Sunday, September 7, 2008

McCain's Temper

McClatchy has an interesting story describing McCain's temper. Even many of his fans agree that he tends to be too impulsive.

"Yeah, he has a temper," said Delaware Sen. Joseph Biden , the Democratic vice-presidential nominee and Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman. "It's obvious. You've seen it.

"But is John whatever his opposition painted him to be, this unstable guy who came out of a prisoner or war camp not capable of (acting rationally)? I don't buy that at all."

I think that Biden's take is probably correct. I do think that McCain sometimes acts impulsively, and that it is very difficult to get him to recognize an error and reverse course.

On the other hand, when he recognizes an error, I can't think of another prominent politician who issues a more gracious apology. (His apology after the Keating 5 affair should be in a textbook, and he became as passionate an advocate of campaign finance reform as there is in the Senate.)

--SCC