DNC Slams McCain as 'Sen. Hothead'

Who said Democratic campaigns don't launch personal attacks? The Democratic National Committee just hit a huge personal weakness of Sen. John McCain -- his anger-management problem.

In a research document blasted to campaign reporters, the Democrats are teeing off McCain's recent complaint that Obama is "testy." After asking whether McCain "Really Want[s] to go Down This Road," the DNC runs through reports of McCain's infamous temper -- from his own Republican colleagues:

GOP Sen. Thad Cochran: “The Thought Of His Being President Sends A Cold Chill Down My Spine.”

“Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi, who has known Sen. John McCain for more than three decades, on Wednesday endorsed Mitt Romney for president. Cochran said his choice was prompted partly by his fear of how McCain might behave in the Oval Office. ‘The thought of his being president sends a cold chill down my spine,’ Cochran said about McCain by phone. ‘He is erratic. He is hotheaded. He loses his temper and he worries me.’” [Boston Globe, 1/27/08]

Former GOP Sen. Bob Smith: “His Temper Would Place This Country At Risk In International Affairs, And The World Perhaps In Danger. In My Mind, It Should Disqualify Him.”

“Former Sen. Bob Smith, a New Hampshire Republican, expresses worries about McCain: ‘His temper would place this country at risk in international affairs, and the world perhaps in danger. In my mind, it should disqualify him.’… ‘I've witnessed a lot of his temper and outbursts,’ Smith said. ‘For me, some of this stuff is relevant. It raises questions about stability. . . . It's more than just temper. It's this need of his to show you that he's above you -- a sneering, condescending attitude. It's hurt his relationships in Congress. . . . I've seen it up-close.’” [Washington Post, 4/20/08]

GOP Sen. Pete Domenici: “I Decided I Didn't Want This Guy Anywhere Near A Trigger.”
McCain’s “ire is all too real. This has prompted questions about whether his temperament is suited to the office of commander-in-chief... [AP, 2/16/08]

Some Democrats worry that this kind of argument leaves the party vulnerable to accusations of negative campaigning, which could potentially undermine Obama's promise of a new, honest and more civil politics. That gets it backward. It is McCain's temper and actions -- widely and openly discussed by members of his own party -- that demand public scrutiny as he seeks the most powerful position in the world. Voters may choose him despite his temper, but honest campaigns are supposed to ensure all legitimate issues are vetted and debated in public. These issues cannot be preempted because insiders think voters can't handle vexing issues, or that the public will resent the political party that bring them up.

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