Here’s one of those stories I hadn’t heard before – one which reveals a great deal about John McCain.

[Ret. Col. Bud] Day relayed to me one of the stories Americans should hear. It involves what happened to him after escaping from a North Vietnamese prison during the war. When he was recaptured, a Vietnamese captor broke his arm and said, "I told you I would make you a cripple."

The break was designed to shatter Mr. Day's will. He had survived in prison on the hope that one day he would return to the United States and be able to fly again. To kill that hope, the Vietnamese left part of a bone sticking out of his arm, and put him in a misshapen cast. This was done so that the arm would heal at "a goofy angle," as Mr. Day explained. Had it done so, he never would have flown again.

But it didn't heal that way because of John McCain. Risking severe punishment, Messrs. McCain and Day collected pieces of bamboo in the prison courtyard to use as a splint. Mr. McCain put Mr. Day on the floor of their cell and, using his foot, jerked the broken bone into place. Then, using strips from the bandage on his own wounded leg and the bamboo, he put Mr. Day's splint in place.
Years later, Air Force surgeons examined Mr. Day and complemented the treatment he'd gotten from his captors. Mr. Day corrected them. It was Dr. McCain who deserved the credit. Mr. Day went on to fly again.

McCain himself had been tortured and suffered grievous injuries after his capture by the North Vietnamese. They wanted to use him for propaganda purposes, but when he refused they made him suffer. Yet when he found one of his fellow prisoners suffering and in danger of being permanently maimed due to the sadism of their captors, McCain acted in the best tradition of our country by placing himself in danger to prevent that outcome.

There is more, much more, to this article – including the beautiful story of how the McCains came to adopt their daughter Bridget. I would only add to it that there was, in fact, a second baby girl who Cindy McCain brought back to the US for medical treatment – and the couple found another family to adopt that child as well. After reading this article, tell me that John and Cindy McCain, two decent people despite their past flaws and past mistakes, would not be the sort of First Couple who would make America proud.

H/T NRO's Campaing Spot, Hot Air

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