The Pink Flamingo :: Did Big Mac’s Temper Get The Best of Him?

Malkin is one of the conservatives who is slamming John McCain over his alleged “Temper” incident today. Captain Ed agrees with me.

A QUICK RANT
I have a feeling the press is going to do everything possible to provoke an incident with Senator McCain. This whole incident is a non incident. The man did not lose his temper. He did a heck of a lot better than I would have. Then, if you watch a clip of the incident, did you see the vultures swoop in for a piece of the action? By the time this mess is over, I will be shocked of John McCain still has a decent working relationship with them.

With any other candidate this would be a non-issue.

The transcript of the interrogation from The Politico

Elisabeth Bumiller: Senator can I ask you about Senator Kerry. I just went back and looked at our story, the Times story, and you told Sheryl Stolberg that you had never had a conversation with Kerry about being, about Vice President –  

John McCain: Everybody knows that I had a private conversation. Everybody knows that. That I had a conversation. There’s no living American in Washington -  

EB: Okay.  

McCain: - that knows that, there’s no one.  

EB: Okay  McCain: And you know it too. You know it. You know it. So I don’t even know why you ask.  

EB: Well I ask because I just read –-  

McCain: You do know it. You do know it.  

EB: Because I just read in the Times in May of ’04 you said.  

McCain: I don’t know what you may have read or heard of, I don’t know the circumstances. Maybe in May of 04 I hadn’t had the conversation --  

EB: But do you recall the conversation?  

McCain: I don’t know, but it’s well known that I had the conversation. It is absolutely well known by everyone. So do you have a question on another issue?  

EB: Well can I ask you when the conversation was?  

McCain: No. Nope, because the issue is closed as far as I’m concerned. Everybody knows it. Everybody knows it in America.  

EB: Can you describe the conversation?  

McCain: Pardon me.  

EB: Can you describe the conversation?  

McCain: No, of course not. I don’t describe private conversations.  

EB: Okay. Can I ask you –  

McCain: Why should I? Then there’s no such thing as a private conversation. Is there (inaudible) if you have a private conversation with someone, and then they come and tell you. I don’t know that that’s a private conversation. I think that’s a public conversation.  

EB. Okay. Can I ask you about your (pause) Why you’re so angry?  

McCain: Pardon me?  

EB: Nevermind, nevermind.  

McCain: I mean it’s well known. Everybody knows. It’s been well chronicled a thousand times. John Kerry asked if I would consider being his running mate.  

EB: Right.  

McCain: And I said categorically no, under no circumstances. That’s all very well known.  

EB: Okay, let me ask you… (moves on to another question.)

Are we now living in a society where losing one’s temper is a sign of a psychological deficiency? If so, let’s start with Jesus and work down from there. It seems to me He list His temper one time. Peggy Noonan once wrote about Ronald Reagan’s temper. He had one. Bill Clinton is infamous for his temper tantrums. (For the record, so have I). Our very first (and my favorite) President of the United States, George Washington – remember him – had a ferocious temper and could out swear an “R-rated” cop movie. He once grew so angry with feuding officers that he punched the three of them out with just one punch to the jaw apiece. Abraham Lincoln had a ‘ferocious’ temper. FDR had a temper.

Maybe the problem isn’t John McCain.

What if – what if the problem is with our society that has become so placid and so hypersensitive someone with the power of positive thinking, a temper, and some righteous anger is perceived as a threat. I can’t think of a better reason for John McCain to keep on being John McCain. We need people like him. (That way I can rationalize my sometimes vile temper).