The Man Who Made McCain (Mo Udall)

Newsweek ^ | May 31, 2008 | Holly Bailey

[Just mythoughts]

Not sure what to make of this.

[sodpoodle]

Thank you - an excellent post.

What a riddle wrapped in an enigma and kept in a conundrum is this man John McCain.

A FReeper will ping me with a diatribe against him and then to read this.............I’m stumped...what a deeply complex human being.

[kbennkc]

I guess it is not Mormons nor liberals he hates , just Romney the profiteer .

[LucyT]

Not sure what to make of this.

Why? It's an old story, and something a decent human being would do for another person for whom they cared about. Most people would do the same. If one has to stop and think about it, then that says everything about the person doing the thinking.

[hinckley buzzard]

Not sure what to make of this.

Mo Udall was my Congressman when I lived in Tucson in the seventies. He was a fairly run-of-the-mill liberal with a carefully tended reputation for environmental activism (his brother Stewart had been Interior Secretary under Kennedy.)

In resality Udall was not much of a doer, but a popular, inoffensive sort of guy in Washington. It helps makes sense of McCain's annoying liberal tendencies to know he considered Mo Udall his big mentor/buddy.

[Twinkie]

That would explain McCain’s numerous liberal leanings, as well as his constant “reaching across the aisle” despite it being a one-way aisle.

[skinkinthegrass]

..so this, is what? ...an explanation / insight of: Sen. Juan "Keating Five / Strawberries" McShamnesty (AZ-Egoist)....doesn't explain, his betrayal (what he stood for while campaigning) of his fellow Citizens in AZ. (a "liberal insider" in D.C. / a Conservative in-state.)...just asking.

[mad_as_he$$]

"I didn't know anything, and I thought I knew everything."

Nothing has changed Johnny.

[alicewonders]

John McCain has a real soft spot in his heart for liberals.

[Just mythoughts]

Why? It's an old story, and something a decent human being would do for another person for whom they cared about. Most people would do the same. If one has to stop and think about it, then that says everything about the person doing the thinking.

MOST people would NOT crow about doing something for someone they cared deeply about. NOT going to respond to your highly esteemed seat of judgment.

[Coldwater Creek]

“ACE” McCain was born a jerk! But, he gets my vote anyway.

[Just mythoughts]

Mo Udall was my Congressman when I lived in Tucson in the seventies. He was a fairly run-of-the-mill liberal with a carefully tended reputation for environmental activism (his brother Stewart had been Interior Secretary under Kennedy.) In resality Udall was not much of a doer, but a popular, inoffensive sort of guy in Washington. It helps makes sense of McCain's annoying liberal tendencies to know he considered Mo Udall his big mentor/buddy.

I appreciate your explanation. Yes I remember..... MUdall, but it seems like such a very long time ago and reason why I said what I said. I made no judgment regarding McCain's deeds.

[LucyT]

The US Senator who would be able to perform anonymous visits to a Veteran's hospital for eight years doesn't exist. It's normal to discuss his visits with Udall's family; it's also normal to answer questions when asked, by friends or media.

[JoJo Gunn]

“ACE” McCain was born a jerk! But, he gets my vote anyway.

No points for you! 

[x]

Udall entered Congress in 1961, which was a low water mark for partisanship in Congress. In those days there were Republicans who were more liberal than some Democrats and Democrats who were more liberal than some Republicans (that almost never happens now), so relations between Representatives of different parties weren't as embittered as they later became. If you entered Congress in those days, you probably carried a more collegial and friendly relationship to those on the other side through your years in Washington.

Udall was Carter's opponent in the 1976 presidential primaries. He almost won the Wisconsin primary, but lost by 1% of the vote. Carter got the Mayor of Detroit to attack Udall for being a Mormon in the days when LDS excluded Blacks from the priesthood, so Udall lost Michigan as well. Whether Udall would have made an effective president is debateable, but he did have a better sense of humor than Carter (which isn't saying much).

This, from his Wikipedia entry may be interesting:

Mo's son, Mark Udall, was elected to the U.S. Congress from Colorado's 2nd district in 1998. As of 2008, the younger Udall is seeking election to the U.S. Senate from Colorado, almost certainly competing with Republican Bob Schaffer to replace Wayne Allard. With cousin Tom Udall of New Mexico and maternal-line double cousin Gordon Smith of Oregon, Mark Udall is one of three Udalls seeking election to the Senate in 2008.

[AuntB]

“Udall, he told her, had taught him the importance of consensus and compromise.”

Calcowgirl, did you know that Oregon’s own “R” senator Gordon Smith is part of the Udall family? “R” standing for RINO!

I caught one of his ads last night. He has a new slogan, “Common Ground for the Common Good”

“Common Good”....that is a phrase that bothers me. Who’s ‘common good”? How ‘bout a little ‘greater good’ for a change instead of these squishy middle democrats in a republican cloak? And yes, I mean McCain, too.

I recall several years ago being in a meeting with Gordon Smith when he reminded me, “He who has the gold, makes the rules....”. We’re having the best election money can buy.

[x]

Should read: “and Democrats who were more conservative than some Republicans ...”

[MovementConservative]

....McCain began his political career as a hothead—"an emotional partisan," he wrote...

Hmmmm... sounds like 90% of the Freepers. Maybe there is still hope for the I-hate-everyone-to-the-left-of-Micheal-Savage crowd on here after all.

[Just mythoughts]

The US Senator who would be able to perform anonymous visits to a Veteran's hospital for eight years doesn't exist. It's normal to discuss his visits with Udall's family; it's also normal to answer questions when asked, by friends or media.

Hey you were making a better case with your first response. As a US Senator the first obligation is to the Constitution of the United States NOT some ailing friend and family and news media to demonstration good Samaritan deeds. You surely are not going to say that first and foremost lord McCain has been loyal to his sworn oath now are you ?????