Welch Dominates McCain: A Family Tradition

An interesting historical footnote to our already-classic April cover story by Matt Welch, "Be Afraid of President McCain ": Matt reveals on his personal blog that, near the turn of the 20th century, "my great-great grandfather commanded John McCain's grandpa" in the Navy.

Comments

[Syd]

No good. Now if his great-great grandfather OWNED John McCain's grandpa, that would be interesting.

[tarran]

Syd, the captain of a ship, especially over 50 years ago was such an absolute monarch that, for all intents and purposes, Welch's ancestor did own McCain's grandpa.

[jf]

Reading about McCain's time in the Hanoi Hilton reminded me of another soldier who spent some time there, and also was on a presidential ticket. Jesse Walker memorialized him after his passing by quoting Dennis Miller's brilliant rip on everyone who criticized his performance in the 1992 vice-presidential debate

The reason he had to turn his hearing aid on at that debate is because those fucking animals knocked his eardrums out when he wouldn't spill his guts. He teaches philosophy at Stanford University, he's a brilliant, sensitive, courageous man. And yet he committed the one unpardonable sin in our culture: he was bad on television. Somewhere out there Paddy Chayefsky must be laughing his ass off.

Funny how the same situation can turn some men into power-hungry bastards willing to throw more innocent lives into the meat grinder while looked upon as statesmen, while others stand fast to their principles while unfairly becoming laughingstocks.

R.I.P. Admiral Stockdale.

[R C Dean]

Welch Dominates McCain

Now that's a leather-clad mental image I didn't need.

[joe]

There's a naval WW2 simulation game called Pacific Theater of Operations that allows you to assign specific officers to specific ships.

Admiral McCain is one of them. IIRC, Admiral Morrison, Jim's father, is another.

Point? Uh, no, not really.

[grandfather]

Salazar said her grandpa is her "best friend," and said attending college alongside him is "inspiring." They often walk each other to class and meet for lunch together.