The death Saturday of Sen. John McCain grieved me. He loved our country, viewing fealty to it as far surpassing service to ourselves.
He will go down in history as that young, dashing U.S. Navy fighter pilot held captive under miserable conditions by the North Vietnamese in Hanoi. He suffered horrendous treatment, as did others. He stood out because he refused to be used as a propaganda tool, forsaking a chance to get out of jail because he was the son of a four-star admiral newly named as commander of Pacific forces.
His injuries after ejecting from his wounded aircraft haunted him the rest of his life.
John McCain was a military and political warrior. He delved into politics in Arizona shortly after leaving the Navy. He gained a reputation as a fighter and a maverick; his Republican elders often disapproved of his actions and attitude.
He ran twice for U.S. President. He lost to George W. Bush in the GOP primary in 2000 and to Barack Obama in 2008.
Honor and courage characterized McCain. Though he slipped sometimes and pandered as do many politicians to win election, he did it rarely. He had the audacity and character to oppose his party. He felt comfortable criticizing, sometimes harshly, American presidents. He viewed Donald Trump with contempt.
I met Senator McCain once prior to a commencement at the University of Pennsylvania. I exchanged some small talk. It went flat. However, when I heard him speak self-deprecatingly of his basement rank in his graduation class at the U.S. Naval Academy, as he expressed wonder at being asked to speak at an “elite” university, I applauded his sense of humor.
John McCain was a tough hombre. A lengthy stay at the Hanoi Hilton can do that to anyone. His years as a prisoner of war inured him to fear. Political combat probably seemed easy and bearable.
Sen. McCain will be missed by his family, friends, and constituents. At the risk of seeming trite, he was one of a kind. His death afflicts millions of people in our nation with grief about the loss of a hard-nosed patriot.
My brief conversation with Sen. McCain had no impact on me. But my knowledge of his personal history and rock-solid character left me with the impression that this war hero and political warrior was a historic figure.
Service beyond yourself—that’s John McCain’s enduring legacy.
Columnist Howard Freedlander retired in 2011 as Deputy State Treasurer of the State of Maryland. Previously, he was the executive officer of the Maryland National Guard. He also served as community editor for Chesapeake Publishing, lastly at the Queen Anne’s Record-Observer. In retirement, Howard serves on the boards of several non-profits on the Eastern Shore, Annapolis and Philadelphia.
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