Posted on 06/21/2008 6:00:23 AM PDT by Kaslin
If you're looking for a first lady, you've got one in Cindy McCain. But John McCain would be well served by a more audible wife on the campaign trail.
Without the red carpet, New York Times front-page treatment given to Michelle Obama when she recently co-hosted "The View," and without buying into false grievances, Mrs. McCain demonstrates that she understands what's at stake during this election.
That's the signal she sent ABC's Kate Snow in an interview with "Good Morning America." Understated and direct, Mrs. McCain refuses to let the Obama campaign use pretty White House/Black Market dresses to obscure the differences between the two choices this November.
During the GMA interview, the wife of the Republican presidential nominee gave a healthy answer when asked why women should vote for her husband -- an answer devoid of the usual silly-girl gender politics that pretend that women are looking for something wholly different in the voting booth than men. Mrs. McCain said, "Supporting our troops the way he does, supporting our young men and women right now who are serving so gallantly is very pro-woman because every mother, every wife, sister, aunt feels the way I have felt." She continued, "The things that he does doesn't make him any more pro-woman, pro-man, pro-anti-anything. He is about America, making America strong."
Notably, though, the interview was spun much differently than its reality. "Cindy McCain Presses Obama on Patriotism," abcnews.com proclaimed. Mrs. McCain did no such thing, however. She respectfully presented her preferences and offered that there are differences between the two candidates. But the prospect of a catfight or a Republican questioning a Democrat's patriotism was just way too tempting to report -- even if it is fiction.
With two sons who have followed in the McCain military tradition -- one of them has served in Iraq -- Mrs. McCain has absolutely no interest in playing political patriot games. To the contrary, as a military mother and wife, she has a real opportunity and potential responsibility to increase our awareness and appreciation for those who serve. It's an opportunity and duty she's ready for. In an interview with her last month, McCain told me, "I'm not any different than any other mother, father, family member around the country with children in the service. I feel the same way, I know how they feel, and so in that respect I'm absolutely no different. Each day, I'm so deeply proud of their service and deeply honored that our children would do this, that they'd commit a part of their lives to serving their country. So I'm like everybody else. We're all in this together and we feel exactly the same way."
When Mrs. Obama made her infamous remarks at a Wisconsin rally earlier this year that, "For the first time in my adult life, I am really proud of country, and not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change," McCain did, appropriately, respond. She said, "I'm proud of my country I don't know if you heard those words earlier. ... I'm very proud of my country." But those who are hoping for a catfight over patriotism may be disappointed.
What you will see, though, is clarification on the part of Mrs. McCain, and a continued softening of Mrs. Obama. Mrs. Obama started that with her appearance on "The View," where she talked about very little of substance (an approach the show invites by its very nature). But by her very nature, McCain focuses in on the war, and what we owe our soldiers, in her interviews: "I want a leader who will bring them home with dignity."
The "Good Morning America" interview was filmed in Vietnam, where her husband was once held and tortured as prisoner of war. This day, Mrs. McCain was there with Operation Smile, a medical mission that helps impoverished children with facial deformities. Smile is integral to what she loves most -- the children she meets when with the nonprofit. She says they remind her of her adoptive daughter, born in Bangladesh with a severe cleft palate. McCain brought Bridget home as a baby from one of Mother Teresa's orphanages in 1993.
None of the people campaigning on the road to the White House is perfect. Yet all of them are impressive and have stories to tell. How they tell those stories, what they choose to tell us, helps in the decision-making process. The wives aren't running for president, but their priorities are insights into the first family and what the candidate's off-time might look like. I know I'd like to hear Mrs. Obama talk about why the Rev. Jeremiah Wright was someone she thought appropriate to have her daughters listening to, why she was drawn to him, how he might have affected her husband's thinking and political maturity. In the case of her husband, there's a lot we don't know about the candidate, a novice to the spotlight compared to Sen. McCain. Mrs. Obama could help make the picture of her husband more complete.
"I do the things that are important to me," Mrs. McCain told Snow. When we hear her talk, that means our troops on the front lines and their families are heard. Keep talking, Mrs. McCain -- they're important to us, too. And you might just be important for America to see in the White House, as well.
Hard to have much respect for a man like that, or a woman, for that matter. This is the best we can do????
Some guy was shrieking at me because I don’t respect (most)people who get divorced. Dumping a disabled spouse is NOT dishonorable in his world. He was shocked at the idea that someone might use divorce as a criterion for voting.
I was wondering if he had graduated from high school yet. That used to be a MAJOR disqualification. I remember that and I’m not that old.
YES HE WAS VERY MARRIED!
Altogether, McCain was held as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam for five and a half years. He was finally released from captivity on March 14, 1973.[55] McCain’s return to the United States reunited him with his wife and family. His wife Carol had suffered her own crippling ordeal during his captivity, due to an automobile accident in December 1969.[56] As a returned POW, McCain became a celebrity of sorts.[56]
McCain underwent treatment for his injuries, including months of grueling physical therapy,[57] and attended the National War College in Fort McNair in Washington, D.C. during 1973–1974.[17][56] Having been rehabilitated, by late 1974, McCain had his flight status reinstated,[56] and in 1976 he became commanding officer of a training squadron stationed in Florida.[56][58] He turned around an undistinguished unit and won the squadron its first Meritorious Unit Commendation.[57] During this period in Florida, McCain had extramarital affairs, the McCains’ marriage began to falter, and he would later accept blame.[59][60]
In April of 1979,[57] McCain met and began a courtship with Cindy Lou Hensley, a teacher from Phoenix, Arizona, the only child of the founder of Hensley & Co.[60] He and his wife Carol then permanently separated later in 1979,[57][63][64] and she accepted a divorce in February of 1980,[57] effective in April of 1980.[21] The settlement included two houses, and financial support for her ongoing medical treatments for injuries resulting from the 1969 car accident; they would remain on good terms.[60] McCain and Hensley were married on May 17, 1980.[13] John and Cindy McCain entered into a prenuptial agreement that keeps most of her family’s assets under her name;[65] they would always keep their finances apart and file separate income tax returns.[65]
Off to the mines now.
No, actually, ‘ol John went out womanizing for a while, which is how he met Cindy Babe’. He was seeing her for some time before the divorce was final.
As far as your theory about the Vets of the era, I didn’t dump my wife after I got back and the divorce rate for veterans was quite low compared to the average American at the time.
Most of us were just glad to make it back in one piece and showed our gratitude for the ones who stayed true and faithful to us while we were busy struggling to survive.
Well then you ought to love that old “Salty Dawg” “Free Willy” Clinton if you base your preference on philandering or betrayal.
Yes, First Lady quality.
No so for Michelle.......er......er....forgot her last name.
He left men in the field. That is not forgivable.
Oh yea when you have no other input resort to name calling!!
you fooled me all this time!!! Guess I need to recalibrate my sensors!!!! BTW how you doing?
I haven’t seen any word from his first wife, just the report that when he came back from Vietnam, she had been in an accident and put on weight; then when me met Cindy, he fell like a “brick” and dumped her and his kids for Cindy (aka “Fort Knox”). In which case, I thought at the time that perhaps he did his first wife a favor after all.
It’s really nunna my bidness, though, I spose.
I sure would hate to be held to the standards of some of you on these threads. I bet none of you have divorces or addictions or have gotten angry in public and made a fool of yourself. To see you post you must be saints. I'm asking for a blessing from each one of you. Thanks in advance.
Yes!
There are many of you.
You post on every election thread.
You post on every thread with negative news about McCain.
You post on ever thread with positive news about McCain.
You are totally self-righteous and unnaturally unfearful of a menace (ears aside) that our country cannot afford for 4 years.
McCain will not advance our cause much, but he won’t do it much harm.
I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings, but I will admit I get tired of you all.
It was somewhat of an issue with Reagan, wasn’t it?
One was British and one was American.
The first being Ronald Reagan and the second was Margret Thatcher though not divorced herself she was married to a man who had been divorced.
My how times have changed.
It is interesting that the only divorced President has been a conservative one and it is a possibility that the next one will be a Republican.
Leads me to think that maybe Republicans are more honest in this field and do not necessarily stay with their wife for political gain. Though on the other hand both Reagan and McCain's divorces were long before they held aspirations of public office so the the argument is not that valid.
The Cindy revisionism here is amusing for another reason. It was not so long ago that Cindy was universally reviled her because of her association with “Big Beer,” even while joining her husbands crusade against big tobacco. if McCain wins, a lot of folks will be saying four years from now “I voted for McCain but will never vote for him again.” By then, it will be too late.
gimme an address and I’ll send you a medal
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