John McCain on Gandhi

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It turns out Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) in the middle of all his wonderful work in the Senate has finished writing another book (I think this is his third). This latest publication, entitled, “Character Is Destiny : Inspiring Stories Every Young Person Should Know and Every Adult Should Remember,” is a collaborative effort between McCain and his longtime colleague Mark Salter, and is a book comprised of 34 profiles of varous public figures: anyone from Winston Churchill and George Washington to one Mohandas Gandhi. I haven’t read the book so I can’t really comment on the work. But what I can comment on is the interview that McCain gave last night on the Charile Rose show (thanks Sudin), where the Senator discussed a range of current events including the new book.

In the interview, Rose, after discussing his own political future and the Supreme Court among other things, discussion turned to the book. From the transcript of the Charile Rose Show,

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CHARLIE ROSE: You sure seem to have the energy to do it.

This is a book called “Character is Destiny: Inspiring Stories Every Young
Person Should Know and Every Adult Should Remember,” written with Mark Salter, your longtime colleague. Honor, purpose, strength, understanding, judgment, creativity and love. Profiles here of a whole range of people, from Thomas Moore to Gandhi. Respect. Just give me one small example of Gandhi and respect.

JOHN MCCAIN: Gandhi demanded respect. I wrote about him in his time in India — in South Africa, before he left for India, where he stood up for the rights of the, quote, “coloreds,” as they called the Indian people. And he fought, and he developed this non-violent opposition that he –that later won independence for India. He was jailed. He was mistreated. He was beaten. And he demanded the respect that are due to all human beings. And he was an incredible, powerful player, and unfortunately, murdered by, as you know, by a Muslim.

I hope he didn’t put that last bit in his book, you know, the part about Gandhi being murdered by a Muslim, because well, that would be factually incorrect. Now, many of you out there, and most of you I assume haven’t researched for a book which discusses Gandhi, know that Gandhi wasn’t assasinated by a Muslim, but was killed by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu. From Godse’s wiki

Godse was a Hindu Chitpavan Brahmin who blamed Gandhi for the Partition of the subcontinent into India and Pakistan. Investigations revealed that Godse, a high school dropout, was a well-known member of the Hindu Mahasabha. Godse started a Marathi newspaper for Hindu Mahasabha called Agrani, some years later renamed Hindu Rashtra. Following his assassination of Gandhi, Godse, who did not try to flee, was captured, tried and executed. Godse stood trial on November 8, 1948. During the trial, he spent five hours reading out a ninety-page treatise justifying his decision to kill Gandhi. He observed, “Before I fired the shots I actually wished him well and bowed to him in reverence”.

I expect better. I expect more. No this isn’t one of those great injustices, but it is kind of embarrassing. I expect Senator McCain to know who killed Gandhi and why, especially because he is co-author of a book which has an entire section focusing on Gandhi. Maybe McCain misspoke. Maybe he didn’t. Maybe he really doesn’t know who killed Gandhi. Maybe someone needs to tell him who did it. Maybe he will join Gandhi’s posse. Maybe we should make a Clue-like board-game to help him out (it was Godse, at Birla House, with a Gun), or maybe he could just read the New York Times article here, from 1948 to to find out. It would’t take much time- – the answer is in the headline.

20 thoughts on “John McCain on Gandhi”

  1. sajit, this is a serious thing, and who knows if anyone is actually going to do anything about it. i’d strongly recommend you (or everyone else) writing to mccain’s office about this. it’s not surprising he wouldn’t remember exactly what his ghostwriter said in his name, but this is inflammatory and deserves a response.

    peace

  3. HaHa !! I can’t believe an educated American writing about Gandhi could be so incorrect?

    [bigoted comment deleted by admin.]

    Yeah, somebody seriously needs to wake up this fool.

  4. Kash, Please read our comment policy before posting another comment. Abuse of the policy will result in banning. Thank you.

  5. Hey young ‘uns:
    Up front – I’m not american – My knowledge of the USA is not deep – but I do go deep in the challengers’ bios come primaries – by and large – as with most democratic countries – i believe that most politicians who aspire to the top political position are immensely worthy people – Senator McCain is one of these … I’d give him the benefit of the doubt on this – the statement that sajit points out – it’s dangerous data – and someone has to clear this up – it’s not my country guys – but I care deeply for it – and the last thing I’d like is to see some misinformed loon running around quoting the good senator as reference – besides this might just end up costing the senator an important bloc, come the primaries.

  6. LOL This story was funny-strange and funny-haha together. I hope indian intelligensia notices this incident. It shows that americans dont think much about India despite all the talk about the “2 democracies being closer and bound by common ideals” talk given on all occasion. No one is spending any serious amount of time or energy researching or formulating new policy decision. In India there was a semi-euphoria about the prospects for some really good indo-american friendship right after manmohan singhs US visit. They shouldnt get their hopes too high. And all indications so far is they havent. Indian Americans in Az wont hold this gaffe against Mccain. He is afterall an American. He is also better informed about international events than Bush Jr. when he was a presidential candidate.

  7. Just to position my perspective … here’s a review to one of his previous books

    Senator McCain approaches the investigation of courage from a position of unease at how diluted a commodity it has become in our society, and at how shallowly the label is applied. In offering anecdotes of individuals whose actions embody the rarity of true courage, his well-drawn examples range from Navajo leaders to Colorado River explorers to Jewish freedom fighter Hannah Seneshand Burmese dissident and Nobel Peace Prize-recipient Aung San Suu Kyi. He reflects on the wellsprings of courage, defining it as conscious self-sacrifice “for the sake of others or to uphold a virtue,” encompassing actions that may be spurred by honor, outrage, a sense of duty, one’s conscience, or moral obligation. He is self-critical and careful to avoid personal aggrandizement, but coaches readers to believe that one can use “fear [as] the opportunity for courage,” and, by tackling modest daily challenges, increase the probability of summoning deeper reserves when needed. The book is not a primer but is, rather, a declaration of why striving for courage is fundamentally important as an attribute of character. The anecdotes are the most crisply written portions; the text becomes less taut and more hazy when addressing abstractions such as the qualities and types of courage, but focus and momentum are usually restored, often by a signature McCain sound bite

    On a personal note… I can see why he writes these books – these people inspire him, gives him something to shoot for – for that matter, HE inspires me – at the end of the day – I’ve been in situations time and again – though not life-and-death situations by any stretch – but situations where the result’s probably not worth the effort – but because there’s a fight involved – remember the running scene from Gallipolli – yup, that’s my game – so… i relate to the guy – and understand the need for these books- need these ideals, that sense of ‘hero’ – and the guy’s been throug a lot and is trying to convey what inspired him – worth reading

  8. Looks like people are on to this: http://boards.charlierose.com/board/topic.asp?ti=15123

    Argus wears republican hat: What our senator really meant was that Gandhi was murdered by a fanatic. Since the Hindu religion is one based on tolerance etc., the murdered was in fact a Muslim in spirit.

    Argus wears democratic hat: God forbid, if this lunatic ever gets elected, we shall see many action replays of 9/11.

    Argus wears save your rear end and run for it hat Ok, I am outta here.

  9. “remember the running scene from Gallipolli”

    that is one of my favorite movie, top 10.

    the post above is more a ghost-writer problem and maybe, it not that well-researched (well-paid) person. even jfk’s “profile in courage” is largely believed to be ghost-written.

  12. maybe it was a slip of the tongue. I am surprised that Charlie Rose didn’t correct him. At the start of the transcript, he “confuses” India with SA but corrects himself.

  13. Didnt Mccain adopt a Bangladeshi girl?

    For, which G W Bush attacked him, by spreading the “word” during repub primaries 1999 (in one of the Carolinas), that McCain has a “black” baby.

  14. I was expecting McCain to be more knowledgeable, especially after he wrote a profile of Gandhi in his book. Apart from that, I don’t think ignorance about world politics in general is so uncommon in America. George Dubya Bush couldn’t name the prime ministers of India and Pakistan (where Musharraf had usurped power) before his election in ’99 (I wonder if he knows/remembers the name even now). Also India wasn’t a country to remember much about for most Americans till now. But after 9/11 I was surprised how many of my American friends didn’t know where Afghanistan was despite of American involvement since 1978-79 (and even after the movie Rambo III or II is “dedicated to the brave warriors of Afghanistan”).

    I am not an American and I doubt most Indian politicians or educated middle-class citizens know much about American/world history either. History in general seems to be much ignored! sigh!

  15. I caught the outrageous mistake on the show, but I couldn’t get hold of the transcript to pursue the issue. I think more should be done.. Mr Rose, with all due respect, should apologize. For McCain, it is worse..he should remember what his ghost writer wrote for him, as some said here, or hold his loose tongue! I am emailing his office today. Peace, WT

  17. Nothing more revolting has occurred in history of modern world than the senseless assassination of this venerable man. That he should die by violence is one of those bitter anachronisms that seems to refute all logic. In the evolution of civilization, if it is to survive, all men can not fail eventually to adopt his belief that the process of mass application of force to resolve contentious issues is fundamentally not only wrong but contains within itself the germs of self-destruction.

    General Douglas MacArthur

  20. of course gandhi was killed by Natthu Ram Godse. and He was hang till death.And Natthu Ram Rodse was Hindu. Some poeple are saying that gandhi was not born in India. I am not sure about this. But Why gandhi was Murdered (killed) by another hindu. A lot of peoples are saying that India got feedom because gandhi and by peace.but i donot believe that bull shit. British ruled a lot of countries none of them got freedom by peace. they fight with british to get their freedom back.gandhi was saying not to learn english to others not to wear clothes made by british compaines. but why he was flying or sailing on their ships to british to learn or to get a degree for lawyer. he was cheating with public of India. every time when he talked to british they listen him everybody know they were killing to those who were talking to ruin their ruled country or missleading public againist british rules. Bhagat Singh Raj Guru Sukhdev kartar singh sarabaha they were freedom fighter they all were punished by british because gadhi asked british to kill all freedom fighters. Because They all wanted freedom not make two countries.and they wanted India ruled by Labour not by gandhi family. it all hinduism making this world fool by using their media power controled by hindus. when indra gandhi was murdered by a tamil woman. who was vice-prime minister of India.If president of the country gets killed or dies who spose to be rule the country. Was rajiv gandhi was vice president of India that time. no Not At all. he was in Italy. and hindus they put him in prime minister of india’s chair. and he order in Punjab(Punjab is state of India where most of the polpulation is Sikh People. They Supply A lot of Food to India and Punjab Is Most of Rich state In India.) Kerfeu,India and ordered Punjab to be ruled for 96 hours by military. but he also order hindus (gundas) to kill all Sikh people in other parts of India. And nobody helped those Sikhs In India. They Killed, burned, Burned their families, thier factories businesess, houses belong to sikhs,raped their daughters,mothers,sisters.Burn them shot them to death. and police was watching.(if you dont trust me Go Watch a movie Called Hawian made in India Hero is Amtoj Mann) Destroyed Muslims Baber Masjid. Destroyed Christians Churchs in south…………………..Keep on doing hindus what you can do but you can not Finish any Cast Religious not at all………………..