Ol’ Fred Thompson Tells of McCain’s Character
EmailStill battling a throat irritant of some sort, former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., is right now making the case for his ol’ buddy, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
Thompson started by describing the McCain family, including McCain’s mother Roberta.
“All I gotta say is that if Ms. Roberta had been the McCain captured by the North Vietnamese, they would have surrendered," Thompson quipped.
He then told the story of McCain, with a focus on McCain’s time as a POW.
"On October 26, 1967, on his 23rd mission over North Vietnam, a surface-to-air missile slammed into John’s A-4 Skyhawk jet, blowing it out of the sky," Thompson said. "When John ejected, part of the plane hit him — breaking his right knee, his left arm, his right arm in three places. An angry mob got to him. A rifle butt broke his shoulder. A bayonet pierced his ankle and his groin. They took him to the Hanoi Hilton, where he lapsed in and out of consciousness for days. He was offered medical care for his injuries if he would give up military information in return.
"John McCain said ‘No.’ After days of neglect, covered in grime, lying in his own waste in a filthy room, a doctor attempted to set John’s right arm without success and without anesthesia. His other broken bones and injuries were not treated. John developed a high fever and dysentery. He weighed barely a hundred pounds. Expecting him to die, his captors placed him in a cell with two other POWs who also expected him to die. But with their help, John McCain fought on. He persevered.
"So then they put him in solitary confinement. For over two years. Isolation. Incredible heat beating on a tin roof. A light bulb in his cell burning 24 hours a day. Boarded-up cell windows blocking any breath of fresh air. The oppressive heat causing boils the size of baseballs under his arms. The outside world limited to what he could see through a crack in a door.
"We hear a lot of talk about hope these days. John McCain knows about hope. That’s all he had. For propaganda purposes, his captors offered to let him go home. John McCain refused. He refused to leave ahead of men who’d been there longer. He refused to abandon his conscience and his honor, even for his freedom. He refused, even though his captors warned him, ‘It will be very bad for you.’ They were right. It was. The guards cracked ribs, broke teeth off at the gums. They cinched a rope around his arms and painfully drew back his shoulders. Over four days, every two to three hours, the beatings resumed. During one especially fierce beating, he fell, again breaking his arm.
"John was beaten for communicating with other prisoners. He was beaten for not communicating with so-called ‘peace delegations.’ He was beaten for not giving information during interrogations. When his captors wanted the names of other pilots in his squadron, John gave them the name of the offensive line of the Green Bay Packers. Whenever John was returned to his cell — walking if he could, dragged if he couldn’t — as he passed his fellow POWs, he would often call out to them. He’d smile, often give them a thumbs-up.
"For five-and-a-half years this went on. John McCain’s bones may have been broken but his spirit never was. Now, being a POW certainly doesn’t qualify anyone to be President. But it does reveal character. This is the kind of character that civilizations from the beginning of history have sought in their leaders. Strength, courage, humility, wisdom, duty, honor. It’s pretty clear there are two questions we will never have to ask ourselves, ‘Who is this man?’ and ‘Can we trust this man with the Presidency?’"
- jpt
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Very funny at times. Heartwarming at other times.
Posted by: Peach | September 2, 2008, 10:37 pm 10:37 pm
Great speech…If I ever want to gut a Moose I will call Sarah Palin.
Posted by: jim | September 2, 2008, 10:39 pm 10:39 pm
VERY IMPRESSIVE SPEECH.
Why didn’t he show that side of him during his own campaign??
I loved what he said about Sarah too.
Posted by: Frieda | September 2, 2008, 10:40 pm 10:40 pm
Word has leaked that Sarah Pawlenty (Palin) will drop out before her speech.
Can any source please confirm?
McCain is toast.
Posted by: Steve_NJ | September 2, 2008, 10:43 pm 10:43 pm
Milking a story of POW to the extereem, that is what was at the beginning and remains at the end, one story line, poor McSame. Choosing Paulin as running mate is a clear demonstration of lack of judgment. God save America from McPaulin.
Posted by: BKMC | September 2, 2008, 10:45 pm 10:45 pm
Frieda, Thompson wasn’t nearly as passionate when he was campaigning. If he’d shown that passion, who knows who would be the Republican nominee.
Posted by: Peach | September 2, 2008, 10:46 pm 10:46 pm
Hey! John McSame was a P.O.W.? Why hadn’t he mentioned it before?
Posted by: Patricia in SF | September 2, 2008, 10:49 pm 10:49 pm
Peach what is far left about news?
If Sarah is dropping out because of the skeletons in her closet it is news worthy.
It has nothing to do with liberals or conservatives.
You guys are getting so paranoid it is unbelievable.
Did the liberals chose Palin for McCain?
Get a grip man.
Posted by: Steve_NJ | September 2, 2008, 10:49 pm 10:49 pm
WAIT! He skipped over the part about when he came home from ‘Nam and began cheating on his wife with a rich strumpet, then applied for a marriage license while still married, then left his family to start a new life!
I was WAITING for that!
Posted by: Patricia in SF | September 2, 2008, 10:49 pm 10:49 pm
Yes, the John McCain of 1967 did have strength, honor, courage, integrity, etc., etc. However, I totally disagree that the John McCain of today is the man Thompson further described as “this man, John McCain, is not intimidated by what the polls say or by what is politically safe or popular.”
Really? The 2008 John McCain passed over his first choices for VP, Lieberman or Ridge, because he had to bow to the GOP right or they’d throw a temper tantrum at the convention. So, “Maverick McCain” poorly vetted a not-so-ready Governor Palin because she represents everything the extreme right of the party would celebrate. So much for paving the road for bipartisanship. So much for reaching out to the moderates in the middle. Yeah, he bucks the party…yeah right! So much for country first.
Posted by: Amy T | September 2, 2008, 10:52 pm 10:52 pm
TIRED OF HEARING ABOUT POW AND WAR STORIES! HEARD IT ALL WHEN HE LOST THE NOMINATION TO BUSH. I NEVER HEAR OF ANY ACTUAL PLANS HE HAS FOR US, EVER! ALL HE DOES IT ATTACK OBAMA! I WANT TO HEAR WHAT HE’S ACTUALLY GOING TO DO, NOT WHAT HE’S DONE! AND I SHOULDN’T HAVE TO GOTO HIS WEBPAGE TO SEE THIS.
IF I HEAR “MY FRIENDS” OUT OF ONE MORE PERSONS MOUTH AT THIS CONVENTION I’M GONNA SCREAM!
INDEPENDANT LEANING OBAMA AS OF NOW
Posted by: Chad | September 2, 2008, 10:52 pm 10:52 pm
An episode of Law and Order has more substance and excitment then his speech, who praised Reagan as supposed to a republican seating president. This fall from the prodcuers that brought you 8 years of BS, comes a story of a man who sold his sold to the neocons. If you liked the previous 8 years get ready cause you have seen nothing yet!
Posted by: Youn Alexander | September 2, 2008, 10:53 pm 10:53 pm
By the way i am a Romney supporter for Obama. Romney had a following and he is strong on the economy but McCain made his VP choice out of fear from his own freak!ng base. John McCain Maverick??? or Appeaser???
Posted by: Youn Alexander | September 2, 2008, 10:53 pm 10:53 pm
McCain isn’t a mindless crusader. That’s my impression.
Posted by: Julian | September 2, 2008, 10:55 pm 10:55 pm
Lieberman just said “what we need is more national unity.” Couldn’t agree more…too bad McCain didn’t think of that.
Posted by: Amy T | September 2, 2008, 10:55 pm 10:55 pm
Does anyone else notice how old, goofy and out of date everyone looks at this convention ? My family cannot stop laughing at them hahaha. I see hardly any young people there! What a joke.
Posted by: Matt | September 2, 2008, 10:56 pm 10:56 pm
I think Mr. Thompson forgot the part where McCain was brainwashed to the extent where he sold secrets to the enemy Vietcongs.
This simple act of betrayal by McCain may have led to the death of about 5000 Americans.
The whole story needs to be told, not just one side.
Posted by: Steve_NJ | September 2, 2008, 10:57 pm 10:57 pm
Is it me or does Joe Lieberman sound boring–he looks like pacman.
Posted by: DK | September 2, 2008, 10:57 pm 10:57 pm
A noun, a verb, POW.
Posted by: Jeremy | September 2, 2008, 10:57 pm 10:57 pm
A packed house for the republicans, overflowing with energy…ZZZZZZZZZZZ
Posted by: Wake Us Up | September 2, 2008, 11:01 pm 11:01 pm
Peach,
Like it or not, McCain is single handedly responsibe for the death of about 5000 Americans in Vietnam.
Bush and McCain are responsible for the death of more than 4000 Americans in Iraq.
THE TRUTH MUST BE TOLD.
Why are you neocons so afraid of the truth?
Posted by: Steve_NJ | September 2, 2008, 11:03 pm 11:03 pm
When describing McCain’s character, Fred forgot to mention how McCain cheated on his first wife. If McCain cannot keep his vow to God and his wife, how can we trust him to be POTUS?
Posted by: Sandra | September 2, 2008, 11:03 pm 11:03 pm
It’s definitely time to leave when the unmentionable web site posters show up.
JFK must be rolling in his grave at what his party’s supporters look like these days.
Posted by: Peach | September 2, 2008, 11:04 pm 11:04 pm
Peach,
The TRUTH is the TRUTH and shall remain the TRUTH.
MCCain may be responsible for the death of 10000 Americans and counting.
WE WILL NEVER ALLOW THIS TRAITOR TO BE POTUS.
Posted by: Steve_NJ | September 2, 2008, 11:09 pm 11:09 pm
I think the ABC coverage of the speeches tonight was pathetic and unprofessional.
To break the Thompson speech for comment does an injustice to the speaker and the audience. While the commentators laugh and jest, show excerpts of outside the convention activities a former senator and presidential candidate is profiling the party nominee. The reason we were watching was to hear those speeches. It stands as nothing less than specious news editing. To cut short the Lieberman speech was downright mean and biased.
I have long been a fan of ABC but not tonight
Posted by: smith | September 2, 2008, 11:13 pm 11:13 pm
Great speech by Fred. So powerful the nets didn’t want to show most of it. The truth hurts. Fred really nailed the biased media. No wonder they cut it short.
I use to be worried about Obama beating McCain.
I don’t worry anymore. President McCain will win easily.
Posted by: Jo | September 2, 2008, 11:16 pm 11:16 pm
Anybody notice that the price of oil has dropped like a stone since a dril ANWAR VP candidate was announced?
Posted by: smith | September 2, 2008, 11:19 pm 11:19 pm
So what actor was Fred portraying tonight.
Posted by: o | September 2, 2008, 11:22 pm 11:22 pm
Great story, needs to be retold now and then
Is it media bias to not cover the part of the speech where Thompson talks of media bias?
Posted by: smith | September 2, 2008, 11:22 pm 11:22 pm
Wow, I didn’t think John McCain’s life story could ever be hurt by its presentation.
And then America saw Fred Thompson.
Posted by: Ryan C | September 2, 2008, 11:36 pm 11:36 pm
Its good to see the Republicans clutch to Reagan….showing memorials 4 years after he passed. Way to make inroads with young voters GOP.
And it was good to see the black delegate. He seemed very happy and had a great convention hat.
Posted by: Ryan C | September 2, 2008, 11:40 pm 11:40 pm
I don’t get the snide remarks about Senator Fred Thompson, but the McCain torture story is amazing. By the way, my 18 year old daughter is in basic training in South Carolina and I would much rather McCain be her Commander in Chief than the alternative. Peace….JO
Posted by: Juan Oskar | September 2, 2008, 11:50 pm 11:50 pm
I saw the convention seats filled with
respectable, nicely dressed people.
Looks like McCain doesn’t have a chance.
Posted by: grizzly bare | September 2, 2008, 11:52 pm 11:52 pm
Its amusing to read the complaints about the media from the right wing. FOX didnt even carry the actual speeches of most of the Dems. No chance of anyone hearing that Kucinich and Wexler think that Bush/Cheney et al are committing crimes, and treason too. So the right wing complains about the ABC coverage now, and McCain punishes CNN for its reporter, a Republican, asking hard questions of the apologist for Palin. Let Palin go on NBC and explain why she supported the secessionist party, and became an officer of the party, the PARTY SECRETARY FOR THE ALASKA INDEPENDENCE PARTY. The entire purpose of the party is to secede from the union. Her part in helping that effort is not the stuff of patriots. She says she did it as a way to get ahead. At the expense of the union, perhaps. What if Alaska leaves the union?
A nation state on its own? That’s one of the two options, the other being a commonwealth like Puerto Rico, paying no federal taxes.
She supported all that with her time and effort.
Let her explain that away, on her own, without a trained seal to brush off the rude reality, that she aided and abetted (traitors?) who cannot rightly give the pledge of allegiance which affirms ONE nation indivisible. How does she give the pledge?
I see the huge flag pin. That doesnt wash away her years of support of separatists.
Posted by: Bruce Becker | September 2, 2008, 11:55 pm 11:55 pm
Being tortured is not a qualification to lead the country in peace and war.
Supporting the torture of SUSPECTs by the CIA disqualifies McCain as a citizen, and as a candidate.
Posted by: Bruce Becker | September 2, 2008, 11:58 pm 11:58 pm
Let Palin speak in a give and take debate and explain why she supported the secessionist party, and became an officer of the party, the PARTY SECRETARY FOR THE ALASKA INDEPENDENCE PARTY. The entire purpose of the party is to secede from the union. Her part in helping that effort is not the stuff of patriots. She says she did it as a way to get ahead. At the expense of the union, perhaps. What if Alaska leaves the union?
A nation state on its own? That’s one of the two options, the other being a commonwealth like Puerto Rico, paying no federal taxes.
She supported all that with her time and effort.
Posted by: Bruce Becker | September 2, 2008, 11:59 pm 11:59 pm
The best stretch was Thompson promising that any tax increases on corporations or wealthy retail middle men would be cheerfully passed along to what’s left of the middle class and the peasantry. It was a bold and proud admission that the wealthy adherents of the Republican philosophy have utterly no intention of participating in maintaining this enterprise we call the last best hope of mankind. Drivers of Welfare Cadillacs are mere pikers to these well heeled folks for a sense of entitlement !
cordially,
Dwight
Posted by: Dwight Whayle | September 3, 2008, 12:33 am 12:33 am
An increase in the capital gains tax effects small businesses, not just corporations. Also, even when you place a tax on a corporation, half of the burden falls upon the consumer. In other words you. It’s basic economics 101.
Posted by: Female | September 3, 2008, 1:02 am 1:02 am
Yes, we can! We can finally have a POTUS we respect, who loves this country and risked his life to defend it.
Yes, we can! We can have a POTUS who respects women and does not have a vile,
detestable force of paid bloggers at his beck and call to attack women candidates with misogynist talking points.
Yes, we can! We can have a genuine hero as our POTUS, instead of one manufactured by a slick, Chicago neo-Dem with a marketing campaign.
Yes, we can! We can win over the socialists, who want to destroy our country from within.
Yes, we can! We can finally sleep at night knowing our country is in good hands!
Posted by: BJinChicago | September 3, 2008, 1:55 am 1:55 am
Sandra, you wrote: “If McCain cannot keep his vow to God and his wife, how can we trust him to be POTUS?”
Were you upset that Bill Clinton cheated on his wife? Not just in 1995-96, but going all the way back to 1978 when he was the Arkansas Attorney General. He was still cheating on Hillary when he was elected president in 1992.
In John McCain’s case, that was 28 years ago. And he and his ex-wife are friends today. She has apparently forgiven him.
Posted by: James Danley | September 3, 2008, 2:22 am 2:22 am
Also, even when you place a tax on a corporation, half of the burden falls upon the consumer. ”
So what is your solution?
Pretend deficits don’t exist?
Severely cut public programs the public counts on?
Taxes have to be raised and spending needs to be cut.
McCain is against raising any taxes. He is ideologically hamstrung (see Bush 1).
Posted by: Ryan C | September 3, 2008, 2:33 am 2:33 am
Ryan C, raising taxes hurts the economy. When you tax corporations, prices go up and jobs are lost. When you tax the people they curb their spending. But when you lower taxes, the people tend to spend the extra money which creates new jobs (individuals who are now paying taxes), so revenue is generated.
Posted by: James Danley | September 3, 2008, 2:40 am 2:40 am
“raising taxes hurts the economy. When you tax corporations, prices go up and jobs are lost. When you tax the people they curb their spending. But when you lower taxes, the people tend to spend the extra money which creates new jobs (individuals who are now paying taxes), so revenue is generated. ”
James this is refuted by the great economic times under Clinton after he raised taxes and the lackluster Bush economy after he slashed taxes.
Obama will raise ind. income tax on those making $250K+ to the levels Clinton had them at.
He also seeks to give tax credits to small business to offset healthinsurance costs.
Obama seeks to return to more fiscally responsible times.
McCain wants to pretend he can keep taxes low and simply cut spending to get the deficit down.
Posted by: Ryan C | September 3, 2008, 3:04 am 3:04 am
James Danley: “when you lower taxes, the people tend to spend the extra money which creates new jobs (individuals who are now paying taxes), so revenue is generated.”
Sooooo. Then why hasn’t that happened after the Tax Cuts for the Rich?
Posted by: Willem van Oranje | September 3, 2008, 3:57 am 3:57 am
Female: “Also, even when you place a tax on a corporation, half of the burden falls upon the consumer. In other words you. It’s basic economics 101.”
Not in my economics class. Prices are defined by supply and demand (in most cases). In other words, they’re defined by how much the consumer is willing to pay for it, not by how much the producer will have to pay in tax over the profits AFTER the sale.
Posted by: Willem van Oranje | September 3, 2008, 4:04 am 4:04 am
Goodnight to one and all
Posted by: Dave in lv | September 3, 2008, 4:16 am 4:16 am
To be honest, I don’t get McCain’s position on taxes. He was against President Bush’s tax cut when it was possible to excuse it as the deficit was low, and the economy thriving (hence more tax coming in) and then he is for it when it is less excusable, as there is a high deficit and the economy is shaky (hence less tax is coming in). I don’t see how anyone can claim to be fiscally responsible and say they are going to cut taxes with such a huge deficit.
Posted by: markymark | September 3, 2008, 6:14 am 6:14 am
Willem van Oranje wrote: “Then why hasn’t that happened after the Tax Cuts for the Rich?”
First of all the so called “tax cut for the rich” was a tax cut for EVERY working individual. Now then, we actually had a six-month stretch in 2006 where the federal treasury took in more than was spent. Unfortuately the skyrocketing energy prices, the slumping housing market followed by the subprime mortgage crisis halted our 52 consecutive months of job growth (a national record)–adding some 5 million jobs–which ended January 2008.
Now as for Ryan C’s remark: “James this is refuted by the great economic times under Clinton after he raised taxes…” If you recall, even after the Clinton tax hikes there were still several years of budget deficits. It wasn’t until 1998 that the first “surplus” appeared–3 years AFTER the Republicans took control of Congress. It was the controlling of government spending that sparked the economic growth during Clinton’s second term.
Finally, I contend that our economic down turn has nothing to do with the Bush domestic policies. Instead it has been the Bush domestic policies that has gotten us through the major hits that our economy has seen during his two terms. The 2001 Bush tax cuts turned around the 2000-01 recession. The combination of the 2001 and 2003 Bush tax cuts greatly diminished the effect that 9/11 and the corporate scandals had on our economy. Then we actually had 52 consecutive months of job growth ending December 2007. It was the effects of the triple whammy of the slumping housing market, the subprime mortgage crisis and skyrocketing energy prices that caused the downturn in the economy. YET in spite of these latest hits to the economy, GDP actually grew the first two quarters of 2008: 0.9% growth in the 1st quarter and 3.3% growth in the 2nd quarter.
Posted by: James Danley | September 3, 2008, 10:03 am 10:03 am
Thanks Jake for an unslanted blog about McCain for a change.
Posted by: Maria | September 3, 2008, 11:01 am 11:01 am
America would be blessed to have John and Cindy McCain as President and First Lady.
Obama’s biggest problems are his supporters, associates, and wife. In that order.
What has happened to the Democratic Party? Sad, sad, sad.
Posted by: marylou | September 3, 2008, 1:04 pm 1:04 pm
So I wouldn’t feel so ‘blessed’ by having McSame running the country, sorry.
And I LOVED the Black guy! They shot him from every angle, over and over!!!! Loved it! There was AN Indian guy, too, maybe a Hispanic lady. What a melting pot! The Republicans crack me up.
Posted by: kcareymac | September 3, 2008, 2:36 pm 2:36 pm
What about the character of a man who viciously cheats on and then dumps his first wife after she got disabled in a car accident to chase after a blonde beer heiress 20 years younger than him? Because that is exactly what John McCain did. This man has no honor.
Posted by: Salvatore | September 3, 2008, 8:08 pm 8:08 pm