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(s)Elections See other (s)Elections Articles Title: Mr 'McNasty' in battle to keep his cool Mr 'McNasty' in battle to keep his cool By Andrew Ward in Washington It was the telltale sign that John McCain was getting mad. During the last few Republican presidential primary debates, when his battle with Mitt Romney became increasingly rancorous, a forced smile would spread across the Arizona senator's face every time his opponent went on the attack. Asked about the expression by a reporter later, he described it as a "defence mechanism" to mask feelings of anger and frustration. Mr McCain has been battling to control his infamous temper since childhood, when schoolmates nicknamed him "McNasty" and "Punk". Now, as he prepares to carry the Republican banner into November's election, critics are questioning whether his fiery temperament could be a liability as commander-in-chief. In January, Thad Cochran, a Republican senator for Mississippi, said the thought of Mr McCain as president sent a "cold chill down my spine", describing him as "hotheaded" and "erratic". James Dobson, the influential evangelical leader, said he could not support Mr McCain, in part because he "has a legendary temper and often uses foul and obscene language". On Capitol Hill, his outbursts are part of congressional folklore. One of the most recent came last year when, according to witnesses, he shouted, "Fuck you!" at John Cornyn, a Republican senator for Texas, during a heated exchange over immigration reform. A similar tirade in 1999 cost him the support of Pete Domenici, a New Mexico senator, in the 2000 presidential election. "I decided I didn't want this guy anywhere near a trigger," said Mr Domenici. A new book, called The Real McCain,claims he once physically attacked Rick Renzi, an Arizona congressman, during an argument. Speaking on Fox News this week, Mr McCain said that this and other allegations in the book were "either false or exaggerated". But he has acknowledged in memoirs and interviews that his temper is a source of "personal concern". "I wake up daily and tell myself, 'You must do everything possible to stay cool, calm and collected today'," he once said. Current and former aides say the catalyst for his temper is nearly always a matter of political principle or personal honour. He once flew into a rage at Chuck Grassley, an Iowa senator, over a perceived slur against his war record. On another occasion, he bawled at Dan Goldin, the former Nasa administrator, after a $125m space probe was lost because of a mix-up between metric and imperial measurements. "It is usually over an issue he feels passionate about - how taxpayers' money is spent, or a moral issue of right and wrong," says Howard Opinsky, Mr McCain's spokesman during the 2000 Republican race. Ernie Baird, a prominent Republican in Mr McCain's home state of Arizona, says the senator's reputation stems from his willingness to confront difficult issues and challenge vested interests. "There's some politicians who husband political capital. But McCain is not afraid to spend his, and that sometimes involves getting in fights," he says. Criticism of Mr McCain's temperament has long been used by his foes as code to insinuate more serious character flaws. During the 2000 campaign, supporters of George W. Bush spread rumours that the senator was mentally unstable after his 5½ years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, where he attempted suicide and was repeatedly tortured. People familiar with Mr McCain say the innuendo is malicious and unfounded. "He controls his temper better than he is given credit for," says a former senior government official. Several associates said his temper was no worse than that of many politicians. "I've worked for bosses who scream at staff. I wouldn't put McCain anywhere near that category," says Mr Opinsky. "I'd be more worried about someone who always had a sunny demeanour. After an event like Hurricane Katrina you don't want the president saying, 'Everything's great.' You want somebody who is angry." Presidential historians say scrutiny of Mr McCain's temper is legitimate, given the importance of character in the Oval Office. "[Richard] Nixon clearly had character deficiencies that contributed to the ruination of his presidency," says Jeremy Mayer, presidential scholar at George Mason University. But he adds that temper alone should not be a disqualification, citing Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson and Bill Clinton among past presidents who were known for having a short fuse. Joel Goldstein, a presidential scholar at St Louis University, argues that temper can be dangerous in a president if it intimidates officials and deters dissent; but other faults, such as lack of curiosity, can be just as serious. Until now, discussion of Mr McCain's temper has been largely restricted to the chattering classes of Washington and Phoenix. "It will only become an election issue if he shows a flash of anger on the campaign trail that brings it to wider attention," predicts Bruce Gronbeck, an expert on presidential character at the University of Iowa. The only incriminating evidence to have made it onto YouTube so far was a testy exchange with a reporter aboard his campaign aircraft last month. Character is considered one of Mr McCain's greatest electoral assets because of his reputation for integrity and steadfastness. Anything that undermines that positive image could damage his campaign. Democrats may try to make a connection between Mr McCain's temper and his bellicose rhetoric on Iraq and the "war on terror" to sow unease about his becoming president. But any overt attacks against the character of a revered war hero would risk backfiring. "He is almost untouchable," says Mr Gronbeck. According to Mr Opinsky, the senator's spikiness is part of his appeal. "People are tired of politicians with a veneer," he says. "McCain gets happy, sad, angry and doesn't try to hide it. That's why people like him." ************************************************************** The on-line version of this article toned down the headline a bit, so I've restored it as it appears in the print edition of today's FT.
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#1. To: aristeides (#0)
But he has acknowledged in memoirs and interviews that his temper is a source of "personal concern". "I wake up daily and tell myself, 'You must do everything possible to stay cool, calm and collected today'," he once said. Oh MY!
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