{"id":9066,"date":"2018-08-27T18:46:13","date_gmt":"2018-08-27T22:46:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/?p=9066"},"modified":"2018-08-27T19:04:06","modified_gmt":"2018-08-27T23:04:06","slug":"in-pittsburgh-john-mccain-finally-says-the-e-word","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/2018\/08\/27\/in-pittsburgh-john-mccain-finally-says-the-e-word\/","title":{"rendered":"In Pittsburgh, John McCain finally says the ‘e-word’"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
John McCain, R-Az., jokes during a press conference in which he announced his endorsement for Texas Gov. George W. Bush, the presumptive Republican presidential candidate, Tuesday, May 9, 2000, at the West William Penn Downtown. (Steve Mellon\/Post-Gazette)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

John McCain suspended his 2000 presidential campaign in March, but two months later he still hadn’t said the magic word — “endorse.”<\/span><\/p>\n

The Republican senator from Arizona dropped out after a series of primary defeats left him little hope of catching Texas Gov. George W. Bush, who’d accept the Republican nomination and go on to win the White House.<\/span><\/p>\n

McCain, who died Saturday at 81<\/a>, would go on to secure the Republican nomination eight years later before losing to Barack Obama. The former Vietnam POW, elected to the House in 1982 and a senator since 1987, built up a reputation as a “maverick” for his willingness to oppose his party on some issues. The ending of his first presidential run fit that reputation.<\/span><\/p>\n

It was a bitter campaign, with the South Carolina primary getting particularly ugly. McCain ran an ad attacking Bush for running an attack ad, with both sides blaming the other for stretching the truth. The Pittsburgh “summit” was\u00a0<\/span>announced<\/span><\/a> at the end of April as a way for the rivals to discuss policy differences and determine McCain’s role at the upcoming Republican National Convention. The meeting was “being scrutinized by political observers and reporters as closely as Egyptologists might pore over hieroglyphics,” the New York Times\u00a0<\/span>wrote<\/span><\/a>, with people looking for signs of party unity.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Arizona Senator John McCain chats with Robin Breidenbach about his POW days during a book-signing session, Monday, May 8, 2018, at Waldenooks at Ross Park Mall. Breidenbach wore McCain’s name on a metal bracelet when he was a POW and she was 11. (Annie O’Neil\/Post-Gazette)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

McCain had outsized influence for a beaten candidate,\u00a0<\/span>ABC News’ Mark Halperin said<\/span><\/a>, attracting top political reporters to his events even after his campaign was over. At Ross Park Mall in the North Hills the day before the summit, McCain attracted a large crowd of reporters and photographers. The Post-Gazette’s Dennis B. Roddy\u00a0<\/span>called it<\/span><\/a> a “minor commotion.” McCain said he was open to endorsing, but the meeting would have to be to his liking.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Endorsement is not a big deal,” he told the Post-Gazette. “Endorsement is not a big thing.”<\/span><\/p>\n

The 90-minute meeting took place at the Westin William Penn, Downtown. It brought a media mob to Pittsburgh, Roody wrote.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Yesterday’s meeting drew a platoon of national reporters to Pittsburgh, where they clogged the better restaurants and spilled Starbucks coffee on the rug at the Westin William Penn,” reads the PG’s front page recap of the meeting.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
A handful of protestors waited for Texas Gov. George W. Bush to exit the Westin William Penn, Tuesday, May 9, 2000, Downtown. They included Kim Moskal, who dressed as Lady Liberty, and labor activist Anne Feeney, far right. Moskal is from the University of Pittsburgh Women’s Organization. (Steve Mellon\/Post-Gazette)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When the rivals emerged from the William Penn, McCain didn’t immediately give his endorsement. At first saying he “supported” Bush, a reporter pressured McCain on the endorsement question until he gave in.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I endorse Gov. Bush, I endorse Gov. Bush, I endorse Gov. Bush, I endorse Gov. Bush, I endorse Gov. Bush, I endorse Gov. Bush,” McCain said, repeating the line six times<\/a> in six different tones.<\/span><\/p>\n

With months of analysis and punditry about the magic e-word, in front of a sea of reporters prying the word out of him, McCain just laughed it off.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
John McCain, R-Az., shares a laugh with Texas Gov. George W. Bush during a press conference in which McCain announced his endorsement of Bush, the presumptive Republican presidential candidate, Tuesday, May 9, 2000, at the West William Penn Downtown. (Steve Mellon\/Post-Gazette)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
The Post-Gazette’s front page on May 10, 2000.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

John McCain suspended his 2000 presidential campaign in March, but two months later he still…<\/p>\n

Look at the picturesIn Pittsburgh, John McCain finally says the ‘e-word’<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":9069,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[948,946],"tags":[1417,1416,1415,1336,1418,1419],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/5QY0KK60.jpg?fit=2210%2C1546&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2348,"url":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/2012\/10\/31\/nov-4-2000-texas-gov-george-w-bush-kisses-a\/","url_meta":{"origin":9066,"position":0},"title":"Gov. George W. Bush at Pittsburgh International Airport","date":"October 31, 2012","format":"gallery","excerpt":"ousands of people turned out to cheer Bush and several Republicans running for office in Western Pennsylvania.","rel":"","context":"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/tumblr_mcqcdhQQWq1rr5swxo1_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C861&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2336,"url":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/2012\/11\/02\/sen-mccain-speaks-at-cmus-wiegand-gymnasium\/","url_meta":{"origin":9066,"position":1},"title":"Sen. McCain speaks at CMU’s Wiegand Gymnasium","date":"November 2, 2012","format":"gallery","excerpt":"The Republican presidential nominee gave a major speech outlining his economic plan for the United States.","rel":"","context":"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/tumblr_mctzfe3QtP1rr5swxo1_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C680&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2342,"url":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/2012\/11\/01\/santorum-bush-and-specter-in-pittsburgh\/","url_meta":{"origin":9066,"position":2},"title":"Santorum, Bush and Specter in Pittsburgh","date":"November 1, 2012","format":"gallery","excerpt":"Specter, who traveled to Pittsburgh with Bush on Air Force One along with U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, basked in the presidential praise.","rel":"","context":"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/tumblr_mcs79rSNhy1rr5swxo1_1280-e1418792040617.jpg?fit=1200%2C590&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2345,"url":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/2012\/11\/01\/john-kerry-campaigns-at-market-square\/","url_meta":{"origin":9066,"position":3},"title":"John Kerry campaigns at Market Square","date":"November 1, 2012","format":"gallery","excerpt":"It was in Pittsburgh that U.S. Senator from Massachusetts announced that John Edwards would be his running mate on the Democratic ticket.","rel":"","context":"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/tumblr_mcs6tp0JB61rr5swxo1_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C715&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2518,"url":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/2012\/09\/14\/oct-27-1952-ikes-balloon-grounded-general\/","url_meta":{"origin":9066,"position":4},"title":"Ike\u2019s balloon grounded in Pittsburgh","date":"September 14, 2012","format":"gallery","excerpt":"\"Members of the Citizens for Eisenhower Committee said their silver-colored gas bag ordinarily is flown at 500 feet.\u201d","rel":"","context":"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/tumblr_ma9gdziEdx1rr5swxo1_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C978&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2312,"url":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/2012\/11\/06\/members-of-the-black-political-empowement-project-and-the-naacp\/","url_meta":{"origin":9066,"position":5},"title":"Members of the Black Political Empowement Project and the NAACP","date":"November 6, 2012","format":"gallery","excerpt":"Vote.","rel":"","context":"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/tumblr_md1gajvhlX1rr5swxo1_1280.jpg?fit=936%2C560&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9066"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9066"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9066\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9085,"href":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9066\/revisions\/9085"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9069"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9066"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9066"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9066"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}