Maverick - The John McCain story

[jesmu84]

A true American hero

Who plays him in the biographical movie?

[tower912]

Ed Harris did in Game Change.

[Jockey]

A true American hero

Who plays him in the biographical movie?

Interesting that he is getting all the credit rather than the two women who stood against this.

I certainly commend him for this vote, but he knows this is his last rodeo. He will never run for re-election again. This was as much about his legacy as anything else. He finally demonstrated that he was willing to take a strong stand once again.

As a Lib, I still had a positive view of McCain until he sold out with Sarah. This was about him reclaiming his historical status. In future books, he will be the one getting all of the credit.

Plus, he has been waiting a long time to exact revenge. I think that was a big "up yours" to the Creep-in-Chief.

[GooooMarquette]

Interesting that he is getting all the credit rather than the two women who stood against this.

I don't think it's a gender thing.  IMHO, it's because the Administration pretty much gave up on Collins and Murkowski, so McCain got the full court press of pressure, arm-twisting and probably threats.  All three deserve the same credit (or blame, depending on your political stance).

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Political theatre.  It was never going to pass.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Political theatre.  It was never going to pass.

I could very well see this happening.  A bunch of folks like Graham and others toeing the line because they know McCain would sink it (and thereby deflecting any blowback from them).  Either way a dramatic end to a drama filled week for the Senator.

[jficke13]

[...]
As a Lib, I still had a positive view of McCain until he sold out with Sarah. This was about him reclaiming his historical status. In future books, he will be the one getting all of the credit.
[...]

In my observation of things people on the opposite side of the aisle praise McCain as a "maverick" when he's useful to them, and despise him as another evil R when he's not. That is starting to fade recently though, as people have started despising him despite the fact that he's useful to them.

I've always found the McCain myth to be a little overblown, but hey, he's a politician, and they're all terrible.

[reinko]

I like people who weren't captured.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I could very well see this happening.  A bunch of folks like Graham and others toeing the line because they know McCain would sink it (and thereby deflecting any blowback from them).  Either way a dramatic end to a drama filled week for the Senator.

Exactly. Republicans were always going to make sure that the vote failed by exactly 1 vote. Appease the base by trying and coming close, appease the moderates by not actually repealing the ACA.

[Jockey]

I like people who weren't captured.

I like people who refused to fight for their country (5 deferrals) better.

[Badgerhater]

I like people who refused to fight for their country (5 deferrals) better.

People say that Bill Clinton was pretty likable during the Vietnam War.  Maybe not as likable as Trump, but much more likeable than GWB, who was only likeable 28 days a month.

[mu-rara]

This was great for the insurance companies.  They remain on the gravy train.

[Babybluejeans]

I've always found the McCain myth to be a little overblown, but hey, he's a politician, and they're all terrible.

That's true about the myth being a bit overblown, but it's without dispute that he's consistently taken stands against his party across his career (on big issues too). It's a trait I admire in members of either party and wish we saw more of it. I hope the deep polarity in politics today reaches the point of backlash so voters start to reorient themselves back toward centrism and candidates like him.

[forgetful]

This was great for the insurance companies.  They remain on the gravy train.

To be fair, the insurance companies wanted the GOP plans. 

As to getting back to the topic.  I'm hearing Preibus is looking for a job, maybe he could be cast as a young Maverick. 

[Golden Avalanche]

That's true about the myth being a bit overblown, but it's without dispute that he's consistently taken stands against his party across his career (on big issues too). It's a trait I admire in members of either party and wish we saw more of it. I hope the deep polarity in politics today reaches the point of backlash so voters start to reorient themselves back toward centrism and candidates like him.

He's voted down party lines 86% of his time in the Senate. Unsure how that can be described as "consistently" taking stands against the GOP. 

For further clarification, what are the big issues that McCain voted against predominant Republican ideology?

[MU82]

The last year, no politician had disappointed me more than McCain.

Here you had a legit war hero, an unselfish patriot who had given his life to his country ... but then he toed the party line and backed a douchey draft dodger who had publicly dissed McCain's service to America.

So this was a fantastic surprise. And I agree it was a giant F-U to the giant orange pig. I like the story line of Graham and others setting him up for this, too. I hope it comes out exactly like that.

I was proud of McCain when he came to Obama's defense after that nutjob woman called Obama "an Arab." And I'm even prouder of him now.

As for him voting with the party 86% of the time ... that seems like a pretty low percentage in today's political climate. How many Senators from either party have voted with their party less?

Thumbs up to Collins and Murkowski, too. I have a friend who lives in Maine and he says Collins always talks a good game about bipartisanship but usually backs down when it counts most. And Trump repeatedly threatened Murkowski, trying to bully her as only he can.

I don't like a lot about Obamacare and I'm naive in hoping that a bipartisan fix is still possible. But what the GOP was doing here was awful, and I applaud the courage of those three senators.

[Babybluejeans]

He's voted down party lines 86% of his time in the Senate. Unsure how that can be described as "consistently" taking stands against the GOP. 

For further clarification, what are the big issues that McCain voted against predominant Republican ideology?

Let's see. The environment, immigration, tax cuts, military use of torture, and health care, for starters.

[Pakuni]

He's voted down party lines 86% of his time in the Senate. Unsure how that can be described as "consistently" taking stands against the GOP. 

These kinds of stats are always a bit misleading, though, because the Senate (and House) takes dozens of votes every session in which there is no real debate. Like ceremonial declarations that July 29, 2017 shall be known as "Support Your Local VFW Day" to noncontroversial appointments of ambassadors, judges, etc.
So, I think you'd find that McCain not only votes with the GOP majority 86 percent of the time, he probably votes with the Democrats 60-70 percent of the time.

[Pakuni]

The last year, no politician had disappointed me more than McCain.

Here you had a legit war hero, an unselfish patriot who had given his life to his country ... but then he toed the party line and backed a douchey draft dodger who had publicly dissed McCain's service to America.

McCain publicly announced a month before the election that he was not supporting Trump and would not vote for Trump.

http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/trailguide/la-na-trailguide-updates-arizona-sen-john-mccain-revokes-trump-1475961057-htmlstory.html

[real chili 83]

No spin at work here, eh?

[jficke13]

No spin at work here, eh?

It's politics, everyone believes what they want to believe, and politicians diligently attempt to make the public's confirmation bias as easy on them as possible.

[Golden Avalanche]

Let's see. The environment, immigration, tax cuts, military use of torture, and health care, for starters.

Other then early Friday morning, where are the votes from McCain bucking the party line on these issues?

And to be quite clear, McCain wasn't voting against the GOP thought process of what the health insurance market should look like. He was voting against the ghastly trashing of Senate policy and decorum that McConnell has ushered in since 2006.

[Golden Avalanche]

These kinds of stats are always a bit misleading, though, because the Senate (and House) takes dozens of votes every session in which there is no real debate. Like ceremonial declarations that July 29, 2017 shall be known as "Support Your Local VFW Day" to noncontroversial appointments of ambassadors, judges, etc.
So, I think you'd find that McCain not only votes with the GOP majority 86 percent of the time, he probably votes with the Democrats 60-70 percent of the time.

Of course there are procedural motions involved in every voting record. But for a man with a 30 year career having an 86% return rate to be described as "consistently taking stands against his party" isn't based on reality.

One may have that perception of him as the result of a narrative but the details don't flesh that out in a truthful manner.

[Jockey]

To be fair, the insurance companies wanted the GOP plans. 

As to getting back to the topic.  I'm hearing Preibus is looking for a job, maybe he could be cast as a young Maverick.

I think you are wrong here. The insurance companies have said repeatedly they do not want Obamacare repealed.

And just for Lennie, it is the insurance companies that told people they could not keep their own doctor (to maximize profits), not Obamacare.

[warriorchick]

I think you are wrong here. The insurance companies have said repeatedly they do not want Obamacare repealed.

And just for Lennie, it is the insurance companies that told people they could not keep their own doctor (to maximize profits), not Obamacare.

Why would they want Obamcare to be repealed?  As it currently stands, they can participate if it is profitable, and drop out if it isn't. 

It was the promoters of Obamacare that said you could keep your doctor, even knowing full well it was a load of crap, not the insurance companies.  http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/13/politics/tapper-gruber/index.html

The insurance companies were under no obligation to keep the politicians' promises if it wasn't spelled out in the law.