what I was observing [at meetings]."
McCain, Romney Working for 2008
Card said that while McCain is ahead, the race for the Republican nomination in 2008 is wide open.
"McCain is clearly the front-runner because the media wants him to be, he has the biggest name recognition, and he's got the campaign organization that has been tested," Card said. "He has attracted some people from some other campaign organizations. So I think he actually has a better infrastructure in place than the other candidates."
Card said that while both Rudy Giuliani and George Pataki have been "increasingly active," people don't realize how active Mitt Romney has been, especially in New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Iowa.
"I don't think that the national media have paid as much attention to that as is warranted," Card said.
"I think the ground to the left will have a lot of people trying to own it," he said. "The ground to the right may not have very many people trying to own it. You have George Allen and Newt Gingrich. And then the question is, where is McCain? Is he left or right? The media wants him left. Some of his voting record suggests he's right."
Card said he is confident the Republicans will do well in congressional elections this November. "When they do well, that will give a different definition to the base. The media are trying to give definition today. But I think it's too early to tell."
President Bush's Legacy
As for the current White House occupant, George Bush, "He is comfortable that history will judge him, and it won't be by the latest event," Card said.
"He is very decisive," Card said. "He understands that you have to be in a position to make tough decisions rather than try to avoid them. And he doesn't rush to any decisions, contrary to the perception. He's not a ‘ready-shoot-aim person.' He really is a ‘I'm ready, I'm going to take careful aim, and I may shoot.'
"I've watched him as he challenged his advisers. He wanted candid recommendations. But when it came time for a decision, he did not shirk responsibility."
Card said Bush understands that he must inspire others to win their support. At the same time, he is not driven by polls or the news media.
"I'm grateful for the courage that he has shown as a leader," Card said. "And — this is very difficult for a political figure to have — he has the courage to be alone. I have found that it isn't so much that the president has the courage to be alone, it's that the president doesn't feel that he should do anything just to have friends."
The Privilege of Knowing
When he was chief of staff, Card was known for getting up at 4:20 a.m. He said he now arises at 5 a.m. and has breakfast with his wife, the Rev. Kathleene Card. He reads the Washington Post and Washington Times — but not The New York Times.
What did Card most like about being chief of staff for almost five and a half years?
"The knowledge," he said. "I mean, I don't know that I was all-knowing, but I think I was as close to all-knowing as anyone can be and not be president. I believe the president was very candid with me, and that to my knowledge, I had the information that the president had when he had to make tough decisions. And that's a great privilege."
aw, it's just that bad blood since 2000...the libs keep telling us that W hates McLame.....
/s
McCain's mentally-ill, from carrying too much POW baggge from Nam. He should be medically-banned from all elected offices, and consigned to harmless YMCA deskwork.
There was a post a few months back from a FReeper who witnessed McLame's meltdown at a townhall meeting, when he went off in a Star Trek mode, or something.
A lithium IV drip? Electroshock? Yes...
I learned everything I need to know about McCain when he was part of the Keating Five. I didn't think that my opinion of him could go any lower, but it did with the introduction of the McCain/Feingold CFR legislation.
Mark
bttt
I don't care ... but I'm not going to vote for him.
....how do you know McCain is mentally ill?....are you a professional or just thinking that cause you dislike him?.. Maybe he just has anger issues.....in either case...whatever ails McCain....lithium or electroshock won't help.....lol......
Crazy as a Candle Moth. He is like having an elevator in a one story house. Just doesnt make sense.
McPain may be the Antique Media's front-runner, but not the base's ... His candidacy is already toast, but McPain and the MSM will be the last to figure it out.
Nor will I.
So, a person that was tortured beyond the comprehension of most humans has a temper! I would not like to have him with his finger over the “button”, however I can understand that he has a temper (repressed over many years being tortured). I think that he has done a superlative job maintaining his temper. If what happened to him had happened to me I would be a stark raving mad psychopath, looking for revenge in every corner of my world? This is not an excuse for McCain, just an observation and comment.
He has anger issues problems? Yes. In quantities we can't even imagine.
Is there some suggestion McCain is NOT a stark raving mad psychopath, looking for revenge in every corner of his world?
John McCain is damaged goods ..... care of the North Vietnamese who imprisoned him and tortured him
I'd be willing to bet his temperament has more to do with a priviledged upbringing than being a POW. Col Bud Day, Adm Stockdale, and others suffered as much (or more) than McCain and appear not to suffer from any mental problems. Plus, I'd medically ban quite a few DemoRats from office before McCain (Dean, Gore, McKinney, Jackson, Byrd, etc). I get my hackles up when people start attributing bad behavior or personality disorders on military service in a combat zone...... Reminds me of the 70s "Vietnam vet robs store" - the media is doing it again today "Iraq War veteran stabs man" - 9 times out of 10 these guys were deviant prior to military service.
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