November 20, 2012

John McCain: Stand-Up Guy or Total Jerk?

“You know, I’ve been called a maverick; someone who marches to the beat of his own drum,” Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) boasted during his speech at the 2008 Republican convention. But for every instance of McCain bucking party orthodoxy or straddling the partisan divide, there’s one of him being an obstinate, angry jerk. (The current example of this being his attempt to turn the Benghazi controversy into a Watergate-sized scandal.) This duality recalls Goofus and Gallant, the twin brothers who have long entertained Highlights for Children readers with their contrasting antics:

Goofus McCain

Gallant McCain
Tells this joke: “Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly? Because her father is Janet Reno.” Later befriends Sen. Hillary Clinton and calls her “one of the guys.”
Unapologetically calls his Vietnamese captors “gooks”—in 2000. Says that torture is “unworthy and injurious to our country.”
Freaks out over the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Says the Swift Boat ads about John Kerry’s war record were “dishonest and dishonorable.”
Votes against more disclosure for dark-money donors. Bashes Citizens United as “one of the worst decisions” ever.
Praises “spectacular” running mate Sarah Palin’s “incredible résumé.” Criticizes the “agents of intolerance” in the Christian right.
Says he’d be okay with US troops staying in Iraq for “maybe 100 years.” Corrects a supporter who insists Obama is “an Arab.”
Goes from backing climate legislation to saying climate science may be “flawed.” Criticizes congressional tea partiers for their “bizarro” debt ceiling demands.
Says Susan Rice is “not qualified” to be the next secretary of state due to “not being very bright” and her comments about the Benghazi attacks. Defends Hillary Clinton adviser Huma Abedin from Rep. Michele Bachmann’s “specious and degrading attacks.”

 

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WHO DOESN’T LOVE A POSITIVE STORY—OR TWO?

“Great journalism really does make a difference in this world: it can even save kids.”

That’s what a civil rights lawyer wrote to Julia Lurie, the day after her major investigation into a psychiatric hospital chain that uses foster children as “cash cows” published, letting her know he was using her findings that same day in a hearing to keep a child out of one of the facilities we investigated.

That’s awesome. As is the fact that Julia, who spent a full year reporting this challenging story, promptly heard from a Senate committee that will use her work in their own investigation of Universal Health Services. There’s no doubt her revelations will continue to have a big impact in the months and years to come.

Like another story about Mother Jones’ real-world impact.

This one, a multiyear investigation, published in 2021, exposed conditions in sugar work camps in the Dominican Republic owned by Central Romana—the conglomerate behind brands like C&H and Domino, whose product ends up in our Hershey bars and other sweets. A year ago, the Biden administration banned sugar imports from Central Romana. And just recently, we learned of a previously undisclosed investigation from the Department of Homeland Security, looking into working conditions at Central Romana. How big of a deal is this?

“This could be the first time a corporation would be held criminally liable for forced labor in their own supply chains,” according to a retired special agent we talked to.

Wow.

And it is only because Mother Jones is funded primarily by donations from readers that we can mount ambitious, yearlong—or more—investigations like these two stories that are making waves.

About that: It’s unfathomably hard in the news business right now, and we came up about $28,000 short during our recent fall fundraising campaign. We simply have to make that up soon to avoid falling further behind than can be made up for, or needing to somehow trim $1 million from our budget, like happened last year.

If you can, please support the reporting you get from Mother Jones—that exists to make a difference, not a profit—with a donation of any amount today. We need more donations than normal to come in from this specific blurb to help close our funding gap before it gets any bigger.

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