John McCain's Grumpiness-does it run in the family?

By: Andrea Chamblee
Published On: 10/26/2008 1:08:30 PM

Some people have described John McCain's temperament a lot worse than "Grumpy." Is it learned from a life as a child with enormous shoes to fill, as the McCain boys? Articles here and here have made a compelling case that McCain, like Bush, has a complex about one-upping his successful father, ironically by succeeding at "screwing up." Does it have do with their particular reaction to a military upbringing, after years of bristling under a Chain of Command?

I rarely hold anyone as responsible for their family, and I hope my family is never held responsible for me.  But this story of Joe McCain - the one who accused you guys of being Commies - perhaps shows the McCain boys developed a similar feeling that having a Daddy who is prominent brings them unearned entitlement:  McCain's Brother Phones in Traffic Update... to 911
Joe McCain called 911 not once but twice:

Caller: It's not an emergency but do you know why on one side at the damn drawbridge of 95 traffic is stopped for 15 minutes and yet traffic's coming the other way?

Operator: Sir, are you calling 911 to complain about traffic? (pause)

Caller: "(Expletive) you." (caller hangs up)

Click here to listen to a tape recording of Joe McCain's call. (Doesn't Joe sound a lot like his brother John?)

According to Michael Leahy for example, in this article, "'Pursuit of command,' as McCain often referred to it, was an ethos bordering on obsession in his family."

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