For those who are closest to Republican Presidential nominee Senator, John
McCain, it's no mystery that the Vietnam POW has a penchant for playing
Craps in the casino. The
rest of us, however, may not have gotten wind of this most interesting fact. And
not that it really matters anyways when it comes to his capabilities of getting
America's economy back on track and in good favor with the rest of the world
(that's a whole other story). However, McCain's habit at the craps table does
make you wonder what this guy is really all about, not to mention strike up some
hearty laughs when seeing how the Republican party tries to keep the original
maverick's pastime under the radar, or should I say under the table.
The Huffington Post published an article in August titled "Will McCain
Gamble With Lives", which is all about John McCain's "impulsive obsession" with
casino craps. And believe me, "impulsive obsession" is no exaggeration. McCain
has been documented to play craps on impulse for 14 hours at a time, according
to longtime friend, Wes Gullet, who worked under McCain for many years.
And it's not that McCain is trying to hide his habit. Obviously, he thinks
it's perfectly fine to lay down and lose thousands of dollars at a time on the
craps table. I mean, the guy owns eleven houses and spent approximately $200,000
on household staff in 2007 alone, not to mention the fact that he's been married
into the Anheuser Busch family. He apparently has a lot of money to lose.
On a trip to New Orleans, as soon as McCain arrived at his downtown hotel, he
hopped out of his chauffeured car and bee lined straight across the street to
Harrah's Casino for some action on the $15 minimum stake craps tables. And
according to Michael Scherer of the London Times, who has accounted
McCain's jaunts to Mississippi riverboat casinos, Indian casinos, Las Vegas and
Caribbean gambling hotspots over the past decade, in 2005, the good Senator
joined a group of journalists at a craps table in Peurto Rico, offering his
betting advice upon request.
But as Connie Bruck of the New Yorker and the Huffington Post
article noted - What does McCain's impulsive and risky gambling habits say about
his "realism" regarding conflicts, wars and human lives. One can only pray that
the "win some, lose some" mentality would not apply in this context. And it's
apparently not even about the money for McCain. His aids say he loves the
camaraderie at the table, and the excitement and thrill of winning. As recently
as the G.O.P. primary battle last Spring, McCain announced he was making a visit
to Las Vegas and that he planned to spend some time in the casino - at the craps
table of course. And when his aids discouraged him from doing so (in light of a
public relations disaster), McCain suggested having the casino take a private
table up to his hotel suite.
It makes you wonder if Senator John McCain is now
playing Craps at an online casino, taking advantage of
the privacy and inconspicuousness that online gambling
affords.
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