My Memories of Straight Talkin’ John McCain

Kevin Anderson
Sep 6, 2018 · 2 min read
The Late Sen. John McCain in January 2011, by Medill DC, from Flickr, Some Rights Reserved

A few lifetimes ago, or at the very least a few chapters ago, I was the BBC News Online’s man in Washington, and in 2000, I covered my first US presidential election. And like hundreds, if not thousands of other journalists, I flew up to New Hampshire to cover the First in the Nation™ Primary. John McCain was surging, and as the digital correspondent, I was fascinated by his use of the internet. Many people forget that McCain was the first presidential candidate to raise seven figures online in the wake of his upset victory of George W. Bush in New Hampshire. He was one of the first internet insurgents, long before we ever talked about the “People-Powered” Howard Dean.

But my lasting memory of Sen. McCain was when his Straight Talk Express bus pulled up to a small church in New Hampshire, and he held one of his town hall meetings there. Most of the questions were quite pedestrian, but I’ll never forget when one questioner grabbed the mic and said, “Sen. McCain, you talk about straight talk. But I’ve asked you three times whether you support the legalisation of marijuana, and you’ve never answered my question.” The audience, packed with McCain supporters, took umbrage at the challenge. Sen. McCain quieted the audience, and he said, “Well, friend, I’ll shoot straight with you. I’m against it.” But he quickly added with an impish smile, “Good luck with your crop.”

In 2000, despite the crucible of a presidential campaign, he retained a sense of himself, something he didn’t manage in 2008 although he got closer to the prize. I have always held that if the John McCain of 2000 ran in 2008, he might very well have won.

The man who spared Obamacare with a theatrical thumbs down was classic McCain, making a point with a bit of theatre but also that bit of humanity and a surplus of principle. He will be missed.

Kevin Anderson
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