A Real-Deal Hero

"We admire them, we envy them, for great qualities that we ourselves lack." Mark Twain about heroes.

John McCain was a hero for the United States of America. The maverick Senator from Arizona was destined for that moniker from birth. He came into the world wrapped in a Navy blanket. He cut his teeth on toy anchors. His first word was "service." The US Navy lineage of his ancestors goes back to the pre-Viking Period.

As a Navy fighter pilot in Vietnam his motto was "one more sortie." Regardless of how many missions and strikes he had performed. Just one more, he figured, he hadn't yet given it his all. He was still conscious.

As a prisoner of war he refused release because he had buddies who were still in cages. He was tortured to unconsciousness by the enemy for his guile.

As a US Senator he crossed the aisle to make deals. He was always expected to do the unexpected. A principled maverick. He made close friends and familiar enemies and could still spin a good yarn and laugh about it afterward.

As a candidate for President of the United States he demonstrated his quirkiness by choosing a loud-mouthed cheerleader from Alaska as a running mate -- a real yahoo doozie. He later regretted it and admitted his error.

He lost his run for President to Barack Obama, whom he looked upon as a rookie who hadn't put in sufficient service for the office. Yet he stood up for Obama when others challenged his character, setting the record straight and defending his opponent as a decent family man.

The low point came during the 2016 Presidential race when one of the candidates from his own party said McCain was not a war hero, because he was captured by the enemy. This candidate had never served his country in the armed forces, or anywhere for that matter. A typical chicken hawk.

This candidate, regardless, was elected President of the United States. Perhaps because he is a maverick. Americans like mavericks. Not all mavericks are heroes.

McCain's final days were spent imploring his colleagues in Congress to work together. For the good of the country. To accomplish something. Friends, he said, we're not getting anything done.

I didn't vote for John McCain, not just because of Sarah Palin although that was good enough reason. Yet if anyone exemplified the qualities of a true American hero, he did. He certainly had great qualities that most of us lack.

Thank you, Senator, for your service.