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| My friendship with John McCain |
| 2008-09-02 |
| By Captain Frank Gamboa, USN (Ret.)/For the >Sun-News My friendship with John McCain began when we were assigned to the same company at the United States Naval Academy as freshmen. We became friends and later decided to be roommates the next year. John and I came from vastly different backgrounds. He was from a legendary, American Military family whose record of honorable service dates from the start of our nation. I am a first-generation American citizen. My parents were born in Mexico. To escape the Mexican revolution, they came to America early in the 20th century, with only the clothes they were wearing and their bags, but with hope in their hearts. John entered Annapolis right out of high school. I entered after two years of junior college. Because John and I lived in close quarters 24 hours a day for three years, we got to know each other very well. John McCain's parents, Captain and Mrs. Jack McCain, lived on Capitol Hill in Washington. I learned about Navy culture from them; they treated me like a son, inspired me and gave me confidence. I got to know John McCain's family, John's character, his values and his heart. Despite our different backgrounds, we found common values and purpose in the Naval Academy. Young men and women go to the Naval Academy to become officers and leaders. We were tested by the upperclassmen to determine whether we had the character to lead and command with competence and concern for our people. The seniors wanted to find out if we understood the obligation of service to country that we had sworn to defend. Regardless of who we were, the upperclassmen would find out if we had the right stuff. Equally importantly, we learned the same about our classmates -- we learned who we could trust, who we could count on when we needed help. One day at lunch in the mess hall I saw John's true mettle. We sat at a table with Midshipmen we did not know. As we ate, I sensed that John was tensing up. He had noticed the senior was mistreating a Filipino messman who was serving food to our table and could not bear to ignore it. I heard him say to the senior at the head of the table, "Mister, you are picking on that steward!" Startled, the senior replied "What did you say Mister?" John said, "That steward is doing the best he can so why are you picking on him?" This time the red-faced senior snarled, "What's your name, Mister?" John shot back, "McCain, what's yours?" The senior stared at John in disbelief. I was almost choking on my food -- to stand up to an upperclassman was unheard of at the Academy. John had reacted instinctively without regard to personal consequences, demonstrating courage and daring I had never seen. Embarrassed, the senior abruptly got up and left the table. This incident became legend among our classmates. We were amazed at John's moral courage and bravery. He was fearless. He became our moral compass through his displays of of courage and leadership. He was only 18 years old. Many years later I learned of his torture as a prisoner of war, and of his heroic conduct. I was not surprised that he resisted so courageously, or that he had put the welfare of his fellow prisoners and his country before his own self-interest. I know John McCain as a person; his character and his values. He is a good and decent man. I know he will look after the best interests or our country and of our Hispanic community. Throughout our nation's history, in times of crises Americans have chosen strong, bold and visionary men to serve as our president. As a nation, we can solve all our problems -- if we are properly summoned and honorably led. John McCain will call on the best in each of us. He has the character and judgment to lead the American people to a better future. That is why I support him to be our next president. Capt. Frank Gamboa, USN (Ret.) is the first Mexican American to command an amphibious squadron of ships in the U.S. Navy, the first to command a ship as a commander, and later, as a captain. He later served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Equal Opportunity Policy. |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #8 Where are Obama's friends? See Spengler, above, for the answer. |
| Posted by: Grunter 2008-09-02 15:16 |
| #7 Where are the Obama friends? Last time I checked, they seem to be checking the differential fluid under the bus. Except for Mr. Ayers, he was in the back of the bus, looking a little apprehensive. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2008-09-02 12:06 |
| #6 An amazing, warm tribute to an old friend going back over 50 years. Please, let it stand on it's own legs. No need to trash BO here. A year ago I was an ABM Repubilican(Anyone But McCain). He seemed old, stale and hopelessly afflicted with Old Senator's disease. Politically, I'm a bit to the right of him. but since the beginning of the summer, I've come to realize that this is someone who is worthy of our respect and trust. He's also running a lot smarter campaign that I had thought possible of him. |
| Posted by: Richard of Oregon 2008-09-02 10:12 |
| #5 "I guess he doesn't feel like parading a bunch of commies and fellow travelers." I guess he doesn't feel like parading a bunch of commies, fellow travelers, crooks, slumlords, bagmen and political fixers. There. Fixed it. |
| Posted by: Ricky bin Ricardo (Abu Babaloo) 2008-09-02 09:50 |
| #4 "Where are the Obama friends?" I guess he doesn't feel like parading a bunch of commies and fellow travelers. |
| Posted by: Spot 2008-09-02 08:31 |
| #3 Sherry, he keeps tossing them under the bus. |
| Posted by: Swamp Blondie in the Cornfields 2008-09-02 08:08 |
| #2 B. Hussein "I am my brother's keeper" Obama's brother lives in a hut on a dollar a month. He has previous engagements. |
| Posted by: Excalibur 2008-09-02 05:37 |
| #1 Reading this, a friend stepping up in the role that true friends portray in our lives, a paraphrase of the Dr. Krauthammer, "Where are the Obama friends? Kerry, at his acceptance speech, had numerous military souls arrayed on the stage. But we are yet to see with Obama, a friend, a family member other than his wife and daughters. Where are the family members, the friends that should be surrounding him? Where are the Harvard folks, the Columbia classmates? The U of Chicago faculty that were on staff with him?" There seem to be none. Thanks, Dr K. for bringing that point to our attention. |
| Posted by: Sherry 2008-09-02 01:27 |