When even the Huffington Post is praising John McCain, you know he's a RINO.

Ah leon, the notion that there is not a set of beliefs or morals that a person can hold to make them appealing to people in general is a sad and dangerous one. If you truly believe that there is no middle ground for someone to be respected by people, and not just people of one party, then you hold a dangerous view, that if proven right will probably destroy the country.

McCain the only pow to gain. Weight in hanoi....

Well said jmo

being loved and respected is not the ultimate test, jmo. those who really stand for truth will be attacked.

If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you. Remember the word I spoke to you, ‘No slave is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. And they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me.

Yep. I often disagree on policy, but one can never doubt the integrity of his intentions. He is the last of a vanished breed I think of rational people in American public life. He will be sorely missed in ways we can't imagine now

Stressed, you can take the Hanoi Hilton tour and choose the executive package with a weeks stay in a 4x3 cell.

Cyrus, was it one of the talks at the boat school? I forgot the name of those talks there. When I was there they were great.

Good post jmo. The idea that only one ideology/political philosophy/political party can be correct or tolerated is a form of totalitarianism / fascism. The idea that no one who holds differing views to one's own views can be respected is abhorrent. ( this does not mean that ALL people with whom one disagrees must be respected. But if a person cannot respect anyone at all from those with whom they disagree, then they have a serious problem in my view )
Personally I think that John McCain would have been a far better President than both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.
There is a point that I think the "rabid right" ( & extreme left) fail to understand when they embrace polarising politicians like Trump. A willingness to co~operate across political divides for the greater good is essential. Yet the "political playbook" of the right for almost two decades has increasingly moved towards "no compromise, no co~operation, instead act as wreckers and increase the animosities, hostilities" And the left are often reacting in a similar way as a response. So those in the "reasonable centre" are being attacked from both extremes which I think is a genuine cause for concern.
I repeat my praise for John McCain, I do think he is a man with great personal integrity.

Captain. Being a.pow is not a crime. Being a rat fink is. How many pilots does cuz.of mccain........we will never know

@Stressed, his father at the time was a highly ranked commander in the US forces. Keeping his son relatively comfortable was the obvious and intelligent strategy for his captors.

Good man too bad he called himself a Republican when he was really a Democrat

Nothing wrong with calling yourself a republican or democrat. They're only labels.

....and Steven wants to say that Republicans aren't far right wingers... lol

While I can agree with his policies, I can't respect McCain after he helped block an investigation into Keating's bank scam and helped protect his wife who stole drugs for her personal use from her charity.

"Nothing wrong with calling yourself a republican or democrat. They're only labels. "

And campaign funding.

I think many politicians choose their party more on funding and chance at winning than by policies.

Yet idiots continue to only look at the label and say stupid things like all Republicans are far right wingers.

"....and Steven wants to say that Republicans aren't far right wingers... lol"

I agree that a few are but, you know what they say about baseless generalizations...

@CaptB, yes, it was a Forrestal Lecture. Not sure if they were always called that.

We bought a Arizona Pine from Lowe's in the clearance section of their Garden Center. It hadn't been watered forever and was a landscape "rescue". We named it John McCain because it was from Arizona, prickly and probably wasn't going to make it very long.

when the other POWs are calling you a canary, then there might be something there...

A few? More like all but Flake and Collins.