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#Post#: 15--------------------------------------------------
Interview with John McCain
By: Montraviatommygun Date: March 1, 2011, 10:27 am
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Interview with John McCain
Senator John McCain waged a vigorous high-profile campaign for
the Republican Presidential nomination. Among many compelling
facts, we were interested to learn that one of his children is
adopted. We asked Morgan Strong, a veteran interviewer and
consultant to CBS' Sixty Minutes and The Early Show, to get some
details. Strong talked to McCain shortly after the Senator's
recent trip to Vietnam
Dadmag: What are the up and downs of fatherhood?
McCain: There are too many joys to name the ups. The only sad
part about it is that children grow up. I watch my daughter turn
fifteen and my son turn fourteen and I see them getting ready to
leave the nest, and I see their interest in me diminishing
rather dramatically. (Laughs).
Dadmag: Your youngest daughter Bridget is adopted. Why did you
decide to adopt Bridget?
McCain: Well it was primarily my wife's Cindy's idea. She was in
Bangladesh and she and some of the medical personnel visited
Mother Theresa's orphanage to try and help the children there.
There were two little baby girls there. One had a heart problem
the other a severe cleft palate. Cindy was very concerned about
their ability to survive and their need for medical treatment,
so she decided to bring them here for medical treatment. She
fell in love with both of them. We decided to adopt Bridget. Two
close friends of ours, adopted Mickey, the other child.
Dadmag: You knew about your wife's decision before hand?
McCain: (laughs) No. She arrived and said "Say hello to your new
little daughter."
Dadmag: A bit of a shock?
McCain: Yes indeed.
Dadmag: And how has it worked out? Are you happy with the
decision to adopt Bridget?
McCain: Oh yes! She has enriched our lives. She's a wonderful
child, a complete part of our family and we love her.
Dadmag: Your other children accepted her well?
McCain: Oh yeah sure. She's the toughest of the four. The
youngest always has to be the toughest.
Dadmag: During your campaign for the Republican Presidential
nomination Bridget became something of an issue in South
Carolina didn't she?
McCain: Yeah. There were some pretty vile and hurtful things
said during the South Carolina primary. It's a really nasty side
of politics. We tried to ignore it and I think we shielded her
from it. It's just unfortunate that that sort of thing still
exists As you know she's Bengali, and very dark skinned. A lot
of phone calls were made by people who said we should be very
ashamed about her, about the color of her skin. Thousands and
thousands of calls from people to voters saying "You know the
McCains have a black baby" I believe that there is a special
place in hell for people like those.
Dadmag: That must have made you pretty angry?
McCain: Yes, except that you have to consider the kind of people
who do it. Getting angry doesn't serve any useful purpose. But
the calls increased my zeal for winning. (laughs)
Dadmag: There are an awful lot of African American children who
could be adopted, but there are those who object, including
African American organizations which have a policy against
interracial adoption.
McCain: I see that barrier more and more breaking down. I think
we are making great progress. We just need to make a lot more
progress.
Dadmag: You had to go through an extraordinary process to adopt
Bridget. A very intrusive process by the bureaucrats. They came
to your home and rifled through your drawers. According to what
I've read, adoption agency officials even asked about your sex
life.
McCain: They were very intrusive. Unfortunately it is a
disincentive to some parents because it's so much easier to go
overseas. And that leaves us, in this country, with thousands of
children who want parents and thousands of parents who want
children. One of the goals I've had for a long time is to try to
encourage a much less convoluted process in order for parents to
adopt a child.
Dadmag: Is this necessary or is it just the bureaucracy gone a
little mad?
McCain: A little of both. They want to make sure that those who
want to adopt are fit to do so. I think sometimes bureaucrats
stretch it out for fear of getting in trouble or getting
something wrong. And I also think that there are state laws,
probably the result of some bad things having taken place, that
are legislative overreactions. I just wish that every state
would review their laws concerning the process of adoption, to
expedite it but at the same time protect the child.
Dadmag: Would the abortion issue be made less troublesome if the
adoption process were made easier.
McCain: Absolutely. Since our own story has been publicized we
hear a lot from many many parents who have experienced the same
frustrations.
Dadmag: You have co-sponsored legislation in the Senate to
streamline the process.
McCain: Yes, but it is largely a state responsibility. We have
tried to encourage the states to review their adoption
procedures. We can not do much at the federal level.
Dadmag: You have children from a previous marriage?
McCain: Yes, and grandchildren.
Dadmag: How has that worked out? Do the children think of
themselves as one family?
McCain: I had three children by a previous marriage. My first
wife had two children from a previous marriage and I adopted
them. We had a child together, a girl. The two boys are married
and have children. We're all very close. We get together once a
year at least.
Dadmag: Political life at any level exposes the children to any
number of potential calamities. As a candidate for President the
scrutiny and curiosity is even more oppressive. Was it hard to
protect them?
McCain: That's one of the reasons we decided to raise our
children in Arizona. Because we felt it would be a much
healthier life style for them. And that's been the case.
Dadmag: Do you have any regrets about political life keeping you
away form your children?
McCain: As a senator I come back every weekend, and we have a
week off every five weeks. Up until the Presidential campaign I
was with them as much as most fathers are. My one regret about
the Presidential campaign was that it took me away from my
children. That was the only regret I had.
Dadmag: Any final words?
McCain: There is nothing in life like a child that you can
nurture and love. The reciprocation of that love and nurturing
is a thousand times more beneficial to you than it is to the
child.
(HTM) http://www.dadmag.com/archive/060400jmccain.php
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