Former Ariz. Senator: ‘McCain Has Judgment Problem’
Former Sen. Dennis DeConcini (D-Ariz.) was interviewed Wednesday by Steve Goldstein on Phoenix’s local NPR affiliate, KJZZ-FM, about his experiences with his
Jul 31, 202051.1K Shares1.3M Views
Former Sen. Dennis DeConcini (D-Ariz.) was interviewedWednesday by Steve Goldstein on Phoenix’s local NPR affiliate, KJZZ-FM, about his experiences with his former colleague and fellow “Keating Fiver,” Sen. John McCain. Not surprisingly, DeConcini — a supporter of Sen. Barack Obama — paints quite a different picture of McCain than his campaign would probably like. Here’s an excerpt:
“„[McCain] has a problem of judgment. I think that has been clear, as the campaign goes on, that his judgment is flawed. He paints it as a “maverick” position, but in fact he has a problem finding good judgment and staying with it.
“„He likes to paint himself as a man of convictions that stays with it. But if you served with him, as I did, and if you have followed him since I have left, and I have done that, you see his positions changed [with] whatever is needed. Whether it’s on taxes, income tax cuts; whether it’s on drilling in Alaska, or offshore, or you name it — and John McCain has been all over the map.
“„And he will continue to do that, and that’s why he has been able to be successful because, in my judgment, mostly, not all of the media, but much of the media kind of lets him get away with it.
DeConcini, who spent 18 years in the Senate, tells a couple of anecdotes about McCain’s infamous temper. While DeConcini clearly isn’t McCain’s biggest fan, he does have a unique perspective as someone who served alongside McCain during the latter’s formative years in the Senate — a perspective that might be worth considering.
Paula M. Graham
Reviewer
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