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Opinion: Cindy McCain provides an October surprise -- mingling with the media

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Cindy McCain famously avoids contact with the reporters and photographers who cover her husband’s quest for the White House.

Although she often has accompanied John McCain on the road as his campaign plane flies from event to event, Mrs. McCain, like the wives of Republican nominees before her, has never been known to stroll back from the jet’s first-class compartment to chat with the 60 media members and Secret Service agents seated in the rear.

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Until today, that is.

On a morning flight from Newark to Miami, an aide announced a “special surprise.” Mrs. McCain suddenly pulled back the dark Oz-like curtain separating the two sections and emerged with a nervous smile.

Behind her came Sen. Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican who is McCain’s long-time friend and frequent traveling companion. They both held out bright orange, plastic pumpkins filled with Halloween candy.

Moving down the aisle, they offered the goodies to startled reporters, some of whom tried not to stare. Her eyes, for the record, are bright blue. She wore an elegant grey flannel pant suit , a double-strand silver necklace and diamond Navy pin. Her blond hair was pinned back.

“Take more,” she urged softly, pushing the candy. “I know you guys are in the gym every morning,” she added, presumably as a joke.

How many days are left, someone asked. “Eighteen, but who’s counting?” she murmured, moving along.

Someone asked Graham what he plans to be for Halloween.

“The government guy who comes to bail you out,” he replied, after a moment’s thought. “Now that’s scary.”

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What about Mrs. McCain? Who will she be?

‘I’ll be Lindsey Graham,” she said quickly.

And then, with a woosh of the curtain, she was gone.

-- Bob Drogin

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