How did John McCain earn his wealth?

[Virginia Dare]

oh, that's right he didn't. He's been on the government dime or Daddy Hensley's money since the day he was born. Silly me. Just like his running mate, he's got no problem spending other people's money.

[kid a]

1. He married up - into the BIG money

His family was military brass way back

[old mark]

4. They have prestige in military and some government circles, but

no bucks to speak of. They have some political connections, but not like having 10's of millions of dollars will get you.


mark

[Virginia Dare]

7. If he'd have stayed the course with Carol...

he probably would have ended up doing fairly well but wouldn't be a multi-millionaire Senator in all probability.

[DrDan]

11. exactly - and a Lt. Col. does not draw any connections.

His Admiral father, that could be a different story.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. Boinking Cindy?

[begin_within]

3. golddigger

[Amerigo Vespucci]

5. Making the beast with two backs with a beer baron

25 words or less, that's how he did it.

[lumberjack_jeff]

6. The old fashioned way, he married it. n/t

[City Lights]

8. And that government dime included attending a private boarding school in

VA whose tuition today is almost $40,000 a year.

[DrDan]

9. c'mon - there are a lot worse . . .

military retiree - long-time senator.

He shouldn't be demonized for that.

"Government's dime"??? Do you begrudge him his health benefits, retirement pay etc?

He need not be demonized for everything.

[redqueen]

12. Of course no one begrudges him those... merely pointing out the absurdity of his rhetoric. (nt)

[DrDan]

14. he is certainly grasping for straws . . .

he is in trouble, and recognizes it. He will say anything at this point.

[Virginia Dare]

15. I'm demonizing him for demonizing others..

I don't begrudge anybody who gives civil service, but nobody gets wealthy doing it, and he certainly doesn't need government provided health insurance or retirement with all of Cindy's money.

[DrDan]

18. he has earned both - he is entitled.

Not unlike Social Security. If he paid in, then he is entitled.

There are no provisions having to do with the wealth of one's spouse when these are applied for. If you earned them, you are entitled.

And that applies to mccain, as much as those here might despise him.

[Virginia Dare]

19. I said he didn't need it, I didn't say he wasn't entitled...n/t

[Union Thug]

10. Like all conservatives, he pulled himself up by the bootstraps and worked hard

and through the magic of the American meritocracy, became a wealthy man.

Oh wait a minute. He was born into a household of military brass and carried with him the social status that goes along with it, and then he left his wife to marry into a mega-wealthy family. That's the "merican dream.

[mscuedawg]

13. Some interesting info....a while ago, I copied this from a fellow DU'er...

Since when is high intelligence and excellent education...nothing? What parent doesn't encourage their child from doing good in school, slap a bumpersticker on their car when they make the honor roll, hope they get in a good college? Why do they think it's so important for their children to be smart and get a good education, but don't think it's necessary with the POTUS????

Being president is the most important job in the world and whoever wins will have a lot to learn. A highly intelligent person absorbs information and knowledge quickly, understands complicated situations.

Obama: Columbia University (ranks #8), Graduated from Harvard (ranks #1) magna cum laude. Taught constitutional law for 12 years at University of Chicago.

Biden: Universities in Deleware and Syracuse, law degree, received juris doctor.

McCain: USNA graduated at the BOTTOM 1% of his class. Of 899 students, he was 894.

Palin: Changed colleges (two were community colleges) five times to receive a degree in journalism from University of Idaho, a tier three college. (rankings 1 thru 125 is tier one)

Michelle Obama: Princeton (ranks #2) and Harvard.

Todd Palin: Didn't go to college.

Edited to add Cindy Hensley-McCain (via Wikipedia) Central High School, Phoenix, where she was named Best Dressed as a senior and graduated in 1972. Received a Bachelor of Arts in education from the University of Southern California, where she was a cheerleader and joined the socially conservative Kappa Alpha Theta sorority as a freshman. Continued on at USC, and received a Master of Arts in special education in 1978. Declining a role in the family business, she worked for a year as a special education teacher working with children with Down syndrome and other disabilities at Agua Fria High School in Avondale, Arizona.

[KayLaw]

16. Dumped his wife.

Traded her in for a newer, richer model.

[karynnj]

17. In fairness, he also had a couple of best selling books

I don't know if they made as much as Obama's, but they were successful. He also had his Senate salary. Had he stayed with his first wife, he likely still would have entered politics - they were already friends of the Reagans. He would not have been anywhere near as wealthy, but he still would have been rich. (He might have had a better shot at being President. I think there was little love lost between the Reagans and the Bushs, had McCain stayed in the good graces of the Reagans, Nacy and their allies might have helped him in 2000. He likely would have done better in teh general election than Bush.)

[gmoney]

20. without Cindy, he'd be Joe Biden wealthy

That is, probably doing fine, but not the owner of 7 houses, 13 cars, and stumbling around in $600 Ferragamo loafers.

[karynnj]

21. I would guess wealthier than Biden

more like Obama wealthy - but definitely not McCain wealthy. His books were very successful - also I think there may be some family money.

[mmonk]

22. On his back.