John McCain was a fighter pilot. Well, fighter-bomber pilot actually but a similar experience. You all know how the training and experiences of our youth mold us. It's very hard to change those deep-seated patterns. McCain retains that fighter pilot mentality.
Commentators say that he rolls the dice. But it's more complicated than that. He has a very high level of situational awareness. We saw that in the debate last night, when he was able to steer the conversation into territory more favorable to him. And he has very fast reactions which we see as a very low time-to-decision and a good sense of decisions that will be temporarily unfavorable to his opponent.
Those reactions served him well as a fighter pilot, but will not serve his country well in the role of chief executive.
John McCain comes from a line of military officers. The ideals and concepts of military service have always been a part of his existence. Chief among those concepts is that of "chain of command." From the first week of basic training, chain of command is required knowledge for every person in the service. That sense of where one lies in the chain of command is at the root of one's military existence, just as civilians might have a sense of geographical or spiritual place.
John McCain's highest rank was Lt. Commander in the Navy. I believe his highest active duty rank was Captain, equivalent to Colonel in the Army. General Petraeus would therefore be a superior officer to him. He retains the idea of General Petraeus being his superior officer to this day. This was obvious in the debate from the deferential manner with which he said the General's name.
However, as Commander in Chief, McCain would lie in General Petraeus' chain of command, not the reverse. His focus on the correctness of General Petraeus' decisions, rather than on the decisions of the C-in-C which will give the General his marching orders is quite bizarre and unsettling.
Whether or not General Petraeus made good decisions is not the focus here. Rather I focus on the very odd and inappropriate deference which Candidate McCain shows to him.