I believe McCain lied when he said that decision was difficult for him to make. He knew he would be tortured more, but it was a matter of commitment, principal and honor.
The principals of “Duty, Honor, Country” mean nothing to Obama whereas McCain has lived them his entire life. In hard decisions the difference shows.
Its easy to say that when it is hypothenical, but when faced with reality the need for survical becomes overpowering. I have no doubt that McCain struggled more than we can imagine having actually been it that situation and the fact that he held back his need for survival and placed other ahead of himself shows what kind of man her is.
With respect, I don't think one can assume he "knew".
Isolated, without privacy, suffering, in control of nothing and no one; not even his own right to exist. The "gut wrenching decision" may have truly been difficult simply because it offered him the opportunity to exert "control" over something...to make a CHOICE that would offer him further choices. I recall being discharged from the Army, and the joy of once again being in control of my own life...well, at least until I got married.
“it was a matter of commitment, principal and honor.”
Some people wimp out and walk away from those things over a lot less than broken bones and the pain of torture and confinement. You can’t say its not hard to make that decision. McCain is a good man, but he’s still flesh and blood.