Posted on 05/14/2008 5:12:31 PM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
Senator John McCain, the Republican candidate to become the next US president, is prone to uncontrollable fits of rage which those in his camp worry could be a liability, both in November's election and the job itself.
His wife has defended his outbursts as signs of "passion". But even some of his friends and supporters worry that displays of irrational anger could prove disastrous if he became the most powerful man in the world, with a thermonuclear arsenal at his fingertips.
A member of one of Washington's most respected Republican families told Sky News: "Everyone in Washington's political circles has a McCain story - a moment when they have suddenly witnessed him losing it for a few seconds.
"He flies off the handle without warning."
Stories of Mr McCain's flashes of temper are not new, which is why his wife recently felt obliged to defend him with the "he feels passionately about some things" comment.
But it has not quieted the concern that a man who may sometimes behave irrationally could soon occupy the Oval Office.
Some McCain supporters excuse his outbursts as a result of his years of torture as a prisoner of the Vietnamese more than 30 years ago.
That experience should make the Pentagon brass the senator's natural allies, but generals as high as the joint chiefs of staff have privately expressed concern about having Mr McCain as their commander-in-chief.
One was recently quoted as saying: "We really do not want someone calling the shots who reacts either in anger or passion.
"Decisions need to be taken dispassionately."
An American reporter who accompanied Mr McCain when he returned to Vietnam for the first time since he was a prisoner of war there tells a story of a Vietnamese boy who approached the senator and tugged at his arm to attract his attention.
"McCain lost it for a few seconds," he said.
"It was unexpected and irrational. Fortunately for him, there were no cameras rolling. His staff said he was tired. He was certainly aggressively angry," the reporter told Sky News.
Once the Democrats have settled on their candidate for November's presidential election, the campaign is likely to become nasty and personal, and Mr McCain's behaviour will come under much closer scrutiny.
Barack Obama is favourite to get the nod, even though Hillary Clinton has scored a crushing win in West Virginia's primary.
Senator Clinton vowed to fight on after routing her rival by 67% to 26%.
I agree. I wish GW Bush showed bit more anger. I want a fighter. I don’t give a crap at this point about his “temper.” Wanna see temper? Wait until Barry gives up smoking.
If I said to my employees what McCain said to us or his staff they would have left the room crying and never came back. That was because it would have been uncharacteristic of me. I even thought about developing a more prickly demeanor so that I could add that range of response. I was trying to cajole performance while McCain could just say "Get it done G-damnit". I don't know which style was more effective but McCain's was a whole lot quicker.
Frankly, I wish someone would get pretty mad and win this freakin’ war we’re in with Iran and the rest of these nutjobs in the Middle East.
The thought of Clinton/Obama having 4-8 years to appease our enemies is scary enough to get me pretty angry.
McCain is waaay far to the left of my expectations for POTUS, but he is still light years to the right of the alternatives on the most important issue (islamic terror).
But if he starts up with the stupid global warming hoax nonsense one more time, I may explode on the way to vote!
A lot of sound and fury signifying nothing.
After His global warming rant, just another tale told by an idiot.
McCain's got a raging temper? Bet those evil SOBs in Iran and North Korea would wet their pants if McCain gets his finger on the button!
Has McCain ever hurled an ashtray?
” I was trying to cajole performance while McCain could just say “Get it done G-damnit”. “
John McCain said “ If they want a fence, I’ll give them a fence.”
BULLSHIT. He has not lifted a finger to get a border fence.
Your right . Its the Media Matters clown carefully planting stories overseas that spread to the US leftist media .
This is NOT a Republican website. Those of us who won’t vote for McCain have every right to say so.
I guarantee McCain is going to beat the GW hoax like a drum.
If you remember, one of the reasons Nixon invaded Cambodia was to maintain a degree of unpredictability. McCain has it built in.
I hope he wins and unloads daily on senators, congresscreatures, bureaucrats, communists, mohammmedans, lawyers and other scum. They need frequent dressing downs.
"Please, God, show us your favor and save us from that flatulent, leftist CINO."
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