John McCain's secret weapon against smears this time

John McCain's campaign has aggressively reacted against negative attacks this year with its “truth squad” of state leaders. But the truth is, their secret weapon may actually be the Arizona senator's wife, Cindy. She's using a softer approach to prevent a repeat of the smears on her family from the 2000 South Carolina primary.

In the last few days leading up to today's voting, she told voters in Aiken and Columbia the story of how 15 years ago the couple adopted their daughter Bridget, who is now 16, from an orphanage in Bangladesh. Eight years ago, anonymous McCain foes used phone calls and fliers to insinuate the dark-skinned Bridget was really McCain’s illegitimate “black baby.” And McCain lost that election.

Cindy McCain, cutting an elegant figure in her charcoal suit, black turtleneck and pearl drop earrings, took the microphone from its stand in Aiken and walked from the stage into the crowd, telling the ....

audience in confidential tones that she was going to share a little something about McCain “the man.”

While working at Mother Teresa’s orphanage in Bangladesh in the early 1990s, McCain said, “I stumbled upon the most beautiful little girl I’d ever seen. She had a terrible cleft palate. She had problems with her feet. She had problems with her hands. She had all kinds of problems.”

“As only Mother Teresa can do," McCain continued, "she prevailed upon me to take this baby and another baby –- get them out of the country and take them to the United States for medical care.” On the flight from Bangkok to Los Angeles, McCain said she realized, “I couldn’t give this child up.... She had chosen me. That’s just as simple as it was.”

“Well, the kick in this was I hadn’t told my husband,” Cindy said, as the Aiken crowd chuckled appreciatively. “So when I stepped off the plane in Arizona, I was holding her, and John met me at the airport, and, of course, there were a lot of cameras there.... And he whispered down to me and said, 'Well, where’s she going to go?'

“I looked up at him and sort of thought ‘Well, our house – how about that?’ And that’s simply the way I introduced him to his new daughter. He has loved her the same way I have for 16 years,” Cindy McCain said.

“I’d like to leave you with this," McCain said. "To love a child and be handed a child, without any option in it, is one thing. But what John has done with our children is to instill in them the things that were most important to him ... that is, duty, honor and country. And he, by example, taught our children what was most important, and that is to put country ahead of self, and that makes me love him so much.”

Then, Cindy McCain handed the microphone to her “partner, friend and husband, John McCain.” And she took her seat.

-- Maeve Reston

Comments

[Joe]

A US PRESIDENT NAME HUSSEIN BARACK OBAMA. THAT'S FOOLISH AND NONSENSE!!!!!!

Mrs Clinton is obviously the most qualified candidate in both parties.I'm an American I stay up late to watch the debates.So far she is the only candidate that demonstrated the qualites and experience that US needs during these turbulent times.

Obama may be brilliant , could make good C and C for the Future but ceratinly not ready for the 2008 White House.U S politics isn't about looking nice and talking sweet; it's about tough choices and decisions.Americans have to separate enthusiasm founded on wishes and dreams from pedigree, know-how, and a demonstrated capacity to deliver.

[NFaye]

McCain is TOO ANGRY and TOO OLD and TOO HAWKISH. His ego driving vow to chase Osama Bin Laden to Hell regardless of the death and destruction it takes scares the hell out of me! His willingness to leave our troops in Iraq for the next 50 years sends chills of dread down my spine. I'd fear another war and reinstatemnt of the draft if McCain were to be elected.

[David]

John McCain has more character, honesty, and willingness to address the truth of the issues, even when the truth is not popular, than all the other Republican and Democratic candidates put together. How would Mitt Romney have handled the Hanoi Hiliton?
Go John McCain!!

[Sameera Righton]

I wonder how Bridget feels hearing her mother describe her daughter's early disabilities to a crowd of strangers. Was she there in the audience? I'm rooting hard for her, and hope that this campaign will heal some old wounds:

http://www.sparrowblog.com/2007/06/bridget-youre-safe-we-hope.html

[stephanie]

Hilary is only out for her own agenda. How can u have some one in office that can be bought so easily. At least Sen McCain has some gumpson, and yeah we do need to be in Iraq I would rather they take care of the majority of the problem now than we have to go back again and fix it again and waste all our resourses of a futur generation. Think less about the needs of the individual and more about the good of the whole.

[Winghunter]

I've seen ignorance before but, not pouring like a faucet....find out what you don't know folks;

Candidate Research - Know Who You're Voting For ( The Easy Way )

[Blake]

I am voting for Obama, but have been watching Cindy McCain. Has she undergone a makeover? She is looking very First Lady-like. I saw her in a purple suit with strands of pearls and her hair swept up...then at the debate in a cream colored suit and red shirt with her hair down. Every appearance, she looks more elegant. She's downright stunning.

[Ricardo]

We all knew, in europe, that when Bush Jr. was going to be chosen, he was going to go to war ,somewhere, to get the military machine working. With no plan .. just business in mind he went to ´solve´ the Iraqi problem with war. American polticians still think that that is the solution.
If we go on like this, the planet will burst. Education and social security is good for the wealthy in the states. An absurd idea for europeans. If America votes for a republican .. war will go on. Americans are the biggest polluters in the world. When will this crime towards the whole world stop?
Americans .. please CHANGE!

[dave]

where's the picture showing mccain as saint mary
with the baby, and more importantly, with the supersized halo/ego? who would dispute it's just fine when people find someone to care for and be happy with?
but why destroy all merit by being pathetic, and trying
to instrumentalize feelings for power and profit?
if it's not possible to buy love, why try to sell yours?
how much oil and how much money, for your beloved little daughter from bangladesh? how many million
babies not mashed to bloody pulp, if you don't bomb-bomb-iran, and how many million more not deformed and suffering, in thousands of years to come, if you don't dump depleted uranium all over their place?