McCain: The irritable gambler

A story is in full circulation about an incident at a craps table in Puerto Rico involving John McCain and his evil twin: Senator Hothead. It's from Jeff Dearth, a media investment banker, and it goes something like this:

Apparently there is some kind of rule or tradition in craps that everyone’s hands are supposed to be above the table when the dice are about to be thrown. McCain—“very likely distracted by one of the many people who approached him that evening,” Jeff says charitably—apparently was violating this rule. A small middle-aged woman at the table, apparently a “regular,” reached out and pulled McCain’s arm away. I’ll let Jeff take over the story:

“McCain immediately turned to the woman and said between clenched teeth: ‘DON’T TOUCH ME.’ The woman started to explain...McCain interrupted her: ‘DON’T TOUCH ME,’ he repeated viciously. The woman again tried to explain. ‘DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM? DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU’RE TALKING TO?’ McCain continued, his voice rising and his hands now raised in the ‘bring it on’ position. He was red-faced. By this time all the action at the table had stopped. I was completely shocked. McCain had totally lost it, and in the space of about ten seconds. ‘Sir, you must be courteous to the other players at the table,’ the pit boss said to McCain. “DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM? ASK ANYBODY AROUND HERE WHO I AM.” the story goes on and on...

The man's a menace. Even conservative Senator Thad Cochran of Mississippi has said, "He is erratic. He is hotheaded. He loses his temper and he worries me." But that's not really the point. The author of the story notes an important fact about this that should be a concern to any voter. And that is not the irrepressible anger he displayed and the way that he totally lost his shit for being merely touched by someone.

It's the arrogance.

If you are to assess America's perception in the world truthfully, you will see that the LAST THING we need is a personification of the arrogance for which we are seen.

Yes, we do need a strong President. But we need a controlled one. We need a strong President, but a reasonable one. We need a strong President, but one not full of hubris.

McCain may have Obama on experience. But I would humbly assert that Obama has him on wisdom and temperance.