For me, the most surprising and wonderful moment of last night’s John McCain speech was when he said, “and they broke me.” What Presidential candidate has ever made such an admission?
And it almost came out of nowhere. The speech was a little…boring up until then. It felt at times to me like a laundry list of kitchen-table issues. He was clearly distancing himself from Republicans and even scolding them at times but the rhetoric was hardly soaring. I think John McCain is allergic to high-falutin’ phraseology. His cadence is not conducive to speechifying. He jumps on applause lines. But it was exactly the lack of falutin’ that had me not expecting anything extraordinary from McCain last night. He, instead, went for honesty. And to me, it was an extraordinary moment in this campaign season.
Here’s the context:
But after I turned down their offer, they worked me over harder than they ever had before, for a long time, and they broke me.
When they brought me back to my cell, I was hurt and ashamed, and I didn’t know how I could face my fellow prisoners. The good man in the cell next door to me, my friend, Bob Craner, saved me.
Through taps on a wall, he told me I had fought as hard as I could. No man can always stand alone. And then he told me to get back up and fight again for my country and for the men I had the honor to serve with, because every day they fought for me.
I fell in love with my country when I was a prisoner in someone else’s. I loved it not just for the many comforts of life here. I loved it for its decency, for its faith in the wisdom, justice, and goodness of its people.MCCAIN: I loved it because it was not just a place, but an idea, a cause worth fighting for. I was never the same again; I wasn’t my own man anymore; I was my country’s.
I can see his many panicked consultants sweating over that line, meeting in hallways in whispers and fretting over that line, and maybe even planning on approaching him at some point (but never right then) about the wisdom of that line. I can also see McCain ignoring them -a trait that many find alternately endearing and annoying depending on who’s getting ignored.
But it was an amazing line because some might think it makes him smaller, but it actually makes him seem larger. The way he talked about being broken and built back up as a different man -a better man- was illuminating. The idea that suffering can bless us in unforeseen ways was a suprising turn in a political speech. I trust John McCain more today than I did yesterday. By admitting his limitations he seemed more…presidential.
September 5, 2008 at 5:31 pm
I think I decided to vote for John McCain when I heard him utter that line (of course, Sarah Palin helps in that regard).
I was literally starting to doze off when I heard him say that, and it shook me out of my near slumber. I sat upright immediately and listened intently to the rest of his speech.
The last 3rd of it was very uplifting.
September 5, 2008 at 5:46 pm
I noticed that a lot of the crowd in the hall last night seemed either disinterested or tired. Is it possible that all that “I don’t work for a party” ticked them off? That’s o.k. — I think the television audience probably appreciated it. I, too, enjoyed the above story.
September 5, 2008 at 5:50 pm
John McCain doesn’t normally inspire me. I have to admit, I went to bed last night before he gave his speech, but I’ve read the transcript. His speech, paired with Sarah Palin has sold me. If he lives up to much of what he promised , I will be a satisfied woman.
September 5, 2008 at 6:07 pm
This is why American’s believe our forefather’s founded a Christian nation.
“I loved it because it was not just a place, but an idea, a cause worth fighting for. I was never the same again; I wasn’t my own man anymore; I was my country’s.”
Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Matthew 10:39
September 5, 2008 at 6:37 pm
Like him or not, he’s an example of how a man should be.
September 5, 2008 at 7:27 pm
That line absolutely DRIPS with Christological allusions…
September 5, 2008 at 7:29 pm
I wasn’t able to watch the speech, by my family told me about it. Reading it in context, I am so glad to see it. You’re right anyway about it being more presidential- it’s just not the recent trend. I read a fascinating article on presidential rhetoric in which the author examined inaugural addresses and State of the Union speeches from Washington through Clinton’s first term. From GW till well into the 20th century, most presidents mentioned a sense of humility, of doubt that they were equal to the task before them, whereas in the past 50 years or so, those markers have gone down, and notes of confidence have risen quite a lot.
All the speeches are available for free download on iTunes, both from the DNC and the RNC. DNC included some video, and I’m hoping the RNC will add them in later.
September 5, 2008 at 7:57 pm
That part of his speech brought tears to my eyes. This was not a made up story, or impressive speech highlight, it was real. It is what makes John McCain who he his. A humbled man ready to serve, as his comrades served him.
September 5, 2008 at 8:52 pm
My wife and I watched it live. He definitely started slowly, and finished high.
September 5, 2008 at 10:43 pm
It reminds me of the story of Reagan’s speech. His writers deleted the line, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” three or four times. They begged and warned him not to use it. But he did anyway. When people REALLY believe in something it is hard to stop them from professing it.
September 5, 2008 at 10:43 pm
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September 6, 2008 at 12:43 am
Thanks for pointing out this great line. It’s a statement of utter humility…the sign, from ancient religious and secular texts, of a true leader. It echoes Peter’s denial and then his total contrition, forgiveness and redemption.
The other fellow writes serial autobiographies about himself and creates his own Presidential seal before he’s even elected. John McCain admits his utter failure and consequent redemption. Only a jackass could still vote for the community organizer.
September 6, 2008 at 2:23 am
As others have said here, it was the humility of that line that made it so effective. Tie that line in with what Sarah Palin said the night before, “To the most powerful office on earth, he would bring the compassion that comes from having once been powerless … the wisdom that comes even to the captives, by the grace of God … the special confidence of those who have seen evil, and seen how evil is overcome,” and you wouldn’t be blamed for mistaking the two for Catholics.
September 7, 2008 at 8:31 pm
Back when McCain first ran for public office, if I remember correctly, an issue was made of what he did when they “broke him.” This is a while back, but i believe he made some antiAmerican statements on film, after being tortured, as other prisoners also did. I have only the vaguest memory of this, but I think those statements were run on TV at the time, and so were available for his opponent to use, He may have been trying to forstall this happening in the presidential election.
If someone knows more of the facts about this, please feel free to correct my hazy memory. I may be conflating other Vietnam and post Vietnam coverage with McCain specifically.
Susan Peterson(aka eulogos)