McCain: A Question of Temperament

John McCain Admits He Has A Temper, But Opinions Differ On How Much Of A Liability It Might Be

(Washingtonpost.com) 
Everyone Has a Temper

According to aides, McCain's frequent comments about his temperament reflect a recognition that the issue persists for some voters and the media. At times he expresses regret about his temper, often tracing it to the same resentments that ignited him as a boy: "In all candor, as an adult I've been known to forget occasionally the discretion expected of a person of my many years and station when I believe I've been accorded a lack of respect I did not deserve," he said at Episcopal.

On other occasions, he has contended that his blowups have served a purpose. In a recent interview with CNN, while referring to his temper as "a very minor thing," McCain declared that voters occasionally want him to vent: "When I see corruption,...when I see people misbehaving badly, they expect me to" be angry.

Salter, who has co-written five books with McCain that, among other things, explore the origins of his feistiness, said he thinks McCain's temper first became an issue after an incident in 1989, during McCain's first term in the Senate.

The nomination of a beleaguered John Tower to become defense secretary was already in trouble when Sen. Richard C. Shelby of Alabama, a conservative Democrat who later became a Republican, helped doom it by voting against Tower. A furious McCain, believing that Shelby had reneged on a commitment of support, accosted him, got within an inch of his nose and screamed at him. News of the incident swiftly spread around the Capitol.

"I think it started there," Salter said, though by 1989, many of McCain's colleagues had already heard stories about other eruptions during his two terms in the House.

Part of the paradox of McCain is that many of the old targets of his volcanic temper are now his campaign contributors. Former Phoenix mayor Paul Johnson is one example. In 1992, during a private meeting of Arizona officials over a federal land issue that affected the state, a furious McCain openly questioned Johnson's honesty. "Start a tape recorder - it's best when you get a liar on tape," McCain said to others in the meeting, according to an account of their "nose-to-nose, testosterone-filled" argument that Johnson later provided to reporters.

But Johnson, who once was quoted as saying that he thought McCain was "in the area of being unstable," today says that he has mellowed, citing a 2006 face-to-face apology that he said he received from his old adversary. "He's not the same guy, as far as I'm concerned," Johnson said. "And nothing has happened during the course of this year's campaign."

Cornyn is now a McCain supporter, as is Republican Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi, himself a past target of McCain's sharp tongue, especially over what McCain regarded as Cochran's hunger for pork-barrel projects in his state. Cochran landed in newspapers early during the campaign after declaring that the thought of McCain in the Oval Office "sends a cold chill down my spine."

Indeed, aside from a single testy exchange in March with New York Times reporter Elisabeth Bumiller over whether he had had a conversation in 2004 with Democratic Sen. John F. Kerry about being his running mate - a tape of which appeared immediately on YouTube - McCain has been noticeably unflappable throughout the primaries. Advisers posit that his temperament ought to be a dead issue.

"Everyone has a temper...but there has been no evidence of a temper problem here," said Rick Davis, McCain's campaign manager. "In our campaign, he has done give-and-take with people everywhere, regardless if someone agrees or disagrees with him. There is no more probing process than a presidential campaign. He has performed well under the most intense kind of pressure."

Friends and Enemies

McCain has been down this road before. During his 2000 presidential run, responding in part to questions about his temper and what effect, if any, his 5 1/2 years as a POW had on his psyche, he released about 1,500 pages of his medical and psychiatric records, which presented a clean bill of mental health.

"I'm not saying he doesn't have a temper, but it's governable," Salter said. "When he has a heated argument, it's usually with one of his peers, who are unaccustomed to being addressed that way by anyone, really. Sometimes he can't govern his tongue. He's just blunt - he's a straightforward person."

McCain has built much of his appeal, especially with independents, as the fiery maverick willing to defy both parties. His tempestuousness has girded him in high-stakes confrontations, especially against Republican conservatives who regard his occasionally moderate stances as proof that he has sold them out.

"You will damn well do this. You will make this a holiday. You're making us look like fools," he privately exploded two decades ago at a stunned group of Arizona Republicans who opposed creating a state holiday in remembrance of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Early during their days together in the Senate, Smith came to believe that McCain often used his temper as a strategic weapon, that if he "couldn't persuade you, he was going at least to needle you or [sometimes] belittle you or blow up into trying to have you believe you were beneath him, so that you'd be less likely to challenge him. He needed to be the top guy."

Smith admits to not liking McCain, a point he has often made over the years to reporters. "I've witnessed a lot of his temper and outbursts," Smith said. "For me, some of this stuff is relevant. It raises questions about stability....It's more than just temper. It's this need of his to show you that he's above you - a sneering, condescending attitude. It's hurt his relationships in Congress....I've seen it up-close."

Smith, whose service in the Navy included a tour on the waters in and around Vietnam, said he stood stunned one day when McCain declared around several of their colleagues that Smith wasn't a real Vietnam War veteran. "I was in the combat zone, off the Mekong River, for 10 months," Smith said. "He went on to insult me several times. I wasn't on the land; I guess that was his reasoning....He suggested I was masquerading about my Vietnam service. It was very hurtful. He's gotten to a lot of people [that way]."

[abbe91]

"I guess a temper is only a negative if you''re a republican.
Posted by katg21 at 01:36 PM : Apr 22, 2008"

It''s only negative if you confuse Al-Qaeda with Chi''ites, Iraq with Mexico and the USS Forrestal with a bowling track.

[katg21]

I seem to remember hearing that Hillary has quite a temper, what about Howard Dean...WHO CARES!!! I guess a temper is only a negative if you''re a republican.

[leftyintexas]

"Does he get angry? Yes," said Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, a Connecticut independent who supports McCain''s presidential bid. "But it''s never been enough to blur his judgment....If anything, his passion and occasional bursts of anger have made him more effective."

Yeah, like we believe anything coming from your pie hole, Joe.

[abbe91]

"retired a full colonel (20+ years)
* Posted by trapbreak at 09:26 AM : Apr 21, 2008
Wasn''t McCain in the navy?
Posted by LibH8er at 03:45 PM : Apr 21, 2008"

Indeed ... they were so happy after he trashed 5 planes (one only in combat) that they made him the only colonel in the US Navy history ever.

[watcher269-2009]

Yes,just what we need in the Whitehouse these days. A loose canon with his hand on the button.

Posted by kansas1946

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That''s the point with McCain - you don''t know where his hands are!

At least with Bill Clinton - you knew where his hands were - on interns - Female ones.

Not like Bush and Cheney - I remember reading that Bush FARTS in front of his interns to see their reactions.

I can''t imagine what Cheney does to his!

I know one thing - I wouldn''t shake hands with McCain - he probably had his hands in his Depends.

[watcher269-2009]

McCain supports the Bushit/Cheney military decision to:

Strained by the demands of a long war, the Army and the Marine Corps recruited significantly more felons into their ranks in 2007 than in 2006, including people convicted of armed robbery, arson and burglary, according to data ...

McCain supports giving Felons GUNS!

McShame supports Arming Felons with the latest military technologies so when the come back to the States - they can use them against us!

McSame supports teaching Felons how to kill Iraqis at first - then the felons will come home - find out there are no jobs or health-Care for them and the FELONS will start killing YOU to get what they want and need!

A Vote for McSAME is a vote for higher Crime rates in the United States!

Vote for Trained Killer Felons - Vote McCain!

[cfin5]

Any of our Presidents should have a "Don''t tread on me" attitude towards any nation/sect/group/individual who would do me harm. A foolish man is slow to pick a fight with a hot tempered individual. Especially one with the biggest stick in the valley. All he has to do is a few public "stunts" with a foreign policy theme to seed the rep,.....then say nothing at all regarding said policy and blink at nothing. It''s called being the LEADER.

[lindaredtail]

Kansas 1946 You''re right again. I used to admire him though not always agree with him. The Quakers, Amish, and Shakers of Pennsylvania are all conscientious objectors usually. They are very good people and I''m not surprised that they are for Obama. They would rather negotiate than drop bombs. The Republicans falsely portray themselves as the party of God. They are the party of a particular type of militaristic apocalyptic Christianity that I have a pile of research on my desk that mainstream Christianity rejects. I have research from the Lutheran, Methodist, and Catholic Churches as well as authors and independant researchers. Their "party of God" belief is a false delusion.

[kansas1946]

kansas1946 thank you. I know that I''''m right about Bob Jones. I forget about the Anti-Christ part. Is it rightful for John McCain to associate with someone like that?


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Posted by lindaredtail at 06:42 PM : Apr 21, 2008
+ report abuse
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No, it isn''t. But he is so desparate to look "Christian" enough to the radical-right, that he dances with the devil. It is interesting to note, that the majority of the Quaker community, about as Christ-like a group as you can get, is supporting Barack Obama in Pennsylvania, and almost all of them are supporting which ever Democrat gets the nomination. For a party (Republicans) to scream constantly about being the party of God, it is interesting that the Quakers are supporting Democrats. Maybe these folks can smell hypocties better that the rest of the "Christians."

[obama8years]

Listened to a few soundbites on the News about Obama speaking to a group of Jewish people, telling them how he disagreed with Carter and that we must not negotiate with a known terrorist organization and they applauded him%u2026take that context and recall previous dialogue to an entirely different audience how we need to negotiate with Iran and Syria. So which Obama do you believe?

Let%u2019s face it, anyone that believes Barack is believing in the myth. This man will say and do anything to get elected. What%u2019s sad is that so many people are getting duped and they don%u2019t even know it or refuse to believe it; they are drinkin%u2019 the Kool Aid.

Just like his disrespect for the flag only to plaster his backdrop with wall to wall flags, just like his lame excuse for not wearing an American flag on his lapel and now wearing one after yet another lame attempt to give reason to now feel it appropriate to wear one, and his distancing himself from Rev. Wrong but all the while not really distancing himself at all, and just like his distancing himself from Louis Farrakhan yet showing no discontent for his church giving The Nation of Islam, a lifetime achievement award%u2026just what kind of drug are these people on%u2026

So it%u2019s clear to me, this man%u2019s words are just that, words.