Carol McCain...the wife John McCain callously left behind.

[madfloridian]

I seldom write about the personal lives of anyone, even politicians.

But I despise duplicity in any form. I despise that the media is getting its jollies over John Edwards.

I just heard a spokesperson on MSNBC say how badly this will hurt the Democrats now. He was almost gloating. I despise stuff like that.

I despise that the media never mentions how John McCain left behind his wife who was crippled from an accident.

I admire her classy way of handling it. Kudos to her.


War hero: McCain with Carol as he arrives back in the US in 1973 after his five years as a PoW in North Vietnam

The wife John McCain callously left behind

It was in 1969 that Carol went to spend the Christmas holiday – her third without McCain – at her parents’ home. After dinner, she left to drop off some presents at a friend’s house.
It wasn’t until some hours later that she was discovered, alone and in terrible pain, next to the wreckage of her car. She had been hurled through the windscreen.

After her first series of life-saving operations, Carol was told she may never walk again, but when doctors said they would try to get word to McCain about her injuries, she refused, insisting: ‘He’s got enough problems, I don’t want to tell him.’

H. Ross Perot, a billionaire Texas businessman, future presidential candidate and advocate of prisoners of war, paid for her medical care.

It was a shock to John McCain when he was released in 1973 to see his wife.

When McCain – his hair turned prematurely white and his body reduced to little more than a skeleton – was released in March 1973, he told reporters he was overjoyed to see Carol again. But friends say privately he was ‘appalled’ by the change in her appearance. At first, though, he was kind, assuring her: ‘I don’t look so good myself. It’s fine.’

..."In 1979 – while still married to Carol – he met Cindy at a cocktail party in Hawaii. Over the next six months he pursued her, flying around the country to see her. Then he began to push to end his marriage. Carol and her children were devastated. ‘It was a complete surprise,’ says Nancy Reynolds, a former Reagan aide.

‘They never displayed any difficulties between themselves. I know the Reagans were quite shocked because they loved and respected both Carol and John.’

Another friend added: ‘Carol didn’t fight him. She felt her infirmity made her an impediment to him. She justified his actions because of all he had gone through. She used to say, “He just wants to make up for lost time.”’

No excuses for anyone, really, but let's talk about John McCain also.

He does not get a pass for leaving Carol for Cindy. Where's the media?

Oddly enough, in an article from June of this year...Carol McCain still adores her ex-husband.


Forgotten woman: But despite all her problems Carol McCain says she still adores her ex-husband

That comment is filled with class. Kudos to her.

[polichick]

1. I've been waiting for SOMEBODY on msnbc to mention her.

[AndyA]

3. Write to MSNBC. Let them know you have a BIG news story for them!

They'll be thrilled to hear from all of us - about John McCain's affair when he dumped his crippled wife for Cindy.

ALL OF US. We need to bombard the media to cover this aspect of John McCain.

E-mail MSNBC: mailto:[email protected]?subject=To-the-Editor

[polichick]

7. How's this??

Are you kidding me? John Edwards' affair is such critical news that you fill the airway with it nonstop?? How about covering John McCain's treatment of women ~ from the dumping of his tragically injured first wife and the Reagans' part in looking after her and the kids, to his affair with Cindy while still married, to the fact that he calls the latest Mrs. McCain a c***???

You do pretend to be fair ~ right?

[AndyA]

8. Disregard.

Misunderstood post.

[polichick]

9. Right - that was my letter about McCain's affair...

Though I haven't sent it ~ yet.

[AndyA]

10. OK - gotcha.

I thought you were suggesting something else.

Sorry, and disregard. I'll edit my post.

[polichick]

12. That's okay, I should've included a "Dear Somebody" line. :)

[livetohike]

2. It will be very wise for McCain and all of his surrogates to

keep their damn mouths shut over the Edwards affair. How long do you think they can do it? (keep quiet over this)

[ZinZen]

32. I don't know, they are not running a

sharp campaign so far. They will probably try to blame Obama's super celebrity elitist force field for MAKING Edwards cheat on Elizabeth. I am total snarking, but then again that campaign is dumber strategically than a box of rocks.

[redqueen]

4. Was Cindy bragging about how McCain chased her around a table while he was married with kids?

Or did that leak out some other way?

I heard she gigglingly retold the story... I guess she was proud? :shrug:

[Metric System]

5. BUT she supports McCain's Presidential bid. Dragging her into it and opening old wounds WILL

backfire, particularly because she is supporting McCain. We know the media has double standards for Democrats and Rethugs when it comes to affairs (just ask Poppy Bush), but this is not the way to go.

[madfloridian]

6. If I said the sky was blue, would you say it was gray?

Just wondering.

Would you give me a list of acceptable topics?

[Sulawesi]

11. leave the woman alone...McCain will let this pass if he has any sense...

[madfloridian]

14. I think she has more class than her ex does.

Why is everyone here at DU suddenly so afraid to speak out on blatant hypocrisy?

[ZinZen]

34. Isn't Nancy Reagan and Ross Perot

still upset with McCain for dumping his first wife for a younger, richer one?

[opihimoimoi]

13. CAROL McCAIN for PRESIDENT...they got the wrong person running...She got Class

[madfloridian]

19. Yes, she does have class.

.

[fudge stripe cookays]

42. But no brain.

She's still voting for the pig.

I realize she feels "grateful" for him paying for her medical treatment, but for cryin out loud....that's the LEAST she should have gotten from the bastard.

[Sulawesi]

15. dupe...

[madfloridian]

16. It seems to be ok when a Republican does it.

:shrug:

[Quixote1818]

17. And at least Edwards and Elizabeth are staying together.

That accounts for something in my book.

[madfloridian]

18. I never judge the personal lives of anyone. I just wanted them treated equally...

both Republicans and Democrats are lacking in some areas. I want the media to be fair.

[TooRaLoo]

39. As did Bill and Hillary.

These scumbags will hone in on any "scandal" they possibly can. At least they didn't leave their wives while they were crippled from an accident. Their double standards make me puke.

[me b zola]

20. Your post hits the mark

Make the media/McCain wish they they weren't blasting this story non-stop.

[madfloridian]

53. The media will protect McCain just as have protected Bush.

It's just amazing.

[boomerbust]

21. Old news

Get over it.

[madfloridian]

22. No, won't get over it...

Sorry.

[Quixote1818]

23. Old news that just became relevant again. nt

[madfloridian]

24. I just read that the Dallas Morning News mentioned it.

More after I read it.

[David Zephyr]

25. K&R. If the GOP dares touch this story, McCain will regret it as it backfires on him.

K&R.

[madfloridian]

31. Yes. The GOP would do well not to push it.

:hi:

[madfloridian]

26. Dallas Morning News Blog

http://dallasmorningviewsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/08/what-elizabeth.html

"And while we're all feeling holier than thou, maybe we should use this occasion to re-examine the past behavior of John McCain: His first wife, Carol, was beautiful enough to be a swimwear model when he married her in 1965. He went off to fight in the Vietnam war while she stayed home to raise their three children. He was captured and spent five years as a prisoner of war. When he was freed in 1973, he came home to find that his wife had been disfigured in a car wreck three years earlier. So he dumped her and married a much younger woman (who might be our next first lady).

"My accident is well recorded. I had 23 operations, I am five inches shorter than I used to be and I was in hospital for six months. It was just awful, but it wasn't the reason for my divorce," Carol McCain told the UK's Daily Mail in June. "My marriage ended because John McCain didn't want to be 40, he wanted to be 25. You know that happens...it just does."

There are people who knew John McCain back then who felt so betrayed and disappointed by him that they won't speak to him today. Maybe that'll happen to John Edwards too. It just amazes me that people can reach such incredibly high ranks in American politics and somehow think their past (or present) misbehavior won't come back to haunt them. It absolutely goes to the character issue. So if we're going to go down that road, let's do it on both sides of the political fence."

[BrklynLiberal]

30. "So he dumped her and married a much younger woman"

who just HAPPENED to be VERY wealthy and from a politically potent family...

[madfloridian]

38. Amazing, ain't it.

:hi:

[TooRaLoo]

40. Awesome, awesome, awesome. nt

[madfloridian]

48. Wow, the comments excuse McCain for everything.

That's the difference...we don't excuse our side.

[Time for change]

27. I agree with you

We all konw that our corporate media knows no bounds on its hypocrisy, but this really takes the cake. Edwards' affair will hurt the Democrats!!!!!!!! Is whoever said that even aware of McCain's affair? :banghead:

[madfloridian]

28. Thanks....

Sometimes I get suspicious that I get warned off every topic I post about.

I hate to suspect personal targeting....so I won't.

Appreciate your comment.

[Gabi Hayes]

33. forget THAT....I never get positive feedback. who cares?

your stuff is uniformly helpful and interesting

did you see my post about him LYING about his affair in his own memoir?

check it downthread

[ZinZen]

36. Worse, Rove's tool Gregory

is trying to make this Obama's problem. WTF???

[Gabi Hayes]

51. that's right, and he shut Mark Green RIGHT up when he brought up McCain.

did you see the multiple threads here on that?

[madfloridian]

54. Good for Mark Green.

:hi:

[oasis]

29. k and r

[Gabi Hayes]

35. he even lied about his affair in his own memoir!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=6612005&mesg_id=6612360

[madfloridian]

37. Thanks for the link.

It's amazing how the media just shuts their eyes to all things Republican.

[Gabi Hayes]

49. their excuse? he's been around so long that the american people

already KNOW everything about him, so all this stuff is old news, not worth repeating

what BULLshit

I didn't know most of this stuff, including how he LIED his ass off about his Keating five entanglements, which helped keep Lincoln Fed open for two years more than it should, and how he leaked to the press to keep the focus off him, and on Deconcini, Riegle, and the California senator whose name escapes me

I didn't know the very sordid details about Cindy's drug scandal, or how she lied her ass off about it, even on Jay Leno

I didn't know the equally sordid details of his abandonment of his first wife, and how both he AND Cindy lied their asses off about that, too, including what he wrote about it in his own memoir.

I didn't know what a prick he was, and how volatile his temper is, and I like to pay attention to those things. I thought in 2000 he wasn't such a bad sort, compared to Bush, who used the slimiest tactics possible to beat him. Then, what does he do? Hire most of the people who slimed him to run his campaign this year!

should I go on?

[DeeDeeNY]

58. Here's some more info

http://mccainbs.com/bs/index.html#hero

[Gabi Hayes]

60. that's a great site....only caveat is that it's not set up w/links-footnotes for most of his

assertions

that said, it has a lot of things I've seen before, and one of the links he has is to the Patrick Murphy column (former AZ Republic publisher) that sets out in a very concise form the myriad cracks in McCain's character. other than Amy Silverman, it would appear that no other journalist has been as honest about/knows as much about McCain as Murphy. did you read that one?

here:

http://www.inthesetimes.com/issue/24/07/murphy2407.html


your link is a great clearing house for McCain information. you should start a thread with that as the centerpiece

[DeeDeeNY]

61. Good idea

You're right. I read the Murphy piece in more depth after seeing your post.

[madfloridian]

41. Looks like Monday's Hardball will be all about Edwards...

and McCain gets off scott free of any media scrutiny.

Amazing how that happens.

[WinkyDink]

43. No, the high road stance would be to call for a moratorium, not for a quid pro quo.

[madfloridian]

44. Moratorium, nice, yes. Next best is fairness.

.

[madfloridian]

45. The Guardian covered this also in July of this year.

US elections: McCain married to first wife when he applied for licence to marry second, report says

Republican presidential nominee John McCain may have been married to his first wife when he obtained a marriage licence to wed Cindy McCain, reports the Los Angeles Times

According to the newspaper, court documents show that the Arizona senator received a licence to marry his second wife about a month before a judge granted his divorce from Carol McCain in April 1980.

The report contradicts McCain's account from his 2002 memoir Worth Fighting For, in which he said he divorced Carol McCain in February 1980.

McCain has acknowledged he was legally married to Carol when he began seeing Cindy; he has said the two were separated. McCain's divorce petition stated he and Carol lived together until January 7, 1980, the Los Angeles Times reported.

More at the link.

[hay rick]

46. media silence

The Carol McCain story is this election's equivalent of the Bush AWOL story that the media studiously ignored in 2000, then turned into a footnote of the Dan Rather saga in 2004. Both stories attest to the character of the men involved. Bush deserted his National Guard unit while McCain deserted his wife and family. He was 43 at the time. Guess he was still working on his presidential strength of character.

[madfloridian]

47. Yes, "attests to their character" is correct.

These men are protected by our media.

[Gabi Hayes]

50. Cindy won't answer charges of LYING about when she and grandpappy started dating

http://kr.youtube.com/watch?v=guOb5S3nPhk&NR=1

the truth, which would have been so easy to tell:

http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/16176.html

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-divorce11-2008jul11,0,6546861.story

[ColbertWatcher]

52. k+r. n/t

[TexasObserver]

55. Now is the best time to get this story out in media.

[Little Star]

56. Lazy ass media! This needs to be out there. n/t

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

57. K&R

[kristyt]

59. Vicki Iseman LOBBYIST is the one go after

McCain has had an affair on the current barbie and it was with a lobbyist, lobbying before his committee.

That's worse than what Clinton got impeached for.

No one can find this woman. Everyone knows it happened, just a matter of applying pressure, getting some sunshine and I'm sure photos or an admission will turn up.

[Gabi Hayes]

62. heh. heh. ever read Wonkette? check this:

John McCain Rides Sexy New Surge Of Popularity

This forbidden-lobbyist-love scandal is a stroke of good fortune for John McCain. Revelations that he may have landed a sizzling hot blonde half his age have brought a new aura of virility and sex appeal to the Spanish-American war hero’s ancient carcass. He is also being hailed by Christian conservatives for having the good taste to conduct a heterosexual extramarital affair. And now we learn the scandal has brought conservative talk radio’s most lovable personalities flocking to his bosom. According to Politico, “they have a common enemy” now. Meaning, of course, the terrorists. At the New York Times.

“This is what you get when you walk across the aisle and try to make these people your friends. I’m not surprised in the least that the NYT would try to take out John McCain,” Limbaugh wrote in an email.

http://wonkette.com/359265/john-mccain-rides-sexy-new-surge-of-popularity

[TexasObserver]

63. I doubt there was any Riding. McCain probably got the Nelson Rockefeller Special.