Cindy McCain's Quiet Strength

Washington Post: Candidate's Wife Is Confidently Reserved, Tougher Than In 2000

(Washingtonpost.com)  This story was written by Libby Copeland.

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Cindy McCain is tougher this time around, though it's hard to imagine her otherwise. She is impeccable -- that ever-present smile, the ever-present pearls, the folded hands and elegant suits, the very proper look she said she got from her "very proper" mother.

"I'm very disappointed in the New York Times," McCain said twice yesterday during a news conference in which her husband responded to an investigation by the paper. (He denied that he did favors for or had a romance with a lobbyist.) Cindy McCain didn't sound angry or defensive or stunned when she spoke. She sounded resigned.

Then her husband took back the podium and she went back to smiling.

You get the sense there is much going on behind that smile, but she is not about to share it with the world, thank you very much. She does the candidate wife thing: She stands there and looks supportive. She straightens her husband's collar. She defends her own.

"She does keep a very private side of herself," says longtime friend Betsey Bayless, who traveled with Cindy McCain during John McCain's presidential run in 2000. For years, Bayless says, McCain was shy, and even now, after appearing on her husband's behalf during his Senate campaigns and experiencing eight years ago the crucible that is the modern presidential campaign, she retains a certain reserve.

Bayless says her friend has become familiar with just how rough the going gets.

"I'm sure she's not surprised" by the latest turn of events, Bayless says. "If not this, it would be something else. . . . You've got to be tough -- either that, or you've got to get out."

At a certain point in the past, getting out may have been tempting. In speeches, Cindy McCain has said she didn't particularly want to do this campaign. The story of the reluctant political spouse is a well-worn narrative, but it's no less believable in her case.

In South Carolina in 2000, John McCain was the object of a smear campaign that brought up Cindy McCain's past abuse of painkillers, and also insinuated that he had fathered an illegitimate child. The subject of the illegitimacy rumor was the McCains' daughter Bridget, who'd been adopted from Bangladesh years before and didn't look like the rest of the family. Bridget was too young to understand what was happening at the time. But more recently, Cindy McCain told the New York Times, Bridget Googled herself and came to her mom crying, wanting to know why she was so hated.

Bayless recalls how hurt her friend was by what happened back then, and recalls Cindy talking about it -- albeit in an unemotional, matter-of-fact way.

Last October, when there were many more candidates in this presidential race, McCain took part in a forum for presidential candidates' wives in California. There were five women there, including Elizabeth Edwards -- who, as a campaign spouse, was arguably the inverse of Cindy McCain. Whereas McCain, 53, is always camera-ready, her hair pulled back and sprayed by a stylist, her face pancaked for the television cameras, Edwards used to show up for retail politicking in sweaters, her hair mussed, offering a frankness that surprised and delighted her audiences.

So there they were onstage, and the forum's moderator, Maria Shriver, asked the women where they drew the line in matters of privacy. Edwards, who had called a news conference earlier in the year to announce her diagnosis of cancer, argued for opening up one's life to better serve as a window on one's spouse. A first lady's life will be an open book, Edwards said, so "you may as well start practicing now."

The question came around to Cindy McCain.

"For me, it's just the opposite now," McCain said.

In 2000, she explained, "I found myself much more open and much more willing to expose or to -- whatever -- to kind of lay it on the line." This time around, McCain said, she was drawing the boundaries closer. She was learning to say no.

"For me, there comes a time you just have to stop because otherwise I can't protect my children or my home life," she said.

The McCains have four children. He was married when they met -- though separated, according to some accounts -- and she was much younger, 24 to his 42. They were at a party in Hawaii. She was a special-ed teacher, a former rodeo queen and the daughter of a wealthy beer distributor. He was "this awfully nice-looking Navy captain in dress whites" who "was kind of chasing me around the table," she recalled in an interview with Harper's Bazaar. He'd been through 5 1/2 years in captivity in Vietnam, though she didn't know it then. She didn't even know how old he was. They both lied about their ages.

After McCain's addiction became public in the mid-'90s, she revealed that her husband hadn't known for years.

"I should have just told him I had a back problem," she told the New York Times last year. "He never knew it. I wanted to be the perfect woman in those days."

From afar, she still looks perfect, and from afar is how we mostly see her, beaming by her husband's side, all jewel-toned clothing and icy blue eyes.

But beneath that quiet exterior, beneath that reserve, it must be . . . well, surely there are perks to being the candidate's wife. But it also must be hell.

"I keep a long list, you know, I have a grudge list," McCain said at the spouses' forum. Then she spoke of her husband. "He's taught me to leave my grudge list behind and give forgiveness."

[taddles-2009]

"Is this the Change? Wake up America.

Posted by tigerjcs at 09:29 PM : Feb 23, 2008"

You are an irrelevant dolt, go peddle your 4th grade trash elsewhere. Come up with something legit and intelligent or get the f**k out.

[taddles-2009]

Amazing the inner quiet strength that prescription pills can give you isn''t it?

[agnim]

"Cindy McCain is tougher this time around..."

LOL

That''s a joke.

Some drug addicts do know how to mask their drugged personality.

First and foremost, Cindy McPain is a DRUG ADDICT & DRUG THIEF, who gets special treatment!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cindy_McCain#Prescription_drug_addiction_and_theft

Yet, because Cindy''s birth with a silver foot in her mouth and her present status, McPain gets sent to rehab, while ordinary Americans are serving life time in US prisons FOR SIMILAR OFFENSE -- DRUG HEAD & DRUG THIEF! Dam double standards in America''s in-justice system!

[alphaa10-2009]

tigerjcs has a hot flash from the GOP, all freshly-minted lies to spead around as quickly as possible. Watch the GOP smear machine in this campaign-- they work for the Bush wingnuts.
---
Urban Legend Killer--

Obama--
Here is an article on Obama at Snopes.com, a website devoted to fact-checking and exposure of "urban legends"--
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/muslim.asp
Here is another Snopes.com article on the most common rumors about Obama--
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/obama.asp

McCain--
Here is a news article on John McCain at abcnews.com, detailing his "offenses" against the Bush GOP--
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/02/limbaugh-mccain.html
Yet, any fact check will show McCain is more conservative than Bush, according to the Heritage Foundation. Moreover, McCain votes as he views the issue, not as Bush does (does this make Bush more "liberal"?). See www.snopes.com for other McCain facts, not legends.

Clinton--
Here at Snopes.com is the best means to track down those pesky urban legends about Hillary--
(from a search with the term "Hillary"
http://search.atomz.com/search/?sp-q=hillary&getit=Go&sp-a=00062d45-p00000000&sp-advanced=1&sp-p=all&sp-w-control=1&sp-w=alike&sp-date-range=-1&sp-x=any&sp-c=100&sp-m=1&sp-s=0

[candide777]

GW Bush did LSD, cocaine, DWI amounts of booze, and does not want to talk about it, therefore he still has the personality of an active addict.

Well, that would explain his gitteriness and mood swings, not to mention his abysmally poor judgment . . .

[tigerjcs]

Senator Obama is a secret radical Muslim, working to make it easy for terrorist to get into this country to over throw the USA. He hates the USA. Sen. Barack Obama refused to wear an American flag lapel pin along with a photo of him not putting his hand over his heart during the National Anthem. Michelle Obama never been proud to be American, unless her husband gets elected. Their patriotism is questionable. He is against the Iraqi war, because of his secret Muslim affinity. Is this the Change? Wake up America.

[greatdrivew]

Cindy McCain''s quiet strength? LOL

The only things she''s ever accomplished was to be born wealthy and steal John McCain from his first wife.

McCain''s first wife was still recovering from a horrific car accident when John left her for his rich mistress Cindy.

Typical GOP ***.

[strunke]

The hate by left wing b****es here is pathetic.

[mh4cbs1]

Was this article a paid advertisement? What a total pile of sh*t.

[rushlimpdrug]

"Cindy McCain''s Quiet Strength"

What a cute headline!
For some reason it (the headline) reminds me of the Hulk.

[hhroams]

Well we all know that enlisted men got BCD''s, Dishonorables etc during Viet-Nam, Dubya got a wink and a pass for drugs, alcohol etc.

I''ll be McCain would never have flown on a plane piloted by Dubya!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[homespunlady]

Posted by terrorislam0 at 10:08 AM : Feb 23, 2008

Sorry if I bothered you BEFORE you''ve had your meds.
Otherwise PLEASE COHERENTLY explain that post.
Are YOU a Congressman RON PAUL supporter or just a NONTHINKING computer bot?
Seems ALL the Ron Paul supporters were tagged by the Republican Machine with such labels. Leave it to THOSE CORPORATE PARANOIDS to Defend their SUPERIORITY RIGHTS and TAX ELITISM by killing the best chance they had to retain control!

[kevzgrl]

Is it just me, or does anyone else hear the music from "The Stepford Wives" when Cindy McCain stands beside John???
At least we know that IF John were elected, she would be a he-ll of a cookie baker...

[homespunlady]

Experience can be hired. Most of us DON''T pilot our own plane, fix all of our own machinery and do our own taxes if they''re too complicated - we find the BEST people that are able to do that for us and the do what we are Best at - hopefully.

The question is WHAT IS the REAL job of President of the United States? IS it RELIGIOUS Determiner? NO!
Is it OIL REPRESENTATIVE? NO! Is it DICTATOR? NO! Is it REWRITER of the CONSTITUTION? NO!

It is to carry out the DUTIES outlined in the CONSTITUTION! Along with it the President is the IMAGE of the US that the world uses as a template of what an American is. The President REPRESENTS the American PEOPLE. NOT RULES them!

Somewhere along the line that understanding has been LOST. The result is what President Eisenhower WARNED this nation against - ABDICATING RIGHTS and POWER to the SOULLESS CORPORATE "Military-Industrial Complex".
Corporations now have MORE RIGHTS than individual people WITH souls.

THAT is a recipe for Armageddon.

LEADERSHIP is a quality that has to be in the person to begin with.

This nation has LOST SO MUCH self-esteem and HOPE that bringing SOME of it BACK through CHARISMATIC speeches is SO REFRESHING that of course people will gravitate toward the candidate that offers it up in an ARTICULATE manner.

[barbaraf4]

"As far as McCain''''s Wife- I''''m MORE interested in his FIRST wife - Carol Shepp??
Did she die? What happened to her? What do her kids think about him?"osted by homespunlady
~~~
If I remember correctly, Carol "dated" during the 7+ years he was a POW. Now, is there anything wrong with that? Of course not - I don''t know any men who would have remained faithful during that length of time. Especially not knowing if he was even coming back.

Having said that, it was not what ended their marriage. Apparently (if my memory serves), McCain went crazy, like a kid in a candy store "dating" when he came home. I think making up for lost time.

I think the divorce was mutual and she got custody of the kids.

[homespunlady]

As far as McCain''s Wife- I''m MORE interested in his FIRST wife - Carol Shepp??
Did she die? What happened to her? What do her kids think about him?

His current wife seems FAR too afraid or disconnected and as a result "artificial".
Was she abused somewhere in her past?
I''ve me people like her and they all seem to be dealing with abuse issues when they act like that.
Abuse happens in even the BEST of families.

McCain himself just seems too easily manipulated - a perfect PUPPET for the type of people that do that sort of thing.
His history is too littered with questionable friends and situations like the Keating Scandal which was like today - A BANKING and REAL ESTATE FRAUD and ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES problem.

Ultimately, even though he SAYS he''s distanced himself from such activity; he KEEPS showing up covered in this type of mud. Washing it off through good connections won''t hide it if you keep jumping back into the pigsty of lobbyist control.

[homespunlady]

Posted by terrorislam0 at 07:59 AM : Feb 23, 2008

Then are you ADMITTING you REGRET electing that "inexperienced", skipped out of Vietnam duty, drug taking alcoholic failure George W. Bush??

Hmmm. THAT explains how he did it!!!
He maybe secretly ADMITTED his DRUG USE to someone with military pull and was "quietly" let go like so many of the DUTY WEASELS during that time!

[hhroams]

McCain has altered his position since his run 2000 to comply with the born-again right wing semi-fascists of the Republican party. I don''t think that is his natural status just that he altered his actions to secure votes and endorsements of the extremist Neandertals who just came out of the trees(and not voluntarily). I wondered why the Navy, since he was one of their biggest heros of the Viet-Nam war never promoted him onto admiral(His father and grandfather both were admirals with high commands) and concluded that the Navy while it revered his service and heroism did not trust his mental strength to withstand the demands of a high level command position.

[hhroams]

I honor McCain for the past service he has given. I dont think that he has much to offer us for the future. He has a lot of closets that will fall open as the election heats up. The Keating thing, women besides his wives, lobbyists, etc. He has been connected to many people who have severe legal problems, Renzi, Mecham, Keating, etc. now the thing with the lady lobbyist.

[dddcohen]

Mc Cain is a fake and phony with his family values, Vicki Iseman is pretty, younger, she has wild hairstyle she wears erotic clothing with *** perfume made Mc Cain to think with the other head