Sen. John McCain, accompanied by wife Cindy, right, greets a crowd at the Wings over Meridian Air Show at McCain field on the Meridian Naval Base on Sunday.Photo by Mary Altaffer / AP
by Mark Silva
John McCain, a warrior from a family of warriors, returned to a Naval air field in Meridian, Miss., named for his grandfather for the start of a weeklong tour of reminiscences aimed at reminding voters of his credentials in national security.
Casting himself today as an “imperfect servant of my country’’ – a phrase he coined in the memoir penned for his last presidential campaign, Faith of My Fathers, in 1999 – McCain spoke of ancestors buried at Arlington National Cemetery and “the honor we earn and the love we give when we work and sacrifice with others for a cause greater than our self-interest."
McCain wrote in that ’99 memoir that his father, a Navy admiral, like his grandfather, had told him: “In leadership, there is no such thing as a master’s degree.’’
And that’s pretty much the campaign message that McCain is attempting to deliver this week.
This is the start of a “Service to America Tour’’ for the Republican Party’s presumptive nominee for president. McCain was not speaking of his potential Democratic rival today – either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton – but rather spinning the tale he hopes to tell of himself in a reintroduction to American voters at the start of a free season for the GOP.
Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, was doing the talking today for his own party, still fighting over its own nominee/
"John McCain deserves our respect for his service to our country,'' Dean said, "but no reinvention tour can change the fact that a vote for him is a vote for four more years of President Bush's failed policies. No matter how many times he tries to reintroduce himself, the voters already know that John McCain is out of touch with the challenges facing working families, admits he doesn't understand the economy, and is willing to keep our troops in Iraq for 100 years.'''
McCain, who has spoken of his disdain for war, does support the Bush administration's strategy in Iraq -- though his campaign-trail suggestions of long-term troop commitments are more along the lines of non-combatant supporting forces such as those deployed in South Korea and Germany.
His father had been commander-in-chief of U.S. Pacific forces when McCain, a Navy bomber pilot, was shot down over Vietnam. “He prayed on his knees every night for my safe return,’’ McCain said today in Meridian. “Yet, when duty required it, he gave the order for B-52s to bomb Hanoi, in close proximity to my prison."
The Arizona senator attended an air show Sunday and spoke today at Mississippi State University, near McCain field at the Meridian Naval Base.
“A distant ancestor served on Gen. Washington's staff, and it seems my ancestors fought in most wars in our nation's history," McCain said.
As a boy, he said, he had spent part of his summers on his uncle's place in Mississippi, property that generations of McCains had left to join the military. He recalled his grandfather, a four-star admiral, as a rumpled man who worked with his shoes off, "tobacco leavings ... always scattered about him."
His grandfather commanded a carrier task force in the Pacific in World War II, and was given "a privileged place on the deck of the USS Missouri to witness the signing of the unconditional surrender that ended the war," McCain said . His own father commanded a submarine in the Pacific during World War II.
Both father and grandfather were four-star admirals, the only such pair in Navy history.
"They were my first heroes, and their respect for me has been one of the most lasting ambitions of my life," said McCain – who finished near the bottom of his own class at the U.S. Naval Academy, a fact that McCain mentions often with a self-deprecating sense of humor. His tour this week will take him to Annapolis.
“They gave their lives to their country, and taught me lessons about honor, courage, duty, perseverance and leadership that I didn't fully grasp until later in life, but remembered when I needed them most,’’ McCain said. “I have been an imperfect servant of my country for many years. But I am their son, and they showed me how to love my country, and that has made all the difference for me."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Comments
Bomb Bomb Bomb Iran. This guy can't talk about anything else....empty suit. Yesterday he says we'll stay the course on the economy. 4 more years.
Posted by: bill r. | March 31, 2008 11:14 AM
“In leadership, there is no such thing as a master’s degree.’’
A leader, Mr. McCain, would have stood up and condemned the Republican Party for lying about and smearing an honorable war hero in 2004.
A leader, Mr. McCain, would have stood up and condemned the Republican Party for cutting benefits for the men and women of our military.
You were in the military, yes, but you are no leader Mr. Mccain.
Posted by: Keith | March 31, 2008 11:35 AM
"John McCain deserves our respect for his service to our country,'' Dean said, "but no reinvention tour can change the fact that a vote for him is a vote for four more years of President Bush's failed policies."
So good, it had to be repeated.
If you like Chimpy and his gang of crooks, you'll love Grampa McCain with 4 more years of the same.
Posted by: weinerdog43 | March 31, 2008 12:28 PM
How many planes did this guy crash again? Is he planning on getting back into one and dropping the first bomb on Iran...you know, just for old times sake?
Posted by: DD | March 31, 2008 12:39 PM
I'm not fan of McCain's addiction to pleasing everyone, but the truth that is beginning to come out about Obama is very worrisome. See:
http://miraclesdaily.blogspot.com/
Posted by: Christian Prophet | March 31, 2008 12:59 PM
John McCain will unite Americans - I am a Democrat sickened by the idiots with Howard Dean's DNC.
McCain is the American Americans have been waiting for - Obama will make a great Governor of Illinois!
Hillary will be busy too.
McCain will be a great President.
Weinerdog, and the other Daily Kosovo and Moveon.org acolytes will stay busy beefing.
Posted by: Pat Hickey | March 31, 2008 1:28 PM
A one trick pony, that being a tank-hugger to boot.
Posted by: majorito | March 31, 2008 1:36 PM
I have a lot of respect for the CLintons but John McCain has EARNED the honor of being president. His entire family has served this country, and McCain is THE most respected member of our entire government. It will be an honor to elect him president in Nov. He is the best man for the job. In war time we need someone who knows what war is about. THe same reason I voted for Kerry in 2004 is the same reason I will be voting for McCain in 2008. Out of the 3 candiates only McCain has sacrificed himslef in order for our country to prosper. That is not something to be taken lightly by a coeardly idiot like Howard Dean. I have usually voted for Democrats in the past but not this time. I think Leiberman is correct when he says that the move on .org wing of the party now rules. Obama is a major part of the hard left that I completely disagree with. We need a more moderate government not a move from the far right to the far left. As a former Marine it is an honor to cast my vote for John McCain. Not one other supporter of any candidate can say what we who support John McCain can.
Posted by: Vinny | March 31, 2008 1:45 PM
I like Senator McCain and will vote for him.
Posted by: Bob | March 31, 2008 1:57 PM
Of course McCain is a warmonger; his whole life has been war, war, war; his family was all about war, he was tortured in 'nam; war is all he knows. About the economy he knows nothing; national problems like the housing crisis he can only shrug at and say "it'll work itself out if we do nothing." McCain is 72 and probably getting senile. He's obsess with Iran now, and is itching to start World War III. Anyone who votes for McCain is voting for World War III.
Posted by: alphonso | March 31, 2008 3:10 PM
Keith, before you spout off about a lack of leadership qualities about an event...McCain did defend Kerry, look at the article by the washington post august 2004
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A42740-2004Aug5.html
Posted by: Peanutgallery | March 31, 2008 3:47 PM
In other words, this silly man has nothing to say.
Posted by: John Chuckman, Toronto, Canada | March 31, 2008 4:31 PM
McCain certainly tries to re-invent himself as the product of a military family, but himself as a
peace loving person kneeling and praying for peace in the world. That deserves him a Nobel for hypocrisy -at a minimum.
He supported the indiscriminate bombing of
Serbia; he supported Bush's war in Iraq; he argued for bombing Iran, an he supports
the U.S. indiscriminate bombing in Pakistan -under the pretext of terrorists bombing, even though it mostly results only in high civilian deaths, and it has raised the ire of Pakistanis to such a level that they ditched their U.S.
puppet dictator in last month's elections.
There is an old saying: "You cannot teach an old dog new tricks." McCain campaign advisers try
to sell him to 70% of the U.S. public who has become disillusioned with George Bush, that McCain is not another warmongering in waiting like him. And that is exactly what Obama told the Canadian government
about his campaign anti-NAFTA position: "Don't worry what I said; this is all campaign stuff!" Ditto,
McCain as a scion of a glorious military family, and Vietnam bomber himself,
who runs for president to give the world everlasting
peace -if you can believe him. I don't, and I don't think that the families of the 4.000 dead U.S. soldies in Iraq do, nor do the families of another 50.000
U.S. maimed servicemen or
mentally twisted Iraq veterans.
What does McCain deserves? A nursing home, where he can
can put his warmongering persona to rest - rather than the White house, and Senator Lieberman or others behind him correcting his
wandering thoughts about the world, the year we live in, and who is who in the roster for the next U.S. bombing. Nikos Retsos, retired academic.
Posted by: Nikos Retsos | March 31, 2008 4:38 PM
McCain = Draft
Army Chief of Staff General George Casey tells us that our military is way overstretched, and that tours-of-duty will have to become shortened. General (ret) Barry McCaffrey has said that we are so lowering recruitment standards just to keep our numbers up that he is concerned for the long-term quality of the military. Republican presidential candidate John McCain states he “is confident" that Americans will be patriotic enough to answer the call to duty and volunteer in sufficient numbers for the military. McCain is dead serious when he talks about his war policy. He wants to continue the Iraq War. He pledges to increase the US commitment to fight al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. He wants to follow Osama bin Laden to the gates of hell. He also speaks of other wars. If we continue along the path our president has us locked into and that McCain supports, we will need more quality ‘volunteers’ than are willing. That means McCain must recruit folks who don’t want to be recruited. That means the return of the draft.
Posted by: Al Cidmore | March 31, 2008 5:05 PM
Looks like win win win to me. After all, the conservative grand poobahs have all said McCain is a liberal, so it's liberal, liberal, liberal.
Let's roll!
Posted by: C.Hussein.Morris | March 31, 2008 6:13 PM
THE SPAGETTI-SPINED EXPRESS OF J. SIDNEY WILL DERAIL.THE QUISLING LIBERAL DEMOCRAT WANNABEE IS TRYING TO DESTROY THE CONSERVATIVE BASE OF REPUBLICAN PARTY.DO NOT REWARD THIS BACKSTABBING QUISLING "REPUBLICRAT",NEVER WILL CONSERVATIVES VOTE OR SUPPORT THIS MIX AND MATCH SCUMBAG!
Posted by: P.HENRY | March 31, 2008 8:01 PM
McCain: "as an adult I've been known to forget occasionally the discretion expected of a person of my years and station when I believe I've been accorded a lack of respect I did not deserve". Let's hope that after you take a 72 year old man who unquestionably would have to suffer under some degree of post traumatic stress disorder and put him under a 90 hour a week schedule in one of the most stressful and demanding executive positions ever contemplated by man... and let's hope that he doesn't have a slip of discretion when he's leading the US military. Would you trust your grandfather with full control over nuclear weapons? What about after he'd been sleep deprived for three years and was 76 years old? What flexibility of judgement are you prepared to accept when it comes to our response in reaction to an event that may or may not require a nuclear response? 76. My guess is that you roll your eyes when you find out someone still drives at that age, and you think it's crazy when you hear about someone that old piloting an aircraft.
Posted by: JHancock | April 1, 2008 6:16 PM