John McCain, the KO theory
05 November 2008 à 00h05
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By tradition, an American president is fond of sport. Sport became a political argument. Senator John McCain is no exception. No one knows it -or doesn’t care- but he’s a boxing fan. And it has a political influence.
Today, the senator for Arizona seems so far away from sport. Because of his age, of course, and because of his war wounds too. At the age of 72, he can no longer practice what he likes: boxing.
So, he likes to go to Las Vegas –with his wife Cindy– to watch boxing matches. Few weeks ago, he saw the top-level duel between De la Hoya and Mayweather.
He describes himself as a « fighter » and the political world is like a ring for him. « There are probably stricter rules in boxing than in politics », he said.
Last October, the Republican candidate declared that he will « whip Obama’s you know what ». The word « whip » started a scandal, because it’s associated with the slavery period. Terry Kershaw, a teacher in Afro-American studies in Virginia Tech, explained that these are « boxing terms ».
McCain was not always a simple spectator. In the 1950s, he was a boxer at the Naval academy of Annapolis (Maryland). The young officer was always in the ring, and around the rings.
In the mid-1980s, Senator McCain first entered the House of Representatives. “Joe the kicker” began fighting for the boxers rights, who are « the poorest and least educated among us, and the most exploited athletes in our nation », he said. Disgusted by the wheeler-dealing, he started a crusade against managers, referees and federations.
In a 2004 article in Stanford Law and Policy Review, McCain wrote that “professional boxing has reached the precipice of irrelevance and that federal uniform standards may be the only way to preserve the sport for the enjoyment of future generations”.
Even if he’s considered as « a pain in the neck », John McCain has collected six times more money from the big four sports leagues than Barack Obama. Even the basketball one.
Today, the senator for Arizona seems so far away from sport. Because of his age, of course, and because of his war wounds too. At the age of 72, he can no longer practice what he likes: boxing.
So, he likes to go to Las Vegas –with his wife Cindy– to watch boxing matches. Few weeks ago, he saw the top-level duel between De la Hoya and Mayweather.
He describes himself as a « fighter » and the political world is like a ring for him. « There are probably stricter rules in boxing than in politics », he said.
Last October, the Republican candidate declared that he will « whip Obama’s you know what ». The word « whip » started a scandal, because it’s associated with the slavery period. Terry Kershaw, a teacher in Afro-American studies in Virginia Tech, explained that these are « boxing terms ».
McCain was not always a simple spectator. In the 1950s, he was a boxer at the Naval academy of Annapolis (Maryland). The young officer was always in the ring, and around the rings.
Fighting for the boxers
In the mid-1980s, Senator McCain first entered the House of Representatives. “Joe the kicker” began fighting for the boxers rights, who are « the poorest and least educated among us, and the most exploited athletes in our nation », he said. Disgusted by the wheeler-dealing, he started a crusade against managers, referees and federations.
In a 2004 article in Stanford Law and Policy Review, McCain wrote that “professional boxing has reached the precipice of irrelevance and that federal uniform standards may be the only way to preserve the sport for the enjoyment of future generations”.
Even if he’s considered as « a pain in the neck », John McCain has collected six times more money from the big four sports leagues than Barack Obama. Even the basketball one.
