John McCain: The Early Years
June 12th, 2008
By JAZZ SHAW, Assistant Editor
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Issues aside, much of the ongoing narrative of the 2008 presidential election is the personal history and life story of the candidates. Both are compelling reads, but I am currently focusing on John McCain’s tale. Frequent reference is made to McCain’s well deserved status as a war hero, prisoner of war and extensive military record. Back in the day, though, such a record was rarely built without a few smudges showing up on the uniform. (Speaking as an old sailor myself, I can only say that I have no difficulty empathizing with some of these troubles, and am grateful I’m not the one running for high office.)
McCain’s early years in the military, particularly during his training at the Naval Academy, were plagued with problems. One story, which I would like to share today, comes to us from the Senator’s book, Faith of my Fathers. (The passages in question come from the 2000 paperback edition of Harper Collins, pages 129-130 in Chapter 11, “Low Grease.”)
The events described by McCain take place during his time at the Academy when he says he regularly was designated with the “low grease” by his instructors. (This is a term denoting the lowest rated candidates each semester.) McCain informs us that he received this dubious honor for “poor grades, tardiness, messy quarters, slovenly appearance, sarcasm, and multiple violations of Academy standards.”
He also attracted the attention of some young women. The Senator talks at length about how he met and began dating a young lady from a Main Line suburb of Philadelphia who invited him to come spend the weekend with her and her family while he was on leave.
On the agreed-upon day, I bade good-bye to my parents for the weekend and departed Washington’s Union station on the train to Philadelphia. Some hours later, I arrived at Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station, where I was supposed to catch the next commuter train for her town. I had a few minutes to kill before my train left, so I decided to have a quick beer in the station’s bar.
Ah, how many times has a “quick beer” been the downfall of many of us?
As I settled on a bar stool, dressed in my white midshipman’s uniform, I drew the attention of several friendly, inebriated commuters who graciously offered to buy me a beer. I welcomed this offer and their company. We chatted amiably as I, eager to be on my way, quickly drained my glass. Not wishing to appear discourteous, however, I cheefully consented when they pressed upon me to accept another drink, and several others after that.
McCain describes how he sat drinking in the bar, missing one train after another, until he finally got up, made his way “unsteadily through the station,” and took the last train of the evening out of the city. Following a brief cab ride, he arrived at the young woman’s family home and the situation… took a turn.
As I ascended the long staircase that led to the front door of her house I was aware that I was probably not in ideal condition to be introduced for the first time to her family. Nevertheless, I believed I could manage the task without betraying the extent of my insobriety.
At the top of the stairs, I noticed that the front door was open. Knocking on the screen door, I was beckoned inside as my girlfriend and her mother and father rose from their chairs to greet me. When I reached for the door handle, I lost my balance and fell through the screen and into a heap on the floor of the entry hall. My startled hosts helped me to my feet,
He then goes on to describe how his “unorthodox entry” must have aroused the father’s suspicions about the quality of escorts the Naval Academy might send to woo his daughter. His planned, weekend long visit also seemed doomed to be somewhat shorter.
Whatever I said, and the manner in which I said it, apparently confirmed my host’s suspicions. After little more than a quarter hour of their hospitality, he abruptly thanked me for paying them a visit and wished me a safe journey home.
I never saw the girl or her family again.
In all fairness to Senator McCain, this took place back in the sixties. Social attitudes toward both drinking and smoking were very different than today, particularly in the closed society of the military. I myself had the pleasure of taking Naval tours around various portions of our country and going out on liberty in uniform. We could hardly ever pass a bar without some grizzled veteran or grateful civilian dragging us inside to buy us a drink or even a meal. On several occasions I was kidnapped by friendly families - complete strangers to me - who took me to their homes to cook me dinner, so I can understand how McCain’s train station adventure might have unfolded that way.
In any event, the book relates many interesting tales of the candidate’s early years. I may try to share some more with you on these pages in the future.
This entry was posted on Thursday, June 12th, 2008 at 6:14 am and is filed under Newsweek Blogitics, John McCain, 2008 Elections, Politics, Books. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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