John McCain Is More Than Just a Hung-Up Homophobe. There's Something "There".

[David Zephyr]

No American veteran in the history of this nation has milked (yes, milked) his time in the uniform more than Senator John McCain. I also come from a family of proud veterans from World War I and World War II to the Vietnam War and Desert Storm, but it is just awkward and embarrassing watching this angry old man still continue to leverage his military service for his own ambitions, his own accumulation of wealth and his own ego.

Memo to John McCain: Yeah, we got it. You served. But you were not the only one to have done so. You are nothing at all like most proud veterans who don't have the craven need to thump their chests every time they speak and point out that they had served. Why is it that you are so different than them?

John McCain, unlike 99% of all veterans who have served our proud nation in uniform, grew up in great privilege and under the shadow of a father and grandfather who both held powerful positions within the Armed Forces. John McCain was not just the child of privilege, but may be America's most famous military aristocratic brat.

John Sidney McCain III, grew up attending private boarding schools and was a legacy student at the Naval Academy at Annapolis where his singular achievement of notoriety was that he graduated fifth from the bottom of his class. Yes, let me repeat that. John graduated 894th in a class of 899 students. Only 5 students of 899 scored lower academically than John McCain.

Many of us, who are gay men, have in our lives known arrogant, rich and privileged white young men like John McCain when we were young. We recognize them easily. How? Because they bullied us. They taunted us. They loved to "roll the queers". They measured themselves by how non-queer they were.

Of course, this all relates directly to John McCain and the current Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy that the Senate is facing. Because the young rich bully is still the same hateful prick and bully that he always was.

Seeing McCain belittle the nation's Secretary of Defense, William Gates, as just a "man who sits behind a desk", during a Senate Hearing showed what a sniveling coward John McCain really is. Coward? Yes, I call him a coward.

I certainly don't consider him a hero. McCain has personally sucked up more "hero" status for himself than every service person in our country's history combined. His self-promotion is almost as relentless as his ambition and as constant as his political opportunism.

Leaving aside how McCain cheated on his wife, how McCain lied about his adultery in his "autobiography", how McCain should have been in prison for his actions in the Savings & Loan Scandal, and all the rest of his shitty life accomplishments, the one carved-in-stone characteristic that I see in this pathetic sack of shit is this: John McCain is a real, bonefide homophobe and he should be man enough to just say so.

McCain's opposition to ending DADT is not because he still needs "more studies", "more surveys", "more time", "more hearings" and other ridiculous obstructions. It is only because John McCain is hung up about homosexuality. There's some real "there" there on this issue with Johnny Boy.

Me thinks, as I'm sure millions others do, that John has something eating deep within him from his past with regards to homosexuality. But belive me: I don't think that even Thorazine and the best shrink in the world could pry John's head up from out of his ass where he buried it years ago in denial. But make no mistake, he's really, really hung up.

Senator McCain, let it out, just say that you despise homosexuals and get it over with. Cut the bullshit about your "concern" about the troops.

And most of all, quit insulting our brave women and men in uniform by projecting your own irrational homophobia on to them. The verdict is in now: Our troops don't have a problem with homophobia, just Senator John Sidney McCain III does.

[niyad]

1. k and r--I have thought for many years that there is something seriously wrong with him.

more than ptsd, much more.

[OhioBlue]

3. I think you are right. n/t

[happygoluckytoyou]

95. GETTING CAPTURED .... is not quite an accomplishment

[shanti2]

144. While in the Army I dated an ex-POW

who had been in the Hanoi Hilton with McCain. McCain was not the honorable man while there and nothing has changed since then. HE disrespects all Vets with his inability to be human and do things FOR the vets. His voting record on Veterans and active military bills is not one that he should be proud of. I worked at West Point while men like General Patraeus were cadets and the worse cadet there was so much more honorable than McCain. He needs to retire and go home and cut his grass or whatever old men do.

[PSzymeczek]

151. Which home?

He has at least eight.

[Ken Burch]

146. BTW, do we know for sure his plane was actually SHOT DOWN?

After all, he had crashed two training planes before being deployed "In Country". Normally, they don't let you be a Navy pilot anymore after the first training crash(and that's assuming you survived it).

[Suich]

2. Extremely well-said!

K&R!

[Supersedeas]

109. Seconded

[MindandSoul]

4. Great post!!! I agree entirely with you! Thanks for your informed input.

[spanone]

5. k&r

[MindandSoul]

6. Great post!!! I agree entirely with you! Thanks for your informed input.

[babylonsister]

7. He's a little man who traded his integrity for politics, period.

He is a shell of a man without morals he might have once had, signifying nothing anymore, even his military service. I loathe him, but love your post, David.

[dgibby]

17. Believe me, he never had any integrity to trade.

He's an embarrassment to the Senate, the Navy, the country, his family, and himself, but he's too stupid to realize it.

[BrklynLiberal]

116. My first reacton as well...What integrity??

[David Zephyr]

37. Thanks, babylonsister.

:)

[alcibiades_mystery]

8. K&R

:thumbsup:

[Canuckistanian]

9. Oh yeah

I almost forgot about that. McCain was a member of the "Keating Five"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keating_Five

The Keating Five were five United States Senators accused of corruption in 1989, igniting a major political scandal as part of the larger Savings and Loan crisis of the late 1980s and early 1990s. The five senators, Alan Cranston (Democrat of California), Dennis DeConcini (Democrat of Arizona), John Glenn (Democrat of Ohio), John McCain (Republican of Arizona), and Donald W. Riegle, Jr. (Democrat of Michigan), were accused of improperly intervening in 1987 on behalf of Charles H. Keating, Jr., chairman of the Lincoln Savings and Loan Association, which was the target of a regulatory investigation by the Federal Home Loan Bank Board (FHLBB). The FHLBB subsequently backed off taking action against Lincoln.

Lincoln Savings and Loan collapsed in 1989, at a cost of over $3 billion to the federal government. Some 23,000 Lincoln bondholders were defrauded and many elderly investors lost their life savings. The substantial political contributions that Keating had made to each of the senators, totaling $1.3 million, attracted considerable public and media attention. After a lengthy investigation, the Senate Ethics Committee determined in 1991 that Alan Cranston, Dennis DeConcini, and Donald Riegle had substantially and improperly interfered with the FHLBB in its investigation of Lincoln Savings, with Cranston receiving a formal reprimand. Senators John Glenn and John McCain were cleared of having acted improperly but were criticized for having exercised "poor judgment".

(bolding mine)

[blondeatlast]

14. I knew (thru my parents) some elderly who lost their savings thanks to Charlie Keating. How

McCain escaped that scarlet letter is a stellar case of justice undone.

[David Zephyr]

44. Thanks for expanding on that sordid chapter in McCain's sordid life story.

He's ending his career on a very low note. Fitting. Hello to you, Canuckistanian. :)

[karynnj]

62. I was one who hoped that winning this year and being forever

free from the judgment of voters, that his goal would be to restore the image of honor that people once granted him - in spite of all the things that would have destroyed the careers of many other Senators. He, however, is worse than ever.

[Canuckistanian]

93. No probs

I always wonder why it never got any press during the '08 election.

:hi:

[Little Star]

50. McCain is and always has been one nasty ass. n/t

[butterfly77]

156. Did you see him yesterday...

complaining like a little kid about,5 minutes not being enough time to grill the panel. Levin said they have been doing it that way for years,which many of us already know.

McCsin started acting very indignate and childish but,as soon as they started to move on nut case INHOFE was on the mike talking about how he wanted 6 minutes. There are a lot of insanity in the house and senate.

[mulsh]

51. OF the Keating 5 McCain go the most bribe money,

around $195,000.00. He also got the most "perks" ie: vacations at Keating's Caribbean estate, flights on Keating's private plane, etc. Yet he was described as "not culpable". By his press flack and the fawning, lazy "national press". McCain is a despicable waste of flesh for the assorted other reasons the OP provides.

[HowHasItComeToThis]

85. HEY, JOHN IS YOUR AVERAGE REPUBLICAN POOP

[PSzymeczek]

152. I was here at the time,

and, as I recall, DeConcini gave the money back.

[gratuitous]

10. McCain has a singularly undistinguished career

For as long as he's been warming a seat in the Senate, he doesn't have any legislative accomplishments, no significant achievements, and nothing about his political career that will last three seconds after he retires or dies. I can't comment on how he handles his military service, particularly this long after that service ended, but he impresses me as a very small man.

[TlalocW]

20. McCain has really screwed himself when it comes to his legacy

Keating 5 is pretty much ancient history and wouldn't be remembered (until now - explained further on). If he hadn't had such a massive ego and just served out his time as a senator, he could eventually retired (or died in office) with a modicum of respect, people focusing on his longevity and his military service. But no, he had to run for president twice - the first time, becoming Bush's bitch, and the second time introducing Palin to the national stage. Now he's a bitter old man, who probably still can't accept the fact that he lost to a Black man so he's doing all he can to be a thorn in the side of Obama.

And with DADT, he gets the benefit of bugging Obama as well as indulging his homophobia, which he had kept well-hidden to this point. The Daily Show recently did a parody of the, "It Gets Better," commercials aimed at the LGBT community but called, "It Gets Worse," for McCain. Twenty years from now, the military will have gay people serving openly for X amount of years with most people not thinking anything about it, and it will be time to make a documentary about it, and they're going to need a villain, and that villain is going to be John McCain. And they're going to dredge up everything negative about him to make him look as bad as possible. Palin will be remembered as a national joke (even more than she is now), and she'll be permanently attached to him. They'll dig up Keating 5 stuff to help him look worse. And then they'll show - like the Daily Show did - his constantly moving the goal posts to keep DADT alive.

And I hope I see that documentary. McCain is a piece of shit, and that's how he'll be remembered.

TlalocW

[xxqqqzme]

29. I saw that show and thought

he's the strom thurmond of DADT.

Great post. I personally think his presidential loss snapped his brain. He seems meaner, nastier, making no pretense at being liked. Having his wife denounce her brief stint at individuality, so quickly, was very telling. I think his brain is turning to jello. He should retire before his senility becomes undeniable.

[burning rain]

160. Worse than that.

In the Civil Rights Era, Strom Thurmond was of course a warrior for the segregationist side, but once they'd lost the battle on basic rights and public opinion had overwhelmingly turned against them, he mellowed a bit, declining the role of reactionary troglodyte. He supported, for instance, extension of the Voting Rights Act under Reagan. In his determination to fight a lost war, McCain reminds me more of the bitter-ender Jesse Helms, whom he joined in opposing the Martin Luther King, Jr national holiday, and in trying, as late as the early 90s, to slash federal funding for it. It also bears mention that McCain staunchly supported Arizona's brazenly racist former governor Evan Mecham, notorious for his opposition to a state MLK holiday.

As regards the McCain home front, I can't say it surprises me that Walnuts! cracked the whip on Cindy over "Dont Ask; Don't Tell": he'd already proved himself enough of a petty authoritarian to twist her arm to bow out of Dancing with the Stars. Let Cindy dance!

[David Zephyr]

32. "...that's how he'll be remembered."

Yep. :)

[Pacifist Patriot]

70. Weren't there some questions concerning McCain with the Forrestal?

[blondeatlast]

11. Not discounting his homophobia in the least, but he basically despises anyone who isn't him.

Think about that--and think about his wife and kids. He hates them too; you can almost see it.

He's a seriously, seriously messed-up human being.

[glitch]

65. Very much like Bush. Children of privilege who despise everyone else, but IMO they hate themselves

most of all. Covering up that self-hatred is why they appear so close to barking mad.

[Frisbee]

125. He probably realizes...

that his military career exist only because of his family name. And much since then only because he married money. If he had to come up like most of us have done, he would probably never have amounted to anything special, not that he is anything to brag about anyhow.

[David Zephyr]

129. That's the thing: John McCain & George Bush had strikingly similar backgrounds.

As the late, great Molly Ivins said: "Born on third base, but he tells everyone he hit a triple."

Loathesome.

[delightfulstar]

12. K&R - He's a self-serving opportunist, plain and simple. n/t

[calimary]

13. I salute you and your family for selfless service - I mean, why aren't YOU out there

breaking your arm patting yourself on the back for it like he is?

Perhaps he thinks that gives him a free pass to do this shit, because he somehow paid for it in advance. That's no excuse for using one's own illogical prejudice to stand in the way of progress for millions of other Americans, both in AND out of the Armed Services.

And thank you for this post. I think you have him completely, psychologically nailed.

[TwilightGardener]

15. Yes, and he's egomaniacal--his military service trumps everyone else's, in his mind. Therefore

he expects all others involved in this decision--INCLUDING the SecDef and Joint Chiefs--to automatically defer to him and ignore the study results. There's no other plausible explanation besides an absolutely, pathologically ginormous ego. All the years of media fawning and maverick/POW legend bullshit are firmly embedded in his psyche now--he believes he is as infallible as the Pope in military matters.

[Stinky The Clown]

16. K&R

[nahant]

18. John McCain

John McCain is a disgrace to all serving military and every Veteran that is still Alive. He is the worst thing to happen to all who serve. Just look at his record as an aviator, 5 count them 5 jets lost that he piloted including the last one when he was shot down. Her left the Forestall , that his Hot started may have caused the resulting inferno, before the ship was secure from the blaze that had engulfed it. He betrayed all Vietnam Veterans when he shut down the search for those who were MIA and treated their wives in a despicable manner both in the committee room and in the hall after the meeting, shoving one wife, in a wheel chair, into a wall. He is beyond redemption as a human being.. I served back then and he and his political views are a picture of a greedy power h8uingry spoiled old man. He should have been drummed out of the Navy way back when, but no his daddy and grandpa were Admirals... Talk about a spoon shoved down his throat!!

[David Zephyr]

22. Welcome to the DU, nahant

...and thank you for pointing out more of John's history. Nothing courageous or noble about this coniving, egomaniac whatsoever.

In many ways, it is fitting that he is ending his long public "career" on this hateful sour note.

[nahant]

33. John MaCain..

Why thank you David. John is just a real work of the silver spoon syndrome. If you take the time to just search the Youtubes and Google you will find out what a traitor John is to all Veterans. He has consistently voted against Veteran's rights.. Consistently... Forcing those who put their lives in our governments hands to beg for what they were promised. I have no use to this bloated old man who broke under North Vietnam's torture and has never paid a price for it!!

[defendandprotect]

39. Certainly is something wrong with a man who sings, "bomb, bomb, bomb Iran" ....

I'm not much for military backgrounds --

Not sure what state he's from -- I'll have to look it up -- but imo

he's a creep who should have been tossed out long ago!!

[dgibby]

23. I was stationed at the Naval Hospital in Jacksonville, Fla,

when he came back from 'Nam. Couldn't stand him then, can't stand him now. Any "man" who would call his wife(Cindy) a c**t in private or in front of anyone, much less reporters, is not fit to serve,either in the military or in the Senate.

[David Zephyr]

43. I'd forgotten that incident with Cindy.

He's really a very mean man and he's been one his whole life.

[Frisbee]

127. I real never understood why she is still with him...

She could buy and sell him (and his Keating money) 100X over. When he called her a c--t, she should have walked right then. I sure wish she would have told him where to go over the "it gets better" campaign, rather than giving in to him and his hateful ways.

[truedelphi]

42. Big hearty welcome to Du.

And thank you for your service.

[Renew Deal]

68. Here's the link for the wheelchair story

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/07/report-mccain-pushed-woma_n_124615.html

[dgibby]

19. You are so right. He's definitely not a hero.

I despise the little piss ant.

[Withywindle]

21. K & R

He really is a thoroughly horrible person, isn't it?

[russspeakeasy]

24. What was the name of the prisoner of war that said he was there at the same time Mccain said he was

and did not meet or hear of John Mccain during his time at
Hanoi Hilton. He made one speech denying Mccains's story.....
and then he was was gone...does anyone have any followup on
that very convincing P.O.W. ?

[dgibby]

67. Here you go:

http://www.usvetdsp.com/mcianhro.htm

It's a long, but very interesting article and well worth the read. Of note is this:


Two Former POWs Say They Doubt McCain Was Physically Abused

1999 - March 25, 1999, The Phoenix New Times: Ted Guy and Gordon "Swede" Larson, two former POWs, who were McCain's senior ranking officers (SRO's), at the time McCain says he was tortured in solitary confinement, told the New Times that while they could not guarantee that McCain was not physically harmed, they doubted it.

"Between the two of us, it's our belief, and to the best of our knowledge, that no prisoner was beaten or harmed physically in that camp ," Larson says. ". . . My only contention with the McCain deal is that while he was at The Plantation, to the best of my knowledge and Ted's knowledge, he was not physically abused in any way. No one was in that camp. It was the camp that people were released from."

In 1993, during one of his many trips back to Hanoi, McCain asked the Vietnamese not to make public the records they hold pertaining to returned U.S. POWs.

[July]

159. So, following it out, hypothetically . . .

John McCain's reports of his being hung by his fractured arms and of being otherwise tortured are, perhaps, self-serving lies. Do we have any other source for "what happened" than John S. McCain III?

It makes his opposition to the MIA families' wishes and his embrace of his "torturer" make slightly more sense.

Have the allegations of Guy and Larson been looked into, at all, by anyone? That sounds like one interesting tale.

[kentuck]

25. I used to like John McCain...

But he has turned into an obvious homophobe. Thanks David, for telling the truth.

[patrice]

26. Classy acid, this. K & R!

[bluetrain]

27. Cheap shot to accuse every homophobe of being gay. And bad psychology at that.

[David Zephyr]

30. A personal message from the author of the originating post.

Being very familiar with the inner thoughts of the author of the post at the top of this thread, I can assure you -- without any hesitation -- that he does not believe that Mr. McCain is homosexual at all. There's no one in America more un-gay than John McCain. Apologies for whatever led you to believe otherwise.

[nashville_brook]

59. DU best practice suggestion: read the OP before making absurd accusation

[BrklynLiberal]

117. huh? Where did that come from?

[CreekDog]

120. Cheap shot to accuse someone of saying what they didn't say

:rofl:

[KT2000]

28. Wow!

You are really a good writer!
I am reminded of the man who was just awarded the Medal of Honor. He downplayed his individual efforts and shared the honor with all service members.
I also recall a WWII veteran telling me once - prick most of the men my age and you will find a veteran - we just don't talk about it.

I am so glad you said what you did - McCain is getting worse with age and his reliance upon his service to get his way is approaching the "God talks to me" mentality.

[DesertFlower]

31. i sent him a nasty e-mail the other day.

[dchill]

34. K&R

[laughingliberal]

35. Excellent, as always, David Zephyr! nt

[TriMera]

36. k & r. n/t

[NuclearDem]

38. Bill Gates is the guy with Windows and Microsoft

Robert Gates is the SECDEF. ;) Easy mistake to make.

Good points though.

[David Zephyr]

41. LOL.

I watched the awful documentary about Bill Gates and Warren Buffett in China on CNBC last night. It must have been on my feeble mind. Thanks for pointing that out. :)

[Nothing Without Hope]

40. Excellent post. Thank you for saying it so well. K & R n/t

[Hannah Bell]

45. "unlike 99% of all veterans who have served our proud nation in uniform"

i think rather a higher percent of vets "grew up in privilege".

like a majority of the leadership. especially historically.

[crikkett]

46. I understand that "America's most famous military aristocratic brat"

was an abused child... heard one account of him saying that he used to be beaten by parents until he passed out, and then thrown into cold water to revive.

Also, he's in his dotage. Anyone as old and feeble as he is is going to have intractible prejudices.

I'm just sorry that he's so overworked. He needs to retire and relax.

[July]

55. I believe he was thrown in cold water because he held his breath until he passed out.

Can't remember where (Daily Kos, perhaps), but I just read about that this morning.

IIRC, McCain recounts in his autobiography that he had tantrums as a toddler and would hold his breath until he passed out. The cold water was to revive him.

[atreides1]

113. It works

My aunt did the same thing when her daughter would throw tantrums, either throw her in the shower and turn the water on full force, or just throw cold water in her face when they were out in public.

Brought her back to reality fast.

[rasputin1952]

47. McCain should be a euphanism for failure...

He has always been on the public dole, his entire life has been subsidized by the government. Annapolis, the Navy, medically retired as a Captain, Senator...if you handede McCain a shovel, he'd look for where you put the key in to start it.

His POW status does not make him a "hero", to be honest, it appears that it affected him mentally to the point where he is basically incoherent. When McCain was selected as the candidate to replace Goldwater, Goldwater almost had a stroke, he despised McCain as a "snake oil salesman", in retirement, Goldwater called him every name under the sun, and still he was re-elected.

McCain is nothing more than a "legend in his own mind". Two Senators served that received the Medal of Honor, Senator Dan Inouye and Senator Bob Kerry, both D's, neither of them ever claimed "hero" status. If another one of two served and received the nation's highest honor, they were pretty quiet about it. "Tailgunner Joe" McCarthy was another one that took his service to incredible levels, peas in a pod. No one needs self-appointed "heroes", there are plenty of real heroes to look up to. In McCain's case, the most "heroic" thing he could do is shut up and drift out of sight.

[David Zephyr]

54. +1.

McCain's shameless and false smear of Secretary Robert Gates' military service pretty much sums up the pathetic weasel of a man that he is.

In that "legend in his own mind", John McCain apparently believes that no one ever served like he did. He insults our women and men in uniform.

Our troops are not only bigger in spirt and heart and dedication to our country than John McCain, they are also better Americans than he is.

[terrya]

57. I respect your opinion highly on military issues

You've served in the military. I never have, so I lack that insight. I see DADT repeal as one of national security...keeping people with valuable skills who want to serve our country...and simple fairness, equality, and appreciating the fact that if a gay man or lesbian wants to serve their country, and is willing to die for their country, then they should be able to do so without having to lie about their sexual orientation. I won't bother to list the increasingly larger roster of countries who already do so.

I've wondered about the opinion of McCain as seen from other vets. Thank you. I appreciate your insight.

[rasputin1952]

74. Hi terrya!

I've w/gays, as has everyone else in the military, McCain is a fool, and almost everyone sees him as such. the only criteria for being in the service is the ability to do the job. You are correct, there are gays in highly sensitive areas, some that left the service were interpreters and code breakers. many others are in support and the combat arms. They went in knowing they could sacrifice limbs or their lives in service to this nation, and they are just as honorable, dedicated and dignified as anyone else that serves. Many of these men and women have served and received the highest awards this nation can bestow upon it's service members. I can't say I know specifically if any gay member was ever awarded the Medal of Honor, but statistics would say that between 8-10% of said awardees would have fallen into that bracket. I know that many markers stand above graves of the fallen who were gay, they gave their all for a nation that sees them as "different".

McCain has a lot to say, but he's a sparrow fart in tornado, he cannot deny that people have already sacrificed far more than he did, and no one gave a damn about their sexual orientation. They shot straight, didn't run, followed orders and took the objectives assigned. McCain is little more than some punk who thinks he's a lot better than he really is. The man disgusts me with his "attitude", he's no hero, and back in the 50's when Truman ordered the integration of the military, I'm sure he would have fought that as well. In the Army, we were all "green", there was tension, to be sure within the races, but when your life depends on those around you, you don't give a damn about anything else, because regardless of any "differences", we fought for each other, we were a well trained team and to any soldier, survival is the motivation to get the job done.

Maybe McCain is afraid some gay sailor might be attracted to him, I'm willing to bet my last dollar...that will never happen!...he's a miserable sack of crap.

Always a pleasure to see you on the Boards...:hi:

[chervilant]

91. Bwahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha!!!!

Sparrow fart in a tornado!!!!! I hope you don't mind if I add that to my lexicon!

Still laughing over here...

[chervilant]

87. Shut up,

RETIRE, and drift out of sight...

[Moonbat2]

124. pot meets kettle

[Vinca]

48. Maybe the geezer is too senile to remember his former position.

[old mark]

49. K&R - I have read a lot about McCain, and his arrogance and evil temper and lack of

redeeming qualities have been lifelong traits. He is a pig, and always have been, a son of privilege who has never measured up. He is a small, stupid and evil man who should never have been placed in any position of responsibility.

mark

[terrya]

52. Excellent post, sir. Recommended.

I think he is a homophobe. I also think he's gotten a lot of campaign cash from the likes of the Family Research Council. He's basically doing Tony Perkins' bidding.

"The Daily Show" did this wonderful bit a couple of weeks back, referencing the "It Gets Better" videos. In the TDS version, it was "It Gets Worse", and it was all about McCain...comparing him to George Wallace, standing at the schoolhouse door, defending segregation. It was an excellent metaphor for McCain and DADT repeal.

This is how he's ending his career. Being an obstructionist homophobe. George Wallace indeed.

[xchrom]

53. recommend

[Scruffy1]

56. WOW-great post

And this old straight dude will continue to fight for equal rights for all.McCane is just an asshole rich boy who never grew up. He has always relied on other peoples money. When he was younger he had moments of charm and even maybe even a little saving grace, like when he called the pork laden Cheney energy bill "no lobbyist left behind"
but as he aged the real self emerges more and more. His only legislative accomplishment was McCain-Feingold which his the Supremes he championed shit all over.

[Overseas]

58. K&R. Well said! //nt

[madmax]

60. Bravo k&r nt

[Bluenorthwest]

61. It needed to be said and you nailed it

The first time I heard John McCain's name was decades ago, I was too young to vote and one of our country's greatest musicians asked me to write a letter to 'this racist in Arizona' by the name of McCain, and give him a piece of my mind, which of course I did.
McCain has always been extremely exploitative of his 'service', a few short years, many decades ago. He exploits the troops current and past for his own petty needs.
Plus once I occupied a suite right after John and Cindy and the housekeeper told me they were, her words 'filthy pigs' who had not left so much as a dollar for the staff. Those who do not tip while unable to count their homes are the worst sort of people there are. Apparently McCain's policy is also Don't Ask, Don't Tip.

[madmom]

63. K&R and well said!

[Billy Burnett]

64. Funny how so many irrational homophobes turn out to have had an encounter or two.

Sometimes even in public toilet stalls.

[Withywindle]

97. AHAHAHAH the "Nosferatu" pic.

That will NEVER get old. :rofl:

[Frisbee]

128. I don't think anyone could have even...

Photoshopped anything funnier than that! Love it!

[joeybee12]

66. These are the sorts of threads that should be recc'ed MORE than once...nt

[racaulk]

69. Fantastic post, sir, and I am happy to recommend!

:applause:

K&R

[David Zephyr]

79. Thanks, racaulk.

The only bright side of this is that Americans are seeing the nastiness, the mean-spritedness of John McCain as he closes out his career. He was always a rotten man. His life is one of fraud and raw ambition. Not a "hero" at all.

[Pacifist Patriot]

71. Well said.

[dgibby]

72. More for your reading enjoyment:

http://www.farfromglory.com/john_s_mccain.htm

[newtothegame]

73. McCain is a dick, but disagree with this logic.

Whether you intended it or not, the wording in your post is leading many readers to believe you're accusing McCain of closet homosexuality. Worse, the post seems to imply that this is a problem.

I understand from an earlier post that you didn't mean to imply that, but judging from the responses, that's what people are gleaning from the OP anyways.

Being a racist doesn't mean you wish you had a different skin color.

Being a sexist doesn't mean you wish you were a different gender.

Why is it always assumed that being a homophobe means you're a closet homosexual? :shrug:

That assertion seems more often to be used as some sort of "gotcha" political play than anything with real substance or thought behind it.

ed for sp.

[David Zephyr]

75. See post #30.

:)

[newtothegame]

76. Yeah I understand. I edited to make my point more clear.

Cheers! :hi:

[David Zephyr]

78. McCain's fixation is similar to white birthers who have deep seated issues transcending reality.

Birthers don't want to be black or think they are secretly black, but for some reason, they are obsessed with President Obama's skin pigmentation. What makes some people so phobic, so hateful, so mean is what I was referring to. "Even Thorazine and the best shrink in the world..."

On the other hand, there are striking studies that do show a co-relationship between some homophobic men and their own sexuality. Check out the brilliant documentary, "Middlesex" narrated by Gore Vidal which deals with this subject.

That aside, McCain's fixation on homosexuals in the shower, homosexuals serving in "tight quarters" and so forth is more in line with rabid racists -- some of whom I've encountered in my life -- who really believe that people of color are nefarious and dangerous. That's the deep-seated sickness I was referring to.

[Karenina]

90. Great analogy, David!

Back in the day, while attending conservatory, a rule of thumb was to avoid men who hated their mothers or were homophobic. ANYONE who has enough time on their hands to obsess about something that has nothing to do with them has "issues." And YES, some of the loudest, most obnoxious proclaimers of their "manhood" were on the down low. (See: "Bishop" Eddie Long) Others were relieved of good sense by a "gang mentality." Suffice to say whenever I heard the words "fag hag," it resonated in the same way as "nigger lover." Do forgive me for not using asterisks. My young adult mind found those epithets equally offensive and an indication that the person hurling them had "serious issues."

I do understand how the homophobic=closeted equation is offensive BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU SAID.

[closeupready]

77. Wow - BIG K&R, David.

Hats off to you. :yourock: And I also come from a family of US veterans.

[David Zephyr]

131. Back to you, too.

McCain has gotten a free ride for too long. He's never accomplished shit on his own. He's a fraud and a bigot. His opposition to MLK Day still makes me ill.

[chervilant]

80. Well conceived,

Well written. Well said.

[obxhead]

81. Fitting picture of the angry old homophobe. nt

[drmeow]

82. The frustration and fury

I feel about this worthless subhuman being my senator (along with that other subhuman, Kyl) is immeasurable. I used to write letters to them about legislation and issues but stopped after it became clear that no matter how long and how hard I was going to hit my head McCain and Kyl were always going to be a brick wall. They are too entrenched and too intractable to listen. Before she left I had high hopes of Janet Napolitano giving McCain a serious challenge for his seat (for all her faults she would be orders of magnitude better than McCain). McCain is on a growing list of people I wish would just go away (I don't care how - die, have a stoke, retire, anything ... just GO AWAY).

[OZark Dem]

83. I am no hero like John McCain

I was not captured and held in prison in Viet Nam so I did not have the opportunity to sign a confession of war crimes like John did.

[fatbuckel]

84. Ever notice how perverted preists always fight for morality? How censors always find the porn?

How politicians that hate gay people always end up coming out gay?

[cleanhippie]

86. Perfect...AND powerful! Well done.

[AspenRose]

88. Homophobia and misogyny often go hand in hand.

Look at what we know about how he has treated his wives.

I think he physically abuses Cindy, personally. We already know he verbally berates her. That she has come out in such strong support of Gay Rights, only to walk it back, is very suspicious in my opinion.

He's a horrid human being with no moral compass whatsoever. And I wish she'd leave his ass. She needs to have a heart-to-heart with Jenny Sanford.

[orbitalman]

89. I absolutely agree...

as I have a similar experience within my own family which, a least partially, has caused estrangement.:banghead:

[w8liftinglady]

92. Exactly.My dad,my ex,my partner and my son all wounded in battle,all multiple deployments

every one of them said...I could give a shit...what the fucking grunt is...as long as they have my back

they also NEVER spoke about their wartime...and all saw some horrific shit..."just a job"

this prisoner pimping thing has just about used itself up...especially since he's gone against everything he represented

[wmbrew0206]

94. Agree with him or not, spending that amount of time as a POW and being totured

is something that you have to respect.

As far as McCain being being a homophobe....

Listen, there is a reason McCain would not release his entire medical record during the '08 race. It is highly probable that he was raped while held as a POW in Vietnam. Physical and psychological torture were typical during that time and rape is a form of both. I don't think it is a stretch to assume that McCain associates homosexual acts with what he went through as a POW and projects his associations of those acts as evil and wrong onto everyone who practices them.

[w8liftinglady]

98. I agree.he probably does have PTSD.

He is also in a role where his words spread to those who serve.He would have probably been better in a private role.As time goes by,he could be trying to compensate for keeping the troops over there for extended tours,with no end in site.

My dad ...until right before he died...couldn't speak of VietNam.My partner,an MP/dog handler in Vietnam/Laos/cambodia and Gulf war 1,says it's "not a big deal".
My ex-who was exposed to multiple chemicals in GW 1,barely mentions war at all.
My son,who was in country...three times as a soldier,wounded his second,saw a kid he adopted blown up in front of him,and got sent back the third time,just for kicks...says"just a job"


so...I guess everyone has their own way of coping.
When it's internalized,like my family,it only affects those closest.
When it's externalized,like Mr. McCain,it affects the nation.

[wmbrew0206]

99. Normally the only vets who talk about it are the ones running for political office.

[JoePhilly]

104. Interesting perspective ... I'd be curious what you think of my post #103

I also think that the POW experience is key, but along very different lines.

[Blue_In_AK]

96. He looked extremely squirmy yesterday

when Adm. Mullen was testifying.

[Arkana]

100. At this point, I don't know how you can be against DADT's repeal

for any other reason than spite.

The military has been almost UNANIMOUS in its assessment--that it's a bigoted POS law that needs to go. THE FUCKING MILITARY. You know, that thing Republicans mercilessly flog during campaign season to score cheap points, but neglect the actual people doing the fighting once they get into office? The generals and the admirals and everyone have been fucking UNANIMOUS.

And yet still John McCain mumbles and stumbles and drools and poops himself and tries to rationalize a completely irrational position.

[pinboy3niner]

102. Listening to the commanders on the ground...

...is only for when they agree with you and support war escalation. When they disagree with you, hey, what do those desk jockeys know? They can be wise, experienced, professional combat leaders one day and out-of-touch paper-shufflers the next--depending on whether or not their views conform to McCain's.

[Frisbee]

130. Well we all know...

that the military is a haven for left-wing, bleeding heart liberals. ( :sarcasm: Just in case)

[benld74]

101. AND YET - HE WAS GOP for the POTUS! What does THAT tell you about the GOP?!?!?!?!

[rasputin1952]

133. Tells me the GOP still heads to the veggie bin for candidates...

;)

[JoePhilly]

103. I can explain McCain's actions ...

McCain's current position on DADT is really just a tree, it is not the Forest. So let's step back, and look at the Forest.

You correctly note McCain's privileged upbringing. And you correctly note the high level of achievement reached in the military by his father and grandfather.

My sense is that McCain entered the military EXPECTING to be able to easily walk the same road. He'd go into the military, move quickly into a leadership role, have a relatively safe career, and end up as a high level Admiral. This was his DESTINY as he saw it.

But things went wrong. He gets shot down and spends YEARS in a POW camp. Does America come and get him? No.

But think. JFK was in the Navy. PT 109. War hero. JFK did ~6 years in the House and ~7 years in the Senate. PRESIDENT!!!!

McCain comes home. The military is no longer his destiny. He turns to politics. Like JFK did. McCain does ~4 years in the House, then ~11 years in the Senate ... and he runs for PRESIDENT in 2000.

See a pattern?

McCain knows that his DESTINY has changed. He's not going to be an Admiral ... America is going to reward him for the POW years, and he is going to be CIC.

But again, in 2000 reality steps in ... the GOP gives the nomination to Bush (the COWARD). Bush HID from the war. And America OWES MecCain!! McCain is again a POW ... a POW of politics.

Bush wins in 2000 and 2004 ... McCain waits in the wings ... he KNOWS his time is coming. Bush was just a delay of McCain's destiny.

But then. Some unknown black guy shows up and STEALS what is rightfully McCain's!!! POP. McCain knows he is never going to be an Admiral, nor will he be CIC.

McCain started with a privileged life and is sure that his destiny is one of greatness. But that has been stolen from him over and over.

And in 2008 ... it was Obama who ultimately CRUSHED McCain's true destiny.

And in response ... McCain abandoned any dignity or integrity. He opposes Obama on DADT, and absolutely everything else, for only one reason. Because Obama stole the Presidency from McCain. McCain spent years in a POW camp (JFK did not), McCain waited for his turn. He did his time in the House and in the Senate. The Presidency should be his.

To steal a line from Lord of the Rings ... Obama stole McCain's PRECIOUS!!!

I seriously doubt that McCain cares one crap about DADT one way or the other.

[BrklynLiberal]

119. Very possibly the best explanation...

[Frisbee]

132. Considering he himself picked Momma Grizzly...

It shouldn't be Obama he's so upset with. But you do make some very valid points.

[morningglory]

105. Word! nt

[NICO9000]

106. Great post, David - this stuff really needs to be said

I've posted before that his "maverick" tag was always a PR fantasy. He's proved himself time and again to be a really nasty piece of work; a mean-spirited jerk with an extremely high opinion of his barely mediocre self. Back in the 80s, when he, Cheney, and all the other racist pigs were opposing the MLK holiday told me all I ever needed to know about the Rethugs and their state of mind.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

107. Let's not forget...

...repealing DADT would be a HUGE political win for Obama, and DADT can wait until 2012 when a Republican is back in the White House.

That's my hunch, anyway.

[Pisces]

108. He also hates Obama for beating him and making him look like a fool.

This guy has serious anger issues.

[Raster]

110. I stand and applaud! Thank you, David!

:kick:

[secondwind]

111. His wife and daughter are i favor of DADT repeal. Is this a contest to see who

wins?

[mentalsolstice]

112. Great post! My uncle was in the same class @ USNA w/JohnnyBoy

Anyway he had little use for McCain while at the Academy. It was fun watching my neo-con uncle eat glass during the 2008 election. The 1958 USNA class also included John Poindexter, it was full of win that year. :sarcasm:

[BrklynLiberal]

114. He is a spoiled, petulant three-year-old brat in a very old man's body.

[seafan]

115. McCain is also dirtied with Abramoff criminality.

Jack Abramoff: John McCain’s other Lobbyist problem...


Thank you for this post, David Zephyr. You really laid it all out.

[B Calm]

118. McCain's military record is not that stellar in my eyes! How many aircraft

did he crash?

[old mark]

121. There is also this article on McCain pushing away a woman in a wheelchair

and preparing to strike her with a fist...her relative was lost in action in Vietnam...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/07/report-mccain-pushed-woma_n_124615.html

There were 6 different wittnesses to this, and several other comments on McCain's hair trigger temper and lack of decency.

mark

[Name removed]

122. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Quantess]

123. Wow, that was well written!

I was expecting to see a link to the article at the end. It deserves to be in print.

[David Zephyr]

162. Well, thank you, Quantess.

:)

[Orsino]

126. Let's not overcomplicate things.

McCain is a politician who needs to woo the homophobe vote, in a party that depends on it.

[malaise]

134. Super post

Rec

[BobTheSubgenius]

135. A agree COMPLETELY!

Have you seen Jon Stewart talking about this? He is nowhere near as comical and tongue-in-cheek as he usually is when skewering folks that need it. Stewart is clearly pissed at McCain....as are most of us.

(wish I could say "all of us", but I know that probably isn't true)

[David Zephyr]

140. Love your Zappa avatar, BobTheSubgenius

"We are the other people" -- Frank :)

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

136. I think it's even more that that. McCain is bitter for losing the election to Obama.

And being played by Sarah Palin. He is an angry, bitter man, who wants to see Barack Obama fail. No success for this administration = revenge for losing the election. I truly believe that, too!

He is a despicable man! Disgusting! And so many people buy into the "hero" of John McCain. He is no such thing! Traitor!

[lunatica]

137. Wow! Great stuff!

I like it!

He's ridden on his 'victimhood as a war prisoner' all his life. Maybe they tortured him sexually too. Why would they be any different than other torturers?

[Skittles]

138. WELL DONE, DAVID

you've nailed it, absolutely :thumbsup:

[demigoddess]

139. he thinks that gay soldiers will give his time in uniform less

odor of his masculinity. He has always based his macho-ness on his time in the Navy. We just won't mention the fact that his father the Admiral made the Navy take him and coddle him along until he was so inept that it got him captured. Look up and read what the fellow POWs said about his time in the camp. I was more impressed by their silence for years than his performance.

[nevergiveup]

141. He is a despicable phony little man.

The sore loser of all sore losers. His soul will rot in hell. You can count on it.

[Jackpine Radical]

142. Does Homophobia in Straight Homophobic Men Stem from Arousal or Anxiety?

Remember this one?

http://www.selfhelpmagazine.com/article/homophobia


by Henry E. Adams, Ph.D., Lester W. Wright, Jr., Ph.D. &
Bethany A. Lohr

Psychoanalytic theory holds that homophobia - the fear, anxiety, anger, discomfort and aversion that some heterosexual people hold for gay individuals - is the result of repressed homosexual urges that the person is either unaware or denies. A study provides empirical evidence that is consistent with that theory.

Researchers at the University of Georgia conducted an experiment involving 35 homophobic men and 29 non-homophobic men as measured by the Index of Homophobia scale. All the participants selected for the study described themselves as exclusively heterosexual both in terms of sexual arousal and experience.

Each participant was exposed to sexually explicit erotic materials consisting of heterosexual, male homosexual and lesbian videotapes. Their degree of sexual arousal was measured by penile plethysmography, which precisely measures and records male erections.

Men in both groups were aroused by about the same degree by a video depicting heterosexual sexual behavior and by a video showing two women engaged in sexual behavior. The only significant difference in degree of arousal between the two groups occurred when they viewed a video depicting male homosexual sex: "The homophobic men showed a significant increase in penile circumference to the male homosexual video, but the non-homophobic men did not."

[Ken Burch]

147. ...in other words "Survey says: YES"

n/t.

[Jackpine Radical]

150. Yes.

[RKP5637]

143. Recommend!!! n/t

[Mike Nelson]

145. Methinks he doth protest too much...

for whatever reason.

[bertman]

148. Great post, David. Rec. nt

[GoldenOldie]

149. John McCain has Narcissistic Personality Disorder

A lack of empathy for others, self inflated sense of self importance.
Critizism may haunt these individuals and may leave them feeling humiliated, degraded, hollow and empty. They may react with disdain, rage or defiant counterattacks. This fits John McCain to a tee!

He betrayed his first wife even though she had endured severe injures herself during his POW status. Although he, himself collects 100% military disability due to his POW status......yet has held a full-time position and double-dipping as a Senator for many years, he has not supported the same benefits to the wounded warriors of Iraq/Afghanistan. He foisted the grifters Sarah Palin tribe off on Americans as a viable VP and like the perrenial tar baby, will not let loose.

John McCain not only brings shame on his Grandfather and Father but on all military who who fought and died for our Nation. He deserves no further alcholades.

[Mnemosyne]

153. John "I'm not queer, I didn't kiss him." McCain. n/t

[butterfly77]

154. Kicked&Recommended!

[phleshdef]

155. Didn't he say that his POW captors were "homosexuals" that got off on beating the prisoners?

For all we know, something happened in there that he doesn't want anyone to know. McCain went through a prison system way worse than our worst here. There is no way he got out of that without developing a lot of hangups and derangement issues.

[Hubert Flottz]

157. I think this is it in a nutshell...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qsqLegE1zQ

[TxVietVet]

158. F*ck McInsane.

McInsane's behavior and actions in Hanoi were actually violations of the Uniform Code of Military Injustice. He helped the enemy to receive favorable treatment and better care for HIMSELF. POS.
If an officer without McInsane's family connections or an enlisted man had done what McInsane did for the North Vietnamese, they would have been court-martialed. No one ever brings up what McInsane actually did in the Hanoi Hilton.
If one can find the historical facts about McInsane's actions, please post it. I know at least one author has done a story on the idiot's actions.

Hero, my ass. He probabably crashed his plane through his own incompetence

[burning rain]

161. I think you're exaggerating a bit how cool our military personnel will be with gays serving openly.

When I was in the Army~I got out in February, 2001~the younger people were ready for it, but there was also ferocious opposition, mostly from people early middle-age and up, and many of them hated Bill Clinton bitterly for his abortive "Gays in the military!" efforts. Walnuts! is certainly among those aging troglodytes, and they will just have to lump it, or leave Uncle Sam's service, as more than a few that I knew ranted and raved they would. A great nation doesn't need intransigent bigots in its armed forces.

[B Calm]

163. I served with gay people back in the late 60's, we never had a problem

with them!

[burning rain]

164. Nor did we in our time. I didn't know anyone personally who got ratted out.

And that is considerable evidence that even most of those military personnel who piss and moan about "Gays in the military!" politically will lump it when the policy is changed, rather than leave the military, as they swear up and down they will.

[Octafish]

165. Truth: His carved-in-stone characteristic shows how truly small he is.

Thank you, David Zephyr, for kicking the bully out of the dark alley and into the light of day.

McCain has an anger that seems bigger than life, which is too bad for him.
Because he's a Senator, it's also too bad for us -- as in We the People.

His characteristic shows how truly small he is. His votes and deeds are an attempt to carve it in stone.