My take on it, for what it's worth, is GWB wanted McCain's support on other issues such as the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. So he signed CFR while expecting the SCOTUS to strike it down, but incredibly, it was upheld.
I hope that's true.
Darker thoughts intrude when pondering that.
I think he signed because he wanted to stay alive.
My take on it, for what it's worth, is GWB wanted McCain's support on other issues such as the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. So he signed CFR while expecting the SCOTUS to strike it down, but incredibly, it was upheld.
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That is a fair and well stated assessment. Even some of our greatest leaders miscalculated and erred in some of their crucial decisions, based on their own judgments of those who also had sworn oaths to the constitution.