John McCain, Rolling Stone, Make-Believe Maverick
John McCain, Rolling Stone, Make-Believe Maverick
My friend just sent me this must read article about John McCain in Rolling Stone written by Tim Dickinson.
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At Fort McNair, an army base located along the Potomac River in the nation’s capital, a chance reunion takes place one day between two former POWs. It’s the spring of 1974, and Navy commander John Sidney McCain III has returned home from the experience in Hanoi that, according to legend, transformed him from a callow and reckless youth into a serious man of patriotism and purpose. Walking along the grounds at Fort McNair, McCain runs into John Dramesi, an Air Force lieutenant colonel who was also imprisoned and tortured in Vietnam.
McCain is studying at the National War College, a prestigious graduate program he had to pull strings with the Secretary of the Navy to get into. Dramesi is enrolled, on his own merit, at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in the building next door.
There’s a distance between the two men that belies their shared experience in North Vietnam — call it an honor gap. Like many American POWs, McCain broke down under torture and offered a “confession” to his North Vietnamese captors. Dramesi, in contrast, attempted two daring escapes. For the second he was brutalized for a month with daily torture sessions that nearly killed him. His partner in the escape, Lt. Col. Ed Atterberry, didn’t survive the mistreatment. But Dramesi never said a disloyal word, and for his heroism was awarded two Air Force Crosses, one of the service’s highest distinctions. McCain would later hail him as “one of the toughest guys I’ve ever met.”
On the grounds between the two brick colleges, the chitchat between the scion of four-star admirals and the son of a prizefighter turns to their academic travels; both colleges sponsor a trip abroad for young officers to network with military and political leaders in a distant corner of the globe.
“I’m going to the Middle East,” Dramesi says. “Turkey, Kuwait, Lebanon, Iran.”
“Why are you going to the Middle East?” McCain asks, dismissively.
“It’s a place we’re probably going to have some problems,” Dramesi says.
“Why? Where are you going to, John?”
“Oh, I’m going to Rio.”
“What the hell are you going to Rio for?”
McCain, a married father of three, shrugs.
“I got a better chance of getting laid.”
The article is very critical of the John McCain that America knows. The article blasts McCain on his military record, his courage, and his pampered lifestyle among other things like being a Playboy. (For the record, I have no problem with the Playboy part, in fact, I actually like him more now. And I would choose Rio de Janeiro over the Middle East ever if I completely lost my mind.)
Whenever you read an article like this I think you should read it with mad grains of salt.
My favorite teacher in University once told our class, “Only half of what you read in the papers is correct.” (I completely agree.)
To which, I raised my hand and replied, “Well, why don’t you read just half the paper then?…”
Which got a laugh out of the class. But most importantly, it got a laugh out of this fly cheerleader girl who sat right next to me.
After class, I invited her back to my crib at the beach while sparking up a jack.
Worked out well.
What ever happened to the girl?
She took her cheer leading career to the top, and became a San Diego Chargers cheerleader. Impressive stuff.
What is she doing today?
Who knows? Probably moved to Arizona and married a mortgage broker. And probably now broke.
C’est la vie
The Rest is Up to You…
Michael Porfirio Mason
AKA The Peoples Champ
AKA Your favorite International Playboy on the Rise’s favorite International Playboy on the Rise
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
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10/10/2008 at 2:46 pm Permalink
Hey, I just wanted to thank you for recommending Confessions of an Economic Hit Man. I am reading it now and it is pretty interesting. Here’s a video that has him in it as well:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7065205277695921912
Noam Chomsky also writes and talks about American Emperialism quite extensively if you are interested.
I found your blog through your comments on Ca2Pr. We are trying to move to Puerto Rico as well- get off the grid…Do you live there?
Oh, also you might find this site funny as well: http://www.thatone08.com that features McCain calling Obama “that one”.
Take it easy, parcheesi.
Cassie
http://www.lifetransplanet.com
21/10/2008 at 1:07 am Permalink
Cassie,
Thanks for the recommendation.
I don’t live in Puerto Rico, but try to visit often. I was there last February.
Have a great day.
– MPM
22/10/2008 at 8:33 pm Permalink
This is a direct quote from a book Dramesi wrote in 1975 entitled “Code of Honor”, W.W. Norton & Co. I found this in a local library. Here is what he said about POW McCain, page 191: ” I met white-haired John McCain for the first time. We shook hands and hugged as though we were longtime friends. The magnetism of two men with like attitudes and respect for one another was easily felt.Most of the time he moved around on a crutch.He had a broken arm and a damaged knee, yet he was able to get up on stools and devise the most ingenious ways of communicating. He was always on the move, smiling and waving to people he knew were watching and disregarding the guards’ harassment. The sight of the lively John McCain was enough to lift your spirits for the rest of the week. For the weak he was an inspiration; for the strong a constant reminder to keep trying. It was not the North Vietnamese who impelled John’s smiling and laughing. He had a smile for all Americans and a disdain for the North Vietnamese. He was thin and not a big man,but there was no doubt John had heart.” Curious, huh?
17/11/2009 at 5:09 am Permalink
John McCain is my idol. He is a politician with a very strong personality.