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John McCains life- according to one historian

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John McCain was a far more interesting, colorful and controversial man than most Americans and no journalists know. If you saw the Sunday political shows you would think a saint had passed on. John McCain was a man driven by two ghosts: His father and grandfather. Both were four-star Admirals in the US Navy so John’s appointment to the US Naval Academy was his destiny, but John McCain graduated 894th in his class of 899 students. He was known for being wild, chasing young women. He was in a student group calling themselves “The Bad Bunch.”

John married Carol Shepp, a swimsuit model who had been married to one of his classmates with whom she had two children. She and McCain were parents of a daughter in that marriage. At heart a playboy, John was soon bored with domestic life and as advancement was more likely in the military services in combat he requested active duty in Vietnam. While there Carol faithfully stayed at home looking after the children.

His plane was shot down in 1967 when he ignored mission instructions to stay above 15,000 feet he went “down on the deck” and was shot down, survived and became a Prisoner Of War, POW.

On Christmas Eve 1969, Carol hnd slid head-on into a telephone pole taking gifts to friends. She was thrown from the car through the front window. Her legs, spine, and right arm were crushed and she was in the hospital for six months. Ross Perot was an advocate of POW’s and paid her extensive medical bills. She requested John not be told feeling he had enough to deal with.

McCain was released in 1973 and returned home to much fanfare. Carol’s several surgeries cost her five inches in height, and she gained weight. McCain told reporters he was overjoyed to see Carol again. But friends said he was appalled by the change in her appearance.

As a war hero, McCain moved in elevated circles. Reverting to his old ways he started “running around with women.” according to Robert Timberg, a retired Marine, journalist, and author of four books, including “John McCain: An American Odessy.”

McCain admitted he started having many girlfriends and affairs during this time. On one trip to Hawaii, at a cocktail party. he met Anheuser Busch distributor heiress, Cindy Hensley. She was 17 years younger than McCain and worth $100 million dollars. He invited her to have drinks with him at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. He said by the end of the evening he was in love.

They had an affair for nine months, while he was still married to and living with his wife Carol. McCain wanted to marry Cindy but needed to get a divorce. He and Carol separated in January 1980. He requested a divorce in February; the divorce was sped along and granted in April. John and Cindy married five weeks after the divorce was final on May 17, 1980. Carol and their children were devastated. McCain callously left his first wife and children behind. He and Cindy moved to Arizona. Cindy’s father was well-connected and helped McCain move smoothly into Congress representing Arizona in Washington DC. John McCain has been in Congress since 1983.

McCain’s new wife and her family were extravagantly wealthy. Her father was one of the largest distributors of Anheuser Busch in the country and she an only child. The divorce settlement afforded Carol McCain full custody of their three children, alimony, child support, including college tuition, houses in Virginia and Florida, and lifelong financial support for her continuing medical treatment from the car accident.

Carol said the reason for the divorce was John turned 40 and he wanted to be 25 again. Carol was extremely hurt. She went to work as the press assistant for soon-to-be First Lady Nancy Reagan. She was respected in Washington and kept a dignified silence about the way John McCain had treated her.

Some of the McCain friends were less forgiving, however. They portray the politician as a self-centered womanizer who effectively abandoned his crippled wife to “play the field.” They accuse him of finally settling on Cindy, a former rodeo beauty queen with a barn full of money.

Ever the opportunist, John McCain ran as a Republican, but spoke, voted and collaborated as a Democrat. No wonder all the national television shows treated John McCain as a modern saint. He was not, but we can understand the “ants in his pants.” He lived haunted by his father and grandfather. Two bona fide war heroes.

Ross Perot paid her medical bills years ago, says both Carol McCain and the American people have been taken in by a man who is unusually slick and cruel, even by the standards of modern politics. Perot said, “McCain is the classic opportunist. He’s always reaching for attention and glory.”

Cindy has also had to learn the lessons about her husband the hard way. Even though she and McCain put on a perfect front for the public, especially when he is running for office, she is an invisible wife.

Tom Gosinski, who served as the Director of Cindy McCain’s nonprofit American Voluntary Medical Team, AVMT wrote in his journal of the McCain marriage: “During my short tenure at AVMT I have been surrounded by what on the surface appears to be the ultimate all-American family. In reality, I am working for a very sad, lonely woman. Her marriage of convenience to a U.S. Senator has driven her to distance herself from friends, cover feelings of despair with drugs, and replace lonely moments with self-indulgence. She became addicted to Percocet and had a doctor prescribing them for her illegally. When her parents learned she was taking them, they helped her stop.

Washington rumors were saying McCain had an inappropriate relationship with the young and lovely lobbyist, Vicki Iseman. Ms. Iseman began visiting McCain’s offices and campaign events so frequently in 2000 that his aides were “convinced the relationship had become romantic.” One staff member supposedly asked, “Why is she always around?”

His staff members began a campaign to “save McCain from himself” by restricting Iseman’s access to McCain during the year 2000 Presidential Primary. According to the Washington Post, McCain’s political advisor John Weaver met with Iseman at Washington’s Union Station to tell Iseman not to see McCain anymore.

It is not a real marriage between John and Cindy McCain. Real marriages involve living together. McCain and Cindy have not “lived” together for 20 years. To defend this, McCain brags the family takes two vacations together every year and Ms. McCain is the one who has always made that happen.”

Two vacations per year! Little of this man was real. He had no compassion or empathy for anyone except himself. The only real thing emotion he was capable of was anger. He is famous for his anger.

His father and grandfather were both decorated Navy Admirals. He was given special privileges and extreme preferential treatment while he served in the Navy. He was a pilot but according to his colleagues, he was a very bad pilot. He actually crashed three planes. There was a horrendous incident that happened on his aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. Forrestal, that killed 134 men. There has been a rolling debate since the incident and some are convinced John McCain was responsible.

Witnesses reported McCain attempted a “wet start.” When a pilot wants to be a show-off, with a “wet start” his engine start creates a large startling flame and lots of surprise noise from the rear of a jet engine on startup. McCain did the “Wet Start.” The flames torched the launch of a Zuni rocket on the plane behind him. Zuni rockets were notorious for problems. It shot across the carrier’s deck hitting other parked planes that were packing 1,000 high-explosive pound bombs which exploded. Destruction and fire went several decks below and nearly sunk this major 82,000 ton U.S. aircraft carrier.

This stunt caused the death of 134 sailors and blew off arms, legs, and caused blindness and burns to another 161 sailors. McCain jumped from his plane, rolled across the flames, and escaped. He watched the men dying and the burning from a closed circuit television on the ship.

The ship off line for two years in port for $76 million dollars of major repairs, not including the cost of the airplanes or ammunition. Any other Navy pilots causing this type of death and destruction would have been arrested and still be in prison, but not John McCain III. McCain was not even reprimanded. When there is a cover-up, the soldier is usually simply assigned to another ship. McCain was quietly assigned to another ship. There is an ongoing debate about the incident to this day.

John McCain’s lack of character was further demonstrated when he voted not to repeal Obamacare. He ran his 2016 Senatorial race under the banner he would lead the fight to repeal Obamacare! But, he hates Donald Trump so very much he gleefully held his thumb down for his vote rather than give a thumb up. He laughed afterward saying, “Let’s see Donald Trump save America now!”

John McCain thereby stabbed his constituents and the citizens of America in the back. John McCain, Liberal Socialist Hero!

(Adrian Vance is a writer and producer of educational films, filmstrips and audio programs with over 325 productions from script to screen
 
I read something that the USS Forrestal wasnt actually his fault. Someone on here explained why not just recently.

I had read the rest years ago. Never read anything to dispute it.

I never considered him an ally. Though I did vote for him and Mrs Nice Calves over Comrade Obama.
 
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I have heard that one explanation was the rocket shorted and fired . The other on said that a start cart's exhaust overheated the rocket causing it to launch . I believe that the start cart story is the official .
 
If this story is true, then how does this make him significantly different than any of the bozos in DC?

History is replete with people doing exactly the same and being venerated / celebrated Americans.

...at least he joined the military, and at least he served. More than I can say for the majority of knuckleheads that we see protesting from the left...

I think McCain was generally a right leaning centrist... something we seem to have lost. Right now we have two extremes, which is hurting us.
 
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Being a prior Aviator the cart story is more likely but the simple fact that USN personnel let the story grow and added too it tell you how much he was disliked. He was always chasing the shadow of his father and grandfather.
 
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Why do I think that this historian probably has the most accurate account of Mr. McCain's life.

But then again, with very few exceptions, I dislike most academy graduates I have met. Generally speaking, their egos are way in excess of their abilities (save politics). I do (however) find it humorous to hear of McCain's Graduation ranking. When folks comment to me about somebody being an Academy Grad, I usually comment something to the effect, "Yeah, well, even at the Academy, someone has to graduate last in their class.". Apparently McCain was pretty close there...
 
Got that in chain mail.....should be deleted without reading.

There are enough disturbing facts McCain admits to that there is no need for fiction.

Sunk an aircraft in training his fault, another due to engine failure and he caused an international incident taking down an electrical grid in Spain while hot dogging.

His involvement in the S&L scandalhas been whitewashed. Three dems lost their jobs, Dem Space/War hero John Glenn was saved and Republican POW McCain was saved because of their past. Interesting even than McCain was cavorting with dems.

Yes he was a dog to his wife but that litmus test is pretty much null and void these days. Not in my personal life but until there is a reset of the bar people in power banging like a screen door in the wind is the norm.

I think the Navy covering up his involvement as stated above in the Forrestal incident is a stretch. Too much death and mayhem. Too many heroes that saved that ship. Someone would have broke that story.

Lets just look at McCain regards his role in the coup giving "legitimacy" to a BS dossier allowing the Obam regime the ability to FISA the Trump campaign and everything we need to know about McCain is right there.
 
Why do I think that this historian probably has the most accurate account of Mr. McCain's life.

But then again, with very few exceptions, I dislike most academy graduates I have met. Generally speaking, their egos are way in excess of their abilities (save politics). I do (however) find it humorous to hear of McCain's Graduation ranking. When folks comment to me about somebody being an Academy Grad, I usually comment something to the effect, "Yeah, well, even at the Academy, someone has to graduate last in their class.". Apparently McCain was pretty close there...
And like the bottom of the Doctor class they still call you Doc..... LIke in this case they still call you Ensign. What makes me chuckle is there is NO WAY the bottom of the class gets a pilot slot let alone a fighter. Even though it was the crappy fighter of that time. Which i guess was the navys way of saying you will get handed everything but the best fighter we have.
 
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Why do I think that this historian probably has the most accurate account of Mr. McCain's life.

But then again, with very few exceptions, I dislike most academy graduates I have met. Generally speaking, their egos are way in excess of their abilities (save politics). I do (however) find it humorous to hear of McCain's Graduation ranking. When folks comment to me about somebody being an Academy Grad, I usually comment something to the effect, "Yeah, well, even at the Academy, someone has to graduate last in their class.". Apparently McCain was pretty close there...

I worked with a 2LT straight from the academy. One of the smartest guys I've met. Developed into a great leader/commander. Worked with captain academy grad who couldn't find his ass with two handfuls of radar.
 
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Why do I think that this historian probably has the most accurate account of Mr. McCain's life.

But then again, with very few exceptions, I dislike most academy graduates I have met. Generally speaking, their egos are way in excess of their abilities (save politics). I do (however) find it humorous to hear of McCain's Graduation ranking. When folks comment to me about somebody being an Academy Grad, I usually comment something to the effect, "Yeah, well, even at the Academy, someone has to graduate last in their class.". Apparently McCain was pretty close there...
I only know one Navy grad. He’s a great dude, commissioned into the Army, led paratroopers in combat in the Korengal and stood by his wife tirelessly after she received life altering service related injuries.

Grant also was badly ranked at the academy.
 
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I only know one Navy grad. He’s a great dude, commissioned into the Army, led paratroopers in combat in the Korengal and stood by his wife tirelessly after she received life altering service related injuries.

Grant also was badly ranked at the academy.

Like most things in life, there are exceptions to the rule, and many grads are good peeps. My experience however has been largely limited to a bunch of hacks that boast of being academy grads (at taxpayer expense no less) and were less than brilliant...more like 40 watt lightbulbs when it came to figuring things out, or showing some leadership that was in the best interest of the team. Most of the ones I have met (and there are exceptions) have been all about themselves.
 
Yes, he was a bag of shit and a dipshit. That's not new information. Having two Dumborats to choose from made for a shitty presidential election. It's maybe better that he lost, actually, as he may have started WWIII with his temperament.
 
I did a Tiger cruise on the Forrestal about 30 yrs ago and the accident was one of the first things shown/discussed in our orientation. As I remember it, the rocket fired from across the deck and he was just in wrong place at wrong time. History just reran a documentary and covered the first wife but no mention of her being in an accident, weight, etc. Just that it was hard on the relationship given their long separation and his wandering eyes on return. Cindy was from money and apparently he ran around on her too. A lot about being one of the Keating 5 and the problems that caused. And Cindy supposedly had a prescription drug addiction for a while. Like every chain email, there are elements of truth but a whole lot of other crap thrown in.
 
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I only know one Navy grad. He’s a great dude, commissioned into the Army, led paratroopers in combat in the Korengal and stood by his wife tirelessly after she received life altering service related injuries.

Grant also was badly ranked at the academy.


However, flight training is NOT offered to those at the bottom.. I would never be saying class rank makes the person. I would say in a lot of cases the opposite is true. However the bottom of the class rarely gets plumb assignments, they end up at the plumb assignment by working their butts off proving people wrong over and over.
How pilot training works is that there are limited slots and guys show up busting their butts to get it. The fact a pilot slot fell to the 894th is very interesting given the time and jet age we were in.
 
Well as the son of Admiralsat a time of carrier dominance is it proper for an anointed one to be an aviator in order to lead a carrier based navy?
 
Well as the son of Admiralsat a time of carrier dominance is it proper for an anointed one to be an aviator in order to lead a carrier based navy?
yes. Although one should have to acutally work to become good at it.

Little known fact, which you clearly know, that only people that can command a Carrier Group are Avaitors.
 
yes. Although one should have to acutally work to become good at it.

Little known fact, which you clearly know, that only people that can command a Carrier Group are Avaitors.

Shame like in the case of Liz Warren maybe someone deserving could have gone far with that slot he didnt earn.
 
Shame like in the case of Liz Warren maybe someone deserving could have gone far with that slot he didnt earn.
I guess Daddys rank has its privileges. I just know having lived the life how hard guys work to get pilot slots and to have one socked away for a guy that can do whatever and still get it..... I mean people lose that slot for just about anything the competition is so stiff. Its almost held over your head. Maybe not today but it was when i was going through the process in 01-03 timeframe
 
I did a Tiger cruise on the Forrestal about 30 yrs ago and the accident was one of the first things shown/discussed in our orientation. As I remember it, the rocket fired from across the deck and he was just in wrong place at wrong time. History just reran a documentary and covered the first wife but no mention of her being in an accident, weight, etc. Just that it was hard on the relationship given their long separation and his wandering eyes on return. Cindy was from money and apparently he ran around on her too. A lot about being one of the Keating 5 and the problems that caused. And Cindy supposedly had a prescription drug addiction for a while. Like every chain email, there are elements of truth but a whole lot of other crap thrown in.
When your accomishments in life out you as a piece of shit throwing some corn and ass wipe on top shouldn't matter . Still a piece of shit .
 
The only thing I see that is "BS" is the Forrestal, which the Navy did something you rarely see which is blame everything. Usually they blame someone and the first one at blame is pilot error... IE the pilot of the MA (mishap aircraft), given its a class A someone gets blamed.

It was never mentioned about his POW time being the reason. In fact if you read about the marriage John said the POW time had NOTHING to do with his leaving Carol. He made that clear. He came back and she was in a wheelchair and 4 inches shorter and much heavier. The fact the documentary left out such a huge deal.... There was a huge deal to ensure her accident never got out and Ross Perot paid for it so it would never make the media, which they were scared to be used again him in Hanoi. So that missing set of event leads me to believe the documentary was a puff piece rather than a true facts based this is what happened.
 
The only thing I see that is "BS" is the Forrestal, which the Navy did something you rarely see which is blame everything. Usually they blame someone and the first one at blame is pilot error... IE the pilot of the MA (mishap aircraft), given its a class A someone gets blamed.

If the pilot dies, it was pilot error. If he lived it was a mechanical failure. Cost too much to train a new guy.
 
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LMy experience however has been largely limited to a bunch of hacks that boast of being academy grads (at taxpayer expense no less) and were less than brilliant...more like 40 watt lightbulbs when it came to figuring things out, or showing some leadership that was in the best interest of the team. Most of the ones I have met (and there are exceptions) have been all about themselves.

We called them ring knockers.
 
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If the pilot dies, it was pilot error. If he lived it was a mechanical failure. Cost too much to train a new guy.
Not true. Every Mishap I've ever had to sit through the safety briefs, and read the accident reports, they blame the pilot. One of our pilots was called teflon because nothing every stuck to him after his mishaps.... it truly wasnt his fault. I mean flaps not tracking are not the pilots fault but they still blamed him and the maintainters that didnt safety wire the nut
 
Yep. Because they'll sit at a conference room table and tap their rings on the table to bring attention to them...
I would say that happens nowadays more with the other schools... Citadel, VMI, Norwich etc. Granted in the pilot community most guys are academy. As most of the slots go to them. Usually less than the top 50% at the academy have a shot at UPT ( undergraduate pilot training) the navy is the same way.
 
Don't get me started on the academy grad's comments about VMI and Citadel (Quote: "It's not like it's a real military academy. They don't have to serve when they graduate.") Smdh...
 
Always had it harder than you ... thats what I laugh about. I get that isif you went to the academy its very hard but I would say its a small price to pay for no school bills. given the 10 year commitment for pilot training its worth it for most USAF guys
 
Worse. They're telling that to me, a guy who was an enlisted Marine and spent his first four years as a field radio operator. Like, are you kidding me? You're talking about how tough your school was compared to another school?
 
Worse. They're telling that to me, a guy who was an enlisted Marine and spent his first four years as a field radio operator. Like, are you kidding me? You're talking about how tough your school was compared to another school?
I know... its like so when you were at Norwich.... junior year.... how did that compare to the USNA... junior year? Oh you didnt go to both?
 
Squat makes an excellent point...there is no way a person that low in an Academy graduating class would get an aviation slot. Politics is alive and well in the military...I lived it. I used to believe that the military was a meritocracy, but there is a definite Academy protective society at work. If your father was a senior officer, and especially if he was an Academy grad, you would get much better assignments and treatment by promotion boards. So says the son of an E-7 and one who retired at Major.
 
I agree with the finding of fault but I disagree with the finding of fault being a career ender in every case.

In the long run discipline will result in success but how do you allow for "pushing the envelope" and making new discoveries if you take all the "piss and vinegar" out of people that do dangerous things.

I hope there is a determination that the loss was due to "reasonably sound" risk taking rather than "immaturity".

I think about the Air Force guard pilot that did an unauthorized barrel roll over Fenway Park 6-8 years ago. Last I heard he lost his status and perhaps based on risk vs reward that was warranted.

I will admit though that it is my belief the Navy crew that drew the "Sky Penis" should have been awarded rather than reprimanded so I guess my principles are weak.
 
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Yep. Because they'll sit at a conference room table and tap their rings on the table to bring attention to them...

I watched a colonel berate a 1LT, until he noticed he was wearing an academy ring. Conversation immediately turned to which class, remember this/that and other non-essential BS.
 
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Not true. Every Mishap I've ever had to sit through the safety briefs, and read the accident reports, they blame the pilot. One of our pilots was called teflon because nothing every stuck to him after his mishaps.... it truly wasnt his fault. I mean flaps not tracking are not the pilots fault but they still blamed him and the maintainters that didnt safety wire the nut

It's a very old joke.

Watched an Eagle burn to the ground after the starboard engine blades came apart and fragged the fuel cell. The pilot had just started to roll on TO. He popped the canopy, climbed out and ran. The inquiry board criticized him for not punching. He said screw that, an ejection seat ride is a lifetime of back problems.
 
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I know one Navy guy, I'm guessing he was an academy graduate because he was an aviator (Thunderbolts through to Phantoms I think) and was one of the higher ups in the Pacific fleet before he retired and then did aerospace consulting I think.

He's a good family man, survived the Korean war without getting captured as far as I know and never threw around his rank, very humble although he had every right to puff his chest out if he wanted to.

There is a big contrast there so getting to the top isn't just for assholes. If McCain had the same military career and not been an asshole, no one would be digging up dirt.

I would like to believe McCain was just a bad apple but it seems like the politics leads to a lot like him.

I think it's entirely appropriate to bury McCain in the dirt being dug up because he deserves it.
 
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I know in DC there is a group of people who will wait on the Supreme Court steps in your place so you don't have to freeze before you get in.

Maybe you could hire someone from that group to do the liquid shit?
 
Whats a Sandhurst? All Officers should be elected by their men, then they should supply men their own weapons paid for by them. OCS and ROTC produce some good officers, so does VMI and other Schools, Valley Forge etc. The AF and Navy should be rolled into the Army so we could save money.
 
Sandhearst, isn't that the meat wagon they used to carry the dead sand bodies to the pit with ? ???
Right on, old chap, he said.... cleaning up the bloody mess carrying all that wanker garbage off. ?
 
It's a very old joke.

Watched an Eagle burn to the ground after the starboard engine blades came apart and fragged the fuel cell. The pilot had just started to roll on TO. He popped the canopy, climbed out and ran. The inquiry board criticized him for not punching. He said screw that, an ejection seat ride is a lifetime of back problems.
LOL WELL PLAYED SIR!!!

Which just goes to show you there is something that stinks on the forrestal... but hey there are enough things he did post that we can point too