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John McCain - First Impressions
By Bill | August 1, 2007 | Email This Post
John McCain
Current Job: Senator from Arizona
Presidential history: He ran in 2004. Maybe 2000, as well.
Book (if you’re running for President, they make you write a book): Several over the years. Not sure what the most recent is.
Interesting facts I remember:
- He was a prisoner of war for some ungodly amount of time during Vietnam.
- He got in hot water for buying a carpet in Iraq
- He also got in hot water for suggesting that would put an IED under John Stewart’s desk; he later earned points with me by telling everyone upset over the joke to lighten up.
Issues I think he cares about:
- Campaign finance reform. He cosponsored some legislation about soft money.
- Torture. He’s anti-torture; I take his word for it.
Things I like about John:
Geez. If anyone in the race has earned the right to be President, it’s John McCain. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. I like the fact he has a reputation as a maverick, someone not afraid to piss everyone off. This shows in some of the interviews I’ve seen; it’s pretty clear that although, like they all do, he comes in with a list of points, once the talking starts he’s going to eventually crack and say whatever the hell he wants. That’s a good thing.
Things I don’t like about John:
My impression that his maverick reputation was earned earlier in his career, and that lately he’s been much more party line. I also get the sense that he’s being “handled” the way all the candidates are. Why someone with his credentials puts up with that, I have no idea (actually, I do… he thinks it will help him win.)
(The First Impressions post for each candidate is where they’re starting out with me. What I know, or at least think I know about them, basically any starting impressions I’ve formed that they have to live up to or overcome. Sometimes it’s pretty sparse. Sometimes it may be outright incorrect. No fact checking has taken place on First Impressions posts.)
Topics: First Impressions, John McCain, Republicans |