John McCain: Unfit for Command

[delta1124]

Good read on ol' John McCain. I don't think America can afford this bonehead.

Copied from U.S. Veteran Dispatch.
John McCain:
Unfit to serve as Commander-In-Chief
The spoiled son of military privilege got a free ride throughout his military career despite repeated instances of sex scandals and screw-ups
By Ted Sampley
U.S. Veteran Dispatch


John Sidney McCain III entered the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland in 1954. Young McCain wanted to become an admiral. He planned to be the "first son and grandson of four star admirals" to achieve such a distinction. But that was not to be. McCain III possessed none of the innate character and discipline traits that helped mold his father and grandfather into great military leaders.

His father, John S. "Junior" McCain, and grandfather, John S. McCain, Sr., were famous four-star Admirals in the U.S. Navy. His father commanded U.S. forces in Europe before becoming commander of American forces fighting in Vietnam. His grandfather commanded naval aviation at the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. Both men became highly influential in U.S. Navy operations.

At the Academy, aside being known as a "rowdy, raunchy, underachiever" who resented authority, Midshipman McCain became infamous as a leader among his fellow midshipmen for organizing "off-Yard activities" and hard drinking parties. Robert Timberg wrote in his book, The Nightingale's Song, that "being on liberty with John McCain was like being in a train wreck."

McCain's grades were "marginal." He drew so many demerits for breaking curfew and other discipline issues that he graduated fifth from the bottom of the class of 1958. Despite his low "class standing," and no doubt because of the influence of his family of famous Admirals, McCain was leap-frogged ahead of more qualified applicants and granted a coveted slot to be trained as a navy pilot.

Good Party Animal - Bad Pilot:

He spent the next two and a half years as a "naval aviator in training" at Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida and Naval Air Station Corpus Christi in Texas, flying A-1 Skyraiders.

While a pilot trainee, McCain continued to party hard. He drove a Corvette and dated an exotic dancer named "Marie the Flame of Florida." Timberg wrote that McCain "learned to fly at Pensacola, though his performance was below par, at best good enough to get by. He liked flying, but didn't love it."

McCain Lost Five Military Aircraft

McCain, the "below par" pilot, eventually lost 5 military aircraft, the first during a training flight in 1958 when he plunged into Corpus Christi Bay while trying to land. The Navy ignored the crash and graduated McCain in 1960.

While deployed in the Mediterranean, the hard partying McCain lost a second aircraft. Timberg described the crash: "Flying too low over the Iberian Peninsula, he took out some power lines which led to a spate of newspaper stories in which he was predictably identified as the son of an admiral."

Unscathed, McCain returned to Pensacola Station where he was promoted to flight instructor for Naval Air Station Meridian in Mississippi. The airfield at Meridian, McCain Field, was named in honor of McCain's grandfather.

In 1964 McCain became involved with Carol Shepp, a model from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he had met at Annapolis. They were married in Philadelphia on July 3, 1965.

Flight instructor McCain lost a third aircraft while flying a Navy trainer solo to Philadelphia for an Army-Navy football game. Timberg wrote that McCain radioed, "I've got a flameout" before ejecting at one thousand feet. McCain parachuted onto a beach moments before his plane slammed into a clump of trees.

The Navy dismissed the crash as "unavoidable" and assigned McCain to the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal in December 1966, which was patrolling the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. In Spring 1967, the Forrestal was assigned to join the Operation Rolling Thunder bombing campaign against North Vietnam.

McCain lost his fourth plane on board the Forrestal on July 29, 1967 when a rocket inadvertently slammed into his bomb laden jet. McCain escaped, but the explosions that followed killed 134 sailors. McCain was transferred from the badly damaged Forrestal to the USS Oriskany. Shortly afterwards, on Oct. 26, 1967, he was shot down and captured by the Vietnamese.

Post-POW Years: Political Ambition and a New, Young, Rich Wife

Upon his release from North Vietnam and return to the United States in 1973, McCain reunited with his wife, Carol, who had been permanently crippled in a car accident while he was a POW.

Still yearning to become an admiral, McCain enrolled in the National War College at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C. and underwent physical therapy in order to fly again. The Navy excused his permanent disabilities and reinstated him to flight status, effectively positioning him for promotion.

Timberg described McCain's advancement: "in the fall of 1974, McCain was transferred to Jacksonville as the executive officer of Replacement Air Group 174, the long-sought flying billet at last a reality. A few months later, he assumed command of the RAG, which trained pilots and crews for carrier deployments. The assignment was controversial, some calling it favoritism, a sop to the famous son of a famous father and grandfather, since he had not first commanded a squadron, the usual career path."

While Executive Officer and later as Squadron Commander McCain used his authority to arrange frequent flights that allowed him to carouse with subordinates and "engage in extra-marital affairs."

This was a violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice rules against adultery and fraternization with subordinates. But, as with all his other past behaviors, McCain was never penalized; instead he always got away with his transgressions.

Timberg wrote, "Off duty, usually on routine cross-country flights to Yuma and El Centro, John started carousing and running around with women. To make matters worse, some of the women with whom he was linked by rumor were subordinates . . . At the time the rumors were so widespread that, true or not, they became part of McCain's persona, impossible not to take note of."

In early 1977, Admiral Jim Holloway, Chief of Naval Operations promoted McCain to captain and transferred him from his command position "to Washington as the number-two man in the Navy's Senate liaison office. McCain was promptly given total control of the office. It wasn't long before the "fun loving and irreverent" McCain had turned the liaison office into a "late-afternoon gathering spot where senators and staffers, usually from the Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees, would drop in for a drink and the chance to unwind."

In 1979, while attending a military reception in Hawaii, McCain met and fell in love with Cindy Lou Hensley, 17 years his junior, who was the daughter of James W. Hensley, a wealthy Anheuser-Busch distributor from Phoenix, Arizona. McCain filed for and obtained an uncontested divorce from his wife in Florida on April 2, 1980 and promptly married Cindy on May 17, 1980.

He resigned from the Navy in 1981 and went to work for his father-in-law in Phoenix; where he used the opportunity to make powerful and wealthy friends in Arizona including banker Charles Keating and Duke Tully, the editor-in-chief of the Arizona Republic. Keating was later convicted of fraud, racketeering, and conspiracy and Tully was disgraced for concocting a phony military record of combat in Korea and Vietnam including medals for heroism.

McCain ran for Arizona's First Congressional District in 1982. McCain won the congressional seat. In 1987 McCain was elected to the Senate.

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[Ringer]

Look up "Prisoners of Hope" by Susan Katz Keating or a number of other exposes on your good friend Sampley to read what a charlatan and huckster he is. You need to google of what you quote then crawl away in shame for spreading your garbage.

[Marty]

The same bullshlt you pink panty waist liberals tried to pull on President Bush but you may be right about Senator Juan McCain being a terrible candidate to be the President of the United States. But one thing is true our liberal is better then your liberal.

This elections is really not about Senator Juan McCain but everything what the general public thinks and believes who Senator Barack Obama is? He has the “Black voteâ€

[delta1124]

typical response from someone who doesn't have the mental capacity to see the larger picture. John McCain is not only unfit, he cozied up to special interests since the time he began in congress. He didn't understand the Iraq war, miscalculated badly what it would take to succeed in Iraq, then tried to regain face by saying it was his idea for a surge, kinda like how Al Gore invented the internet.

Keep trying to make it a black vs. white vote, hahaha. This is about what the republicans have done to America over the last 8 years, how the administration screwed up Katrina relief, draining of Americas coffers, the abismal management of the Iraq war and then the rebuilding effort, funded of course by Americans. What have the republicans done for vets returning to terrible conditions in VA hospitals.

The Republicans were hell bent to take us to war, and absolutely unprepared to say the least. You name it and I will show you just how unprepared they were.

Yeah Marty you talk a big game, puff your chest out like you really know what your talking about, blah blah blah!

[Guy Kelley]

Both of yous going back and fort like a couple of scalded cats, just crack me up

Both make excellent points and both are not willing to concede that you are both right

What scares the hell out of me is thinking that if Obama is elected president (Good Chance He Will Be)

We will have Jessie (Hi) Jackson in the White House as his Spiritual adviser making policy !!

Out with the old N.A.F.T.A & in with the new and improved version !

We will welcome 15 plus million Newly Minted Citizens, Hey every one should be able to vote RIGHT !

Your and mine taxes will be the highest on record. Were do they plan to get all of the money for all the new social programs ?

From middle class working stiffs like you and me !

If you think things are expensive now , just wait for four more years to go by !! Can you say $7.00 a gal gas and taxes at 30%.

If you ask me neither of the candidates are worth a tinkers DAM !

Its too bad that both the Democrats and Republicans could not do a better job of giving the American People these two Bozos to vote for, in the first place. Thats really scary to me ! That one or the other gets elected

[Greg_Cornish]

Marty, I gotta know, if between Bush/Cheney for another 4 or Obama/Byden which way you vote?

[steve0806]

*NM*

[Ringer]

DON'T FEED THE TROLL!

[delta1124]

troll?? not hardly, I've been around a lot longer than you Ringer.
Don't like the message, then don't read or respond. Why don't you add something constructive, or point out where I have my facts wrong? yes I know that would be far too difficult.

[Ringer]

No more food from me. You obviously have an aversion to facts. Enjoy.

[hrvestuff]

Delta has no facts...he is a parrot of the leftist liberals who are scrambling to establish credibilty for their Anti-military, pro gay marriage agendas, full benefits for illegal aliens and a complete disregard for the achievements of those who have served...this guy says he served 8 years.......??? in what ? the airfarce ? as a paper clerk...?. best he returns west about 40 miles and preach to his peers at the foot of Market street... ...........

[getalife]

Where are the facts?

aside being known as a "rowdy, raunchy, underachiever" who resented authority

Being known by who? This is an anonymous opinion. Either way it describes my early days in the USMC very well. I respect a man who knows how to let loose.

McCain's grades were "marginal."

So were mine

He drew so many demerits for breaking curfew and other discipline issues that he graduated fifth from the bottom of the class of 1958.

So he wasnt a kiss a$$... good!

and no doubt because of the influence of his family

Opinion... Come on Delta, wheres the facts.

He drove a Corvette and dated an exotic dancer

Now I'm jealous.

though his performance was below par, at best good enough to get by. He liked flying, but didn't love it."

Who is this Timberg guy? How does he know what Juan liked and disliked?

McCain Lost Five Military Aircraft

I have a friend who lost four... so what. It happens. He remained a pilot until he was assigned to the Pentagon, where he still works.

The Navy ignored the crash and graduated McCain in 1960.

Bull$hit! The military NEVER ignores a crash! They, no doubt, investigated the crash, just like the four other crashes, and determined that they were not operator error.

Timberg described the crash: "Flying too low over the Iberian Peninsula, he took out some power lines which led to a spate of newspaper stories in which he was predictably identified as the son of an admiral."

Sounds like this Timberg guy is a bit disgruntled

Did you notice that the article is written by Ted Sampley, yet all the quotes are from an unidentified guy named "Timberg" This is such an obvious attempt to "swiftboat" McCain. There is not a single shred of fact in the whole article that reflects negatively on McCain.

Good try!

[delta1124]

I have plenty of facts and am willing to share. what do you want to know? That McCain doesn't support American G.I.'s except for a handshake in the hospital he's voted against most every bill that affects them. How about the fact that he wasn't for offshore drilling until a month ago. Or lets talk about his "signature" piece of legislation "McCain/Feingold" what a real doosey that is, and to have that as the culmination of all these years in the Senate.