Cindy McCain: pills, beer and the White House

London Telegraph ^ | February 3, 2008 | Tim Shipman

[Turnabout]

Cindy McCain: pills, beer and the White House

By Tim Shipman in Chicago

Last Updated: 2:36am GMT 03/02/2008

Like her husband, Cindy McCain has fought adversity and come out the other side as an asset to his presidential campaign - and a campaigner in her own right.

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  The Budweiser beer heiress has battled prescription drug addiction and illness, and watched as the dirty tricks that derailed her husband's bid for the White House eight years ago engulfed the daughter she adopted from Mother Teresa's orphanage in Bangladesh.

  Unlike that campaign, when she seemed a tentative figure in the political arena, she has now emerged as a passionate and articulate speaker, often introducing her husband at his rallies.

  Mr McCain's closest aide, Mark Salter, told The Sunday Telegraph: "She's a very effective campaigner. She is absolutely great. When she's around, she can keep him on an even keel."

  But her graceful demeanour, reminiscent of the cheerleader she once was, masks a woman who has experienced the extremes that go with a life in the spotlight. In 1994 she admitted that for three years she became addicted to painkillers.

  Mrs McCain, 53, blamed her dependency on two back operations and the stress of her peripheral involvement in the so-called Keating Five scandal, in which her husband was accused of receiving donations and lobbying on behalf of a collapsed saving company's disgraced chief.

  To make matters worse, it emerged that she had stolen pills from the American Voluntary Medical Team, a third world relief organisation that she had founded. Mrs McCain entered a rehab programme rather than face criminal charges. She later told an interviewer: "The best thing I've ever done is go into recovery and stay drug-free."

  Meanwhile, he said the experience had strengthened their marriage, which began a year after the two met in 1979 when Mr McCain's first marriage was in decline. She later braved two miscarriages before doctors realised she had a rare deformation of the uterus. This was not the last of her medical dramas: she suffered a near-fatal stroke in 2004 and recently took time out from the campaign to undergo knee surgery.

  A businesswoman in her own right, she became chairman of her father's $300 million Budweiser distribution company in 2000. She is also on the boards of the anti-landmine Halo Trust and of Operation Smile, a charity that helps children with cleft palates.

  It was on a trip to Bangladesh in 1991 that she adopted Bridget. On Friday she recounted to voters in Missouri and Illinois how Mother Teresa persuaded her to return home with the child.

  "I just could not let her go. The only thing was, I had not told my husband. When I got back, he asked me 'Where will she go?' and I said: 'I thought she could come to our house.' For the next 16 years he has loved her as much as I have." The couple have three other children; daughter Meghan is working on her father's campaign and son James is fighting in Iraq.

  Adopting Bridget was not without its traumas. Mrs McCain said that she was "disgusted" in 2000 when allies of George W. Bush used her presence in the family to claim that Sen McCain fathered a black child out of wedlock - an explosive charge in South Carolina, where Republican primary voters sank his challenge to Mr Bush.

  Aides say that, as First Lady, Cindy would campaign on third world children's issues, but would adopt a more traditional role than activist spouses such as Hillary Clinton. Recently she said: "I think the American people truly still want a traditional family in the White House."

[Turnabout]

This British newspaper piece mentions both sympathetic and negative aspects of Mrs. McCain. We don't see anything like this from a U.S. MSM source, and won't, until a month or two from now when the MSM sets about to destroy McCain for the benefit of the Dem, and Mrs. McCain will then be fair game.

If Ann Romney had been some addiction problem, the U.S. MSM would have let us know all about it by now.

[JennysCool]

the dirty tricks that derailed her husband's bid for the White House eight years ago

Yeah. Sure.

[the invisib1e hand]

hmm. they waited a while before invoking the spouse. wonder if that’s the secret weapon.

[mtbopfuyn]

When she's around, she can keep him on an even keel.

So, what's going to happen when she's hauled away to rehab again? Back away from the red phone, sir!

[TornadoAlley3]

When she’s around, she can keep him on an even keel.”

[linn37]

This was already reported in 2000. To me its a non issue. Also Bush never said those things about their child. So they need to stop repeating it like its true

[Saundra Duffy]

I have a lot of respect for her. She’s been through a lot.

[claudiustg]

-—The Budweiser beer heiress has battled prescription drug addiction and illness, and watched as the dirty tricks that derailed her husband’s bid for the White House eight years ago engulfed the daughter she adopted from Mother Teresa’s orphanage in Bangladesh.-—

She better hold on to her Big Book, because there is a tidal wave coming her way.

[Turnabout]

hmm. they waited a while before invoking the spouse. wonder if that’s the secret weapon.

It isn't the MSM they, it is a UK paper. You can always tell when the MSM bias is running amok, because the UK coverage diverges sharply from the US coverage. It is a harbinger of what is to come, when the US MSM turns on McCain for the general.

[ncalburt]

Have you noticed how the Dems and Clinton’s start there smears in Britain and then move it to the USA.

[Doogle]

..."me smells clinton"

[org.whodat]

You did not know this about Mc-insanes wife??

[Fred]

I guess you prefer this person for first lady instead

[digger48]

After 16 years of the documented felonies commmitted by the Clintons, we’re going to fret about a former substance abuse problem by a possible First Lady?

I’ve got enough reasons to hate McCain without this.

FWIW I’ve always thought Cindy to be quite attractive. Something about the eyes.

Laura Bush has the same effect.

[South40]

To make matters worse, it emerged that she had stolen pills from the American Voluntary Medical Team, a third world relief organisation that she had founded.

Stolen drugs?

What a gal!

[bray]

Go InSain!

[elizabetty]

Cindy McCain said the only person her husband can trust is her?

Do we REALLY want a man who has made so many enemies there is nobody he can trust in the WHITE HOUSE?

[the invisib1e hand]

I wasn’t speaking of the msm. it’s a press release. the campaign issued the OK to start using the spouse.

[elizabetty]

FWIW I’ve always thought Cindy to be quite attractive. Something about the eyes.

Maybe that is why John McCain started an affair with her while he was still married to his first wife.

[RDTF]

lol!

[elpadre]

“...Bush never said those things about their child...”

I don’t recall that story. Can someone refresh the memory?

I do recall that the McCain said trashy things about Bush in their telephone campaign. But I don’t recall those now either. - age, you know!!!!

[RDTF]

http://www.usvetdsp.com/jan08/mccain_military_record.htm

[ansel12]

Laura Bush killed a man and Cheney and George W. have about 3 (or4?) DWIs between them, a little spice is OK especially among right wingers, but when going for the women it should always be done gingerly, if done at all.

As far as Mrs. McCain goes, she will do great on Oprah.

[weegee]

Dirty tricks?

Like Democrats crossing over party lines to nominate a RINO or two?

[apocalypto]

Absolutely. Cindy McCain is not my idea of a first lady. The Democrats will make a big deal about her have no problem have an affair with a married man and of John McCain’s adultery.

[Turnabout]

Have you noticed how the Dems and Clinton’s start there smears in Britain and then move it to the USA.

Actually, back in the 90's, the British papers ran amazing exposes on the Clinton that the US MSM wouldn't touch.

You did not know this about Mc-insanes wife??

Yeah, I remember this stuff. The point is, that it is being published overseas now, and in a few months we will see it in the U.S.

..."me smells clinton"

No, it is premature. Clinton will release this stuff and more on McCain to an eager US MSM, but only after McCain secures the nomination. The proof of that, is no US MSM outlet will touch this stuff now, but will in a month or two.

After 16 years of the documented felonies commmitted by the Clintons, we’re going to fret about a former substance abuse problem by a possible First Lady?

The MSM will be eager to smear everything and anything McCain, once he becomes the target.

[angelcindy]

McCain’s marriage has long attracted attention both for the 18-year age gap between husband and wife and for their adopted Asian daughter, who became the focus of one of the most vicious dirty tricks of the 2000 presidential campaign.

The couple have also overcome daunting health problems that included McCain’s bouts with skin cancer, a stroke suffered by Cindy in 2004, and her admission a decade earlier that she had become so addicted to painkillers that she was stealing them from a medical charity she ran.

Yet somehow the McCains have emerged as a potent and durable political partnership. Cindy McCain was at her husband’s side last week as he celebrated the Florida primary victory that has put him at the front of the Republican field.

A former Arizona rodeo beauty queen and daughter of a millionaire Phoenix businessman, Cindy McCain was 25 when she met her future husband at a cocktail party in Hawaii. John McCain was a 43-year-old naval liaison officer travelling with a congressional delegation, his sights already set on a political career
He was also still married to his first wife Carol, although the couple had recently separated. Carol later attributed the breakdown of the marriage to “John turning 40 and wanting to be 25 again”. McCain fell like a brick for Cindy, who was the heir to a brewery distribution business worth millions. For several years afterwards the McCains endured Washington gossip that he had dumped his first wife - who had been crippled in a car accident - in favour of a trophy bride to enhance his political ambitions.

But Cindy recently admitted that she keeps a “grudge list”.

Cindy McCain, now 53, claims she has no interest in policy making - “I am not the legislator in this family. He is” - and that she intends to keep busy running her charities and her family’s company. As first lady, it is clear that she would play a key role. Acknowledging that McCain had made many enemies in Republican ranks, she added: “The only person my husband can trust is me.”

[jwalsh07]

We need to oppose John McCain vigorously, we need to leave his wife alone.

[linn37]

All I remember is back during the primarys some group that supported Bush started a nasty rumor that the child was Mccains illegitmate daughter. Bushs camp denied it but Mccain refused to believe him. After that it got ugly and stayed ugly for the last 7 yrs.

[digger48]

Like I said. I can hate the man for his policies alone.

[Turnabout]

I wasn’t speaking of the msm. it’s a press release. the campaign issued the OK to start using the spouse.

Now I'm curious. What press release? Which campaign?

[JerseyHighlander]

Mr McCain's closest aide, Mark Salter, told The Sunday Telegraph: "She's a very effective campaigner. She is absolutely great. When she's around, she can keep him on an even keel."

 Which is an implicit admission of what outsiders guess and insiders know, NO ONE can keep McCain on an even keel.

 

[K-oneTexas]

I agree. There is enough to say about McCain, or any candidate, on the issues and their record without going after spouses.

[Kakaze]

"She's a very effective campaigner. She is absolutely great. When she's around, she can keep him on an even keel."

And just how is he when shes not around?

Unstable? He'll blow up before the general, Cindy wont be on stage at the debate to stroke his ego, Hillary or B. Hussein will play him into a moment that will make Kruscheves shoe bang at the U.N. Look like a spider kill. It'll be ugly.

This is turning into a wasted race.

[org.whodat]

we need to leave his wife alone.

Actually all of this old information was used against Mclame by jorge.

[jwalsh07]

Oh really. So why don't you prove that. Not that it makes any difference to me. I would still claim that anonymous attacks on spouses and children are the work of cowardly little twerps.

But hey, that's just me. Some folks support cowardly little twerps.

[gunservative]

It’s an interesting read. She seems benign. I still don’t like her husband.

[org.whodat]

You mean to tell me you do not remember the primary election between McCain and jorge. Do you remember the clemson deal where mccain and wife got caught providing beer to underage kids. You have a computer do a google.

[BallyBill]

The motive for these stories are interesting.

Instill doubt or sympathy? Mostly nausea.

[Ann Archy]

Sorry, I do not believe that it was Bush’s campaign that put out that ugly info about a black child out of wedlock. Bush doesn’t do that type of thing....even when we wish he WOULD!! :)

[Ann Archy]

Sorry, I do not believe that it was Bush’s campaign that put out that ugly info about a black child out of wedlock. Bush doesn’t do that type of thing....even when we wish he WOULD!! :)

[lone star annie]

Cindy McCain is really pretty. She was only 25 when she met McCain. My question is what did she in that little troll. He is not attractive at all.

[sofaman]

"...the dirty tricks that derailed her husband's bid for the White House eight years ago..."

That nasty little man IS a dirty trick.

[Squantos]

A businesswoman in her own right, she became chairman of her father's $300 million Budweiser distribution company in 2000

Daddy gave her a chair at the adult table and she's a business woman ?

[org.whodat]

http://www.peele.net/lib/mccain.html

Los Angeles Times, February 14, 2000, p. B5 McCain Has Two Standards on Drug Abuse

Much has been made of allegations of possible youthful use of illegal drugs by Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush. Meanwhile, his chief GOP opponent, Arizona Sen. John McCain, has admitted that his wife not only illegally used drugs but walked away from criminal charges,

In 1994, Mrs. McCain admitted that she had solicited prescriptions for painkillers from physicians who worked for an international charity that she founded, the American Voluntary Medical Team. She then filled the prescriptions in the names of her staff

So now eat your words!

[calcowgirl]

...daughter of a millionaire Phoenix businessman

"Businessman." Is that what they call it now?

[jwalsh07]

org.whodat:"Actually all of this old information was used against Mclame by jorge."

jwalsh07:"Oh really. So why don't you prove that."

org.whodat:Los Angeles Times, February 14, 2000, p. B5 McCain Has Two Standards on Drug Abuse

Much has been made of allegations of possible youthful use of illegal drugs by Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush. Meanwhile, his chief GOP opponent, Arizona Sen. John McCain, has admitted that his wife not only illegally used drugs but walked away from criminal charges,

In 1994, Mrs. McCain admitted that she had solicited prescriptions for painkillers from physicians who worked for an international charity that she founded, the American Voluntary Medical Team. She then filled the prescriptions in the names of her staff

If you think that your second post proves your first assertion, then you're not too bright. My condolences.

And I'll pass on the snack.

But it doesn't matter pal, my view is that only cowardly twerps anonymously attack the wives of politicans who aren't running for anything.

You won't be changing that view any time soon.

[ncalburt]

Former NY Slimes reporter and Clinton dirty tricks specialist , the truly evil and amoral Sydney Blumenthal uses the British press to start his smears and lets them seep into the leftist press in the US.
I hope Mcamnesty can handle the non stop attacks on his nice wife. The Clintonistas and there comrades in the Lib media are vile , ruthless ,and on automatic attack when it comes to promoting socialism in the US .
I may not care for McCain liberal politics but attacking his wife who seems to be nice, a tad fragile, and stays out of the limelight is truly evil. Frankly, the more the media goes after his wife the more likely I will support him come November. Thats stepping over the line.

[M-cubed]

The MSM is lying in the weeds with this..they have a secret time table....

[PghBaldy]

The media and the Dem candidate will have to step gingerly in bringing up Cindy- it would backfire on them, and would give people like me sympathy for McCain.