Candidate psychology will out. Last week I wrote about how John McCain seemed to be re-enacting his torture-and-survival experience in Vietnam by repeatedly flip-flopping from Hound of Baskervilles to Scooby Doo on the campaign trail. And Wednesday afternoon, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, he actually called the crowd at a McCain-Palin rally "my fellow prisoners."

Hanging from this Freudian slip--that neither he, nor Sarah Palin, nor his daughter Meghan seemed to notice--is a long foxtail of meanings. McCain has written that his experience in Vietnam taught him to dedicate his life to a higher cause than himself alone, giving him a sense of purpose that carried him into politics (and ultimately spawned his campaign slogan, "Country First"). Having been a POW is not just a check mark on his resume or a ticket to a reliable national constituency of veterans. It's his chief qualification for the presidency, not to mention his best retort whenever he's cornered.

But the sad truth is that the Vietnam war has not given its generation a straight bounce in 40 years, and McCain calling supporters his "fellow prisoners" really brings that weirdness home. It suggests that the Arizona senator sees the next three weeks of the campaign as more time in the Hanoi Hilton for him and the Republican party: They will be buffeted and beaten, but if they hold their heads high and refuse an early release, they will be able to come home and marry a beer heiress.

If only.

When he left the post-debate meet-and-greet early, McCain seemed to know in his heart of hearts that he'd lost, not just the debate, but the election. Why else abandon the stage and the cameras to Barack and Michelle? Still, at least through Nov. 3, he has to go back out on the stump. And out there he's a prisoner of his party's ideology (and of Steve Schmidt, Karl Rove, and that awful moose-skinner who's angling for his place on the ticket), forced to mouth slurs and phony policy proposals that demean the straight-talking character that once made him so popular with independents. That ought to make anyone angry, and McCain seems barely able to contain his rage.

It's not as if the crowd can't see that savage repression. All those folks screaming "Kill him!" and "Treason!" and "Terrorist!"--they want McCain to let loose his demons. They want the warrior to slash and burn, they want him to take no prisoners.

They have no idea that John McCain is his own worst prisoner. And jailer too.

Leslie Savan, author of Slam Dunks and No-Brainers: Pop Language in Your Life, the Media, and Like...Whatever and The Sponsored Life: Ads, TV, and American Culture, is a Pulitzer Prize finalist in criticism for her Village Voice columns about advertising and commercial culture.

Comments (42)

1. McCain, quite simply, has PTSD.

   Posted by Greytdog at 10/08/2008 @ 10:24pm

2. back in the nam...

   INCOMING!!!!! GODDAM PIJAMA WEARING GOOKS!!!!!

   uh...oh...where was i?

   Posted by dexter666 at 10/08/2008 @ 10:39pm

3. Can this be true?

   Did he actually say "my fellow prisoners."?

   Somebody has to get to one of his rallies and hold up a giant queen of hearts.

   Cindy does look a little like Angela Lansbury

   Posted by crabwalk at 10/08/2008 @ 10:46pm

4. "It's not as if the crowd can't see that savage repression. All those folks screaming "Kill him!" and "Treason!" and "Terrorist!"--they want McCain to let loose his demons. They want the warrior to slash and burn, they want him to take no prisoners."

   hmmm...not too unlike marius losing his shit and allowing his soldiers to run amok, sullying his once noble image forever...

   Posted by dexter666 at 10/08/2008 @ 10:48pm

5. Or was it a queen of diamonds?

   ----

   regardless.... spooky.

   ----

   response from his office:

   Bill Ayers! Rev Wright...

   .... Look!

   ....a flock of turtles!

   Posted by crabwalk at 10/08/2008 @ 10:50pm

6. Posted by crabwalk at 10/08/2008 @ 10:46pm | ignore this person | warn this person

   check the vid..."my fellow prisoners"

   maybe he is speaking in the gnostic sense - that we are all incarcerated in this black iron prison of the demiurge...

   but i'm like...99.999999999999999999% sure not...

   Posted by dexter666 at 10/08/2008 @ 10:53pm

7. now if he had said "my fellow fascists" i'd be 99.99999999% sure someone had slipped some kickass truth serum into his boost...

   Posted by dexter666 at 10/08/2008 @ 10:56pm

8. you know,

   i think mr. mccain is probably a nice guy, who unfortunately has been thrust into a life that he probably is not all that interested in.

   (or wasn't interested in.)

   go to this school, fly the plane, marry the right sort of woman...

   in a way, i think <i>he really wants</i> to be joe six pack.

   i think mr. mccain is kinda funny:

   http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=5BKbMkP_XEw&fmt=18&fmt=18

   [mccain as ashcroft on snl]

   life's funny.

   Posted by frosty zoom at 10/08/2008 @ 11:03pm

9. This might make it onto SNL, becoming known as the Palin/McCain Comedy Network

   Posted by crabwalk at 10/08/2008 @ 11:15pm

10. The Repubs are learning that you live by an insane foreign policy and voodoo economics, you die by an insane foreign policy and voodoo economics.

    Posted by takemyveepplease at 10/08/2008 @ 11:23pm

11. i think mr. mccain is probably a nice guy, who unfortunately has been thrust into a life that he probably is not all that interested in.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 10/08/2008 @ 11:03pm | ignore this person | warn this person

    nah...he was on the board of directors of an organization rife with nazis, terrorists, and other anti-american treasonous fascist traitors...

    do we REALLY know that one (mccain)?

    Posted by dexter666 at 10/08/2008 @ 11:30pm

12. On the far-away island of Sala-ma-Sond, Yertle the Turtle was king of the pond. A nice little pond. It was clean. It was neat. The water was warm. There was plenty to eat. The turtles had everything turtles might need. And they were all happy. Quite happy indeed. They were… until Yertle, the king of them all, Decided the kingdom he ruled was too small. "I'm ruler", said Yertle, "of all that I see. But I don't see enough. That's the trouble with me. With this stone for a throne, I look down on my pond But I cannot look down on the places beyond. This throne that I sit on is too, too low down. It ought to be higher!" he said with a frown. "If I could sit high, how much greater I'd be! What a king! I'd be ruler of all that I see!" And Yertle, the Turtle King, gave a command. He ordered nine turtles to swim to his stone And, using these turtles, he built a new throne. He made each turtle stand on another one's back And he piled them all up in a nine-turtle stack. And then Yertle climbed up. He sat down on the pile. What a wonderful view! He could see ‘most a mile!

    http://www.andstuffso.com/?page_id=88

    Posted by frosty zoom at 10/08/2008 @ 11:30pm

13. Posted by dexter666 at 10/08/2008 @ 11:30pm

    i was referring to what he is,

    not what he has become.

    you know as well as i how easily a good soul can be led astray..

    Posted by frosty zoom at 10/08/2008 @ 11:34pm

14. OK, I am in stage 2, "bargaining".

    I say this is just a stump speech mix up. Here's my alleged logic.

    1- He's used the term "my fellow prisoners" over and over when references the POW experience in speeches. You know, "I'm just-a-humble-superhero"... which I used to respond positively to in fact. Here's an example, there are perhaps 40 others in Google News archives... Enter 63-year-old John Sidney McCain the Third - possible future president of the United States of America. ... "I got through with my faith in God, my faith in my fellow prisoners and my faith in America." Then he adds modestly: "It was my duty and I did it." ...

    2- Usually relies on "my friends" for generic labeling of those he is speaking to... Tried in this instance because his handlers are telling him to lighten up some on "my friends" and went for "my fellow Americans" goofed and neurally grabbed "prisoners".

    Given his career / political reliance on the POW story, it's very possible that the phrase prompt "my fellow" in his repertoire is nearly as frequently connected to "prisoners" as "Americans"

    Posted by winyahn at 10/08/2008 @ 11:37pm

15. you know as well as i how easily a good soul can be led astray..

    Posted by frosty zoom at 10/08/2008 @ 11:34pm | ignore this person | warn this person

    MOOHAHAHA!!!!

    oh yes indeedy!!!

    lol...

    Posted by dexter666 at 10/08/2008 @ 11:42pm

16. I want to thank Mrs. Reagan for the many kindnesses extended to me and my fellow prisoners of war many years ago when we came home.

    I still despise those who inflicted pain unnecessarily on me and my fellow prisoners, but I hold no ill will...

    I got through with my faith in God, my faith in my fellow prisoners and my faith in America.

    I thought I was well-trained and I was going to resist as hard as I could and, to some degree, I let my fellow prisoners down.

    I signed a confession for the Vietnamese ... and my fellow prisoners helped me restore my self-esteem.''

    One time, they wanted me to write a message to my fellow prisoners at Christmas. I wrote down:.

    I failed my fellow prisoners. I failed my family, and I failed my country. Is there anybody else?"

    If I become a prisoner of war, I will keep faith with my fellow prisoners.

    Posted by winyahn at 10/08/2008 @ 11:45pm

17. ouch:

    Wednesday, October 08, 2008

    Unreal Debate

    In the real world of political ads, McCain and his surrogates are shouting ugly insults at Barack Obama. He is accused of saying that US airstrikes have killed innocents. This is true and McCain said it, too. They say he was on a committee with a professor who used to be a Weatherman 40 years ago. And...?

    How nonsensical these attacks are is demonstrated by the inability of McCain to repeat them to Obama's face.

    What sort of allegation won't hold up in a debate? A flimsy one. One with the form of propaganda.

    McCain's nasty personal attacks on Obama were apparently felt by his campaign to be inappropriate to a live appearance. They feared such smears would look mean in the mouth of a presidential aspirant.

    But then why does it not look mean for McCain to "approve" the scurrilous smears?

    Does he think we cannot see him?

    posted by Juan Cole

    Posted by frosty zoom at 10/08/2008 @ 11:46pm

18. Factcheck: McCain on Taliban

    Fact checking the debate:

    'MCCAIN: Now, let me just go back with you very briefly. We drove the Russians out with -- the Afghan freedom fighters drove the Russians out of Afghanistan,...............

    http://juancole.com/

    Posted by frosty zoom at 10/08/2008 @ 11:49pm

19. McCain, quite simply, has PTSD. Posted by Greytdog at 10/08/2008 @ 10:24pm

    Quite simply, tens of millions of Americans have PTSD.

    And millions more will contract PTSD, suffering in the disasters just now beginning to rain down on us from Wall St, W&Co, the US MIC ...

    ... tens of millions of American PTSD sufferers, raging to tear loose & let the bombs fall on their harassers.

    And what will that make for?

    A huge army of the misbegotten, screaming for a leader to lead them in revenge.

    Sound familiar?

    Watch, election '12.

    Posted by sloper at 10/09/2008 @ 01:22am

20. Posted by sloper at 10/09/2008 @ 01:22am

    "Watch, election '12."

    Lying propaganda, racist, lynch-'em rallies, against the background of a depression... distinctly reminiscent of Europe in the early '30s. It's what you have now, but think how it could ramify:

    If, as now seems probable, Obama wins, then he will likely Preside over a depression, and by 2012 Americans will be p*ssed off and considerably poorer. Four years is probably not enough time to turn the behemoth around.

    Re-enter Palin, champion of a resurgent Right-wing petty bourgeoisie (Fascism). Nurenberg-style rallies. Will the Democrats have a strategy?

    Palin already wears her fringe flopping over her forehead... perhaps she should get to work on the little toothbrush mustache!

    Posted by mikecope at 10/09/2008 @ 02:16am

21. Posted by frosty zoom at 10/08/2008 @ 11:30pm

    What happened next, Frosty?

    Posted by A_Pax_On_Your_Houses at 10/09/2008 @ 03:05am

22. these are neitchean times my friends. God is dead to quote this easily misunderstood philosepher. Mr. Neitche made this statement in order to make the point that power tends to hide evil behind the illusion of doing good.

    the sarah palins and george w's of the world either hide in thier subcontious dark side or are fully aware of how easily people are manipulated by superstition(religion as opposed to spiritual truth).

    all reason in the majority of the american psyche is gone!!!! the forefathers foresaw this and yet americans ignore the all to painful reality that the democratic process is dead. the country has been taken over by corporate sycophants and "C" student religous numb brains. whatever God rules the universe please save our asses!!!!

    Posted by jbone1976 at 10/09/2008 @ 07:28am

23. This is the kind of writing that is regularly criticised by the likes of Eric Alterman, John Stewart and Glenn Greenwald. How in the world does Savan know what McCain or his followers are thinking? Or what prompted his greeting? Maybe it was a bad joke.

    I was never much good at reading minds, I prefer to judge people by their plain speech and actions. McCain and Palin are phonies and do not put the "country first". McCain hasn't been loyal or straight since his metal was finally tested in Nam. He was a poor student, a spoiled son of an admiral who never should have gotten jets in the first place (he crashed seven times!). He made one honorable decision, to not ruin his family name by not giving in to early release. Since then, nothing remarkable except for surliness and selfishness. Why doesn't Savan write about his character based on reality rather than on her silly pseudo-analysis.

    Posted by Cannonball at 10/09/2008 @ 09:36am

24. I wonder if McCain has any comments on this ongoing story:

    Murder of military women continues.

    http://www.truthout.org/100708A

    As CIC would McCain or Obama make the military be more forthcoming with information regarding deaths, those homicides at home and fratricides and civilian deaths abroad?

    Posted by crabwalk at 10/09/2008 @ 10:11am

25. Whoa!! That's Just Scary...

    Maybe this is why Cindy is always with him, to make sure he does not go off the deep end.

    Posted by gmckay at 10/09/2008 @ 10:27am

26. Imagine the same error in a State of the Union Address.

    Posted by Rod Bickles at 10/09/2008 @ 11:30am

27. AMG, GupDog, you are a nut case. Why on earth do you thinkg Obama hates America, is radical, and communist? First, he has spent his life serving America, when he could have gone into a law firm and be earning $2 million a year. He was first in his class! Second, his positions are shared by more than 50% of Americans on 90% of the issues! We can't all be radical (lok up radial in the disctionary). Finally, He has worked in the Democratic process for years, upholds our constitution, speaks out in support of free trade, captialism, competition and global economic investment. That he supposts the same domestice safety nets than 50% of the American's believe in and rely upon is mainstream patriotic. Afterall, what could be more patriotic than supporting our people's health, education and wellbeing?

    What are you for, GupDog, anyway? If it is just your own self interest in low taxes, just wait until you need help due to disability, unemployment, health costs, foreclosure, or bankruptcy. I bet you are the first in line for help.

    Posted by Cannonball at 10/09/2008 @ 12:03pm

28. " If you're happy and you know it

    rattle your chains.

    If your happy and you know it

    rattle your chains

    If your stock price is plummeting

    and Palin is primpin,

    If your insurance is dropppin

    and Iran is a-hoppin

    Bomb iraq."

    (whoops, got my songs confused)

    Posted by crabwalk at 10/09/2008 @ 12:04pm

29. Posted by GupDog at 10/09/2008 @ 12:01pm

    but, they make a lot of your cheap crap now GUP!

    You missed the paradigm shift... Commies outside of the US are now called "business partners".

    Posted by crabwalk at 10/09/2008 @ 12:08pm

30. Posted by GupDog at 10/09/2008 @ 11:12am

    Hmmm? He's spamming the same thing on two threads?

    Well, again, shows how "patriotic" Gupdog is...

    that he hopes America is a MUCH WORSE country than it appears just to achieve HIS political goals!

    Posted by Maskdelta at 10/09/2008 @ 12:08pm

31. LEAKED! Questions that got banned from the town hall "debate"...

    "Senator McCain, regarding our hostages in Guantanamo, in your opinion does their experience being tortured by us for the last five years qualify them to be presidents of their respective countries?"

    More banned questions at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuQDTjx-ygM

    Posted by ApyNation at 10/09/2008 @ 12:10pm

32. Evidently, McCain's body came home, but his mind remains a prisoner in Hanoi.

    Posted by Tunnelrat at 10/09/2008 @ 12:15pm

33. I have personally felt saddened for Sen. McCain in the past three weeks. While I would not have voted for him, I have truly seen this man implode upon himself. Personally, I attribute this to his time spent in the Hanoi Hilton for 5 1/2 years. I seem to recall reading an article back in 2000 (when I entertained the idea of voting for him if nominated). This article indicated that POWs held for that long, under the conditions and stresses of the senator should have 5-10 years added onto their actual age as far as longevity goes. What we have seen in the past month is confusion, forgetfulness, erratic behavior, uncivility and a rage that has been bottled up for who knows how many years. It's sad but I can forgive him since he is apparently ill. What I will not be able to forgive is for those who vote for this man and his vice presidential running mate. It's obvious that this choice was also made in his illness.

    Posted by dreamdolphy at 10/09/2008 @ 1:35pm

34. There's a great piece on Senator McCain in the Oct 16 issue of Rolling Stone. Mandatory reading for anyone with any lingering sympathies for the man, beyond the sympathies any feeling human has for another.

    Posted by mheister at 10/09/2008 @ 1:49pm

35. Take a close look at that video. I believe that his daughter did not notice the 'slip' - but Sarah Palin definitely noticed; she looks to her left to make eye contact with someone off-screen (the 'first dude' perhaps?) She would not have missed that 'slip'. It is a bellwether to her eventual goal of replacing him in the oval office.

    Posted by LizzieTish at 10/09/2008 @ 1:50pm

36. Could this be the reason he refuses to sit down with his "enemies," because he sees everyone who is not a fellow prisoner as someone who is a terrible, torturing foe? I'm pretty sure we don't want a POW mentality running the White House.

    Posted by finaleyes at 10/09/2008 @ 2:52pm

37. I noticed Palin and McCain's daughter who are behind him didn't even blink. That indicates to me they are used to his gaffs and pay it no mind or, they just aren't listening to him.

    He's actually right though. We are prisoners of this ridiculous administration. I hope to be set free on November 4th.

    Obama/Biden!!!!!

    Posted by ancientgirl at 10/09/2008 @ 3:52pm

38. ... a Vietnam flashback (as in PTSD), crystalizing a defining Archetypal moment in the History of American "Presents".

    At THIS present time, we are, indeed, fellow prisoners, with him (as some have observed): of the red ink spilled by the financial world; of his presidential campaign to redeem The Surge; of the media mind-set that prevents extended substantive criticism of assumptions made by both candidates on foreign policy. No alternatives to the neocon's analysis of the Afghanistan-Pakistan sitation; the Russia-Georgia conflict; or Iran's nuclear policy and NATO's need for hugely expensive missile shield in East Europe.

    This phrase he blurted out momentarily converts the audience he faced, then, into an audience of fellow prisoners, before whom he 'lost face' by breaking down ("glory boy got special treatment"). Under duress, the reality imprinted under trauma will return. Returning to his extended helplessness as P.O.W. follows the law of compulsion-to-repeat: the trauma is brought back, as if again recurring, in order to master its overpowering affect. This affect rises up (in three-brain analysis: from the snake brain to thought) to overthrow conscious will.

    Thus, McCain is also heard going into states and declaring "NEVER SURRENDER! " -- ostensibly cheerleading his position on Iraq, the war on terror, Al Queda. Actually, when linked through his "my fellow prisoners" flashback, it is verbal acting out of DEFENSE AGAINST THE UNCONSCIOUS SENSE OF GUILT FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE. He is psychically damaged in the respect that challenges of political audiences are converted, by an acquired intra-psychic neural mechanism, into challenges of his worthiness. This invokes a compulsive all-or-nothing response, euphemistically excused as "instinct"

    Posted by jones at 10/09/2008 @ 3:56pm

39. Anyone see Doonesbury this last Sunday - says it all

    Posted by fiona33 at 10/09/2008 @ 4:27pm

40. Really surprised we didn't get a Righty apologist on this thread saying...

    "What McCain MEANT was that we are all prisoners to the damn lib'rulism that permeates Washington...but he's going to rescue us! That's what he MEANT. You lefties, just don't understand!!!!"

    LOL

    Posted by Maskdelta at 10/09/2008 @ 4:38pm

41. Zero, this is the best country in the world because it allows us to speak freely and opposose those we disagree with. But if it up to "real americans" like you we all will be living in countries like your Afghanistan. The problem you dumb ass Republican "base" have is that you just hate to have someone oppose your distorted views. As you see, we can also call you names, but intelligent people does not have to resort to name calling, just ignorant uneducated folks does.

    Posted by Gusto at 10/09/2008 @ 8:29pm

42. Fun analysis: McCain says, McCain means...

    Says economy be sound

    Means still have my 7 or 8 houses

    Says my fellow prisoners

    Means us bushies can't escape reality

    Says that one

    Means that 3/5ths black unit

    Says gotcha journalism

    Means that 4th estate is inherently wicked

    Posted by winyahn at 10/09/2008 @ 8:30pm