John McCain was compared with the famous boxer Muhammad Ali in some recent media articles. This connection appeared because of the Senator’s decision to support Donald Trump.
These individuals have different fates, but the same core behavioral pattern – self-sacrificing for the sake of great principles. Muhammad Ali was against own military service and the Vietnam War. This opposition came at a price – the man’s boxing carrier was broken at its prime, and the sportsman lost millions of dollars and his time. In contrast, McCain served in the army, was captured by North Vietnamese, but didn’t biding when the enemy wanted to release him sooner than other prisoners as a propaganda coup. However, authors focused more on the Senator’s political actions, not his military career.
It looked like McCain wants to win more than to be right, and sometimes makes odd decisions to achieve this goal. The choice of Sarah Palin as a running mate in 2008 was one of the examples of this behavior. And the backing of Donald Trump is another one. An eccentric and provoking behavior of the current Republican nominee makes fools out of his team-mates.
McCain’s behavior can be partially explained by his age (and he is almost 80 years old). Men in this age often see the retirement as a sort of pre-death. No second career can follow, just a white, arctic silence — no phone ringing, no one stopping by, emails diminishing until spam itself is welcomed. Click. Take a chance. Maybe someone still cares.
McCain appears disoriented by what he has done. His recent statement — quickly retracted — that President Obama was somehow “directly responsible” for the massacre in Orlando, is evidence of a man who has lost his political balance. He doesn’t know anymore who he is or what he stands for — or what, aside from winning, he wants.
John McCain and firearms’ purchasing
In spite of an opinion about the “disorientation”, McCain continues to perform his political duties. In the recent statement he mentioned that he voted to advance two amendments filed by Senators John Cornyn and Chuck Grassley that would prevent individuals named on the terrorist watch list in the last five years from purchasing firearms; incentivize the improvement of the national firearm background check system; and address mental health concerns in a manner that is consistent with the Constitution:
“In the wake of the horrific attacks in San Bernardino and Orlando, and the threat of more terrorist-inspired or directed attacks on the homeland, Americans are rightfully calling for stronger action to prevent potential terrorists from purchasing firearms. I share those concerns, and voted for two common-sense amendments today filed by Senators Cornyn and Grassley that would help us accomplish this in a way that is both effective and constitutional”.
