Popeye McCain

Some readers have written in to ask about my profile pic, which shows Old Man McCain scowling with one-eyed squinted like Popeye.


Most wonder if the picture is photoshopped or otherwise altered. Sadly, the answer is no. According to my crack internet research, this actually comes from a photo taken in 2000, when McCain was debating George W. Bush in South Carolina. Here in the full version of the shot you can see the back of Bush's head:


It was a brutal campaign, with the Bush squad questioning McCain's war service, sliming his wife for her pill-popping habits, and making racial slurs about his adopted daughter (and they think "100 years" is below the belt? Gimme a break).

But the point is that yes, McCain really made this face. And in fact, if you watch him speak at events these days, you'll notice that he does have a tendency to squint his eyes, sort of like a tic. I don't know if it has anything to do with the heavy cancer scars he has on the left side of the face, or maybe it's just cause he's approaching 100 years old. But the bottom line is that John McCain is just a plain ol' scary-looking dude.


I don't want to see this face on TV for the next four years. Sorry if that sounds shallow, but I just don't.