Sharing my experiences in knowing Senator McCain.
Through my position as a public affairs representative I met with Senator McCain on a number of occasions as my position frequently took me to Washington to lobby on behalf of my company.
While he was always busy, he found time to meet with me and my colleagues. On one occasion, he reluctantly agreed to meet in Arizona with a group I was representing as a board member, though he wasn’t inclined to support their issue. He met with them as a favor to me.
I recall having the opportunity to meet Carol, his first wife, who anxiously waited for word about him from Vietnam as she cared for his children. She was involved in a horrible automobile accident while McCain was in prison that left her with a limp and shorter in stature. Years later, after their divorce, I had the pleasure of meeting her in the White House, where she was working in the visitor’s office.
I regret that Carol’s role in his early life is being ignored in all of the coverage while his character as a Naval aviator, POW and senator is glorified.
Since Donald Trump became our president, the senator was understandably unable to get past Trump’s insult of his time as a POW. The senator and his wife were invited and attended a dinner in the White House. McCain’s dislike of the president obviously ran deep.
Senator McCain is shown back to the camera, left of center, giving the thumbs down on the Senate floor. (NBCNews.com)_
You might say that I carry a similar grudge against the senator. After he and fellow Republicans promised to repeal ObamaCare, he chose to vote thumbs down while his senate colleagues stood in amazement. I choose to believe it was his way of getting back at President Trump. It was a moment I will never forget.
As if that wasn’t enough, he made it clear that he did not want President Trump to participate in his funeral.
May you rest in peace, Senator.
