President ial candidate in 2008. He is now serving his fifth term in the senate. And myron is our 107th president of the National Press club. He is had a 42 years career with the Associated Press and covered many world leaders. He received a ba in 1961 from Ohio State University and an ms with high honors from Columbia School where he won a traveling fellowship. When he retired in 2004 myron joined the national chity and worked to expand the International Activities and attract more members from the International Media international organizations, and Diplomatic Missions in washington, d. C. Also in that year he began his second career as an instructor at George Washington universityismuniversity. You can tell myron is going to do a great job from his background with senator mccain and ask important questions and we will talk to you late for the q a. Gentlemen, it is all yours. [applause] myron thank you, jen. Senator mccain, i am truly honored to welcome you on this veterans day. Senator mccain thank you. Myron as the 107th president of the National Press club. Senator mccain at least you were president of something. [applause] myron my class in columbia made a similar remark. I am also honored to welcome you as a member of the National Press Club American legion post 20. I want to acknowledge your coauthor and friend mark. Can you stand to be acknowledged . [applause] myron senator mccain your book published appropriately on veterans day profiles 13 soldiers in 13 wars. Among the millions who served in the military how did you select those 13 to be the subjects representing each war . How did you do it . Senator mccain thank you myron, and thank you to the press club for mosthosting this. And after i lost running for president i slept like a baby. Slept two hours, woke up and cried and slept a little more. I am honored to be here and honored to have my coauthor and the hardest working of our partnership here. We have been together for many years. But mary rhoads and her daughter samantha are here. We wrote about her experience in the persian gulf. Thank you being here your service to the country. Would you stand up . Thank you mary. [applause] senator mccain and you know you put your finger on the hardest part. We try to portray virtures and different times and to try to put them in the context to some degree and conflict of which they fought. Joseph plumb martin was the first subject. 15 years old got out and went back, nearly starved to death. Wrote many years later a biography of his experience and it is remarkable. These soldiers went out eating for days. They were subject to privation and going up against what at that time was the best professional army in the world; the british army. And a couple times things were so bad they almost didnt make it. And do you know he waited 30 years before getting a pension . He was of his times and our last one is Michael Monsoor who was a highly trained navy seal highly capable, and highly motivated to the point he sacrificed his life to save the lives of his fellow seal members. The distance between those two is really quite remarkable. And then we have monica brown who was a medic in the afghanistan conflict. And when you read her story of not only her courage but capabilities. In our civil war, 20 of the death casulaties actually lived. Now 90 are saved. When you read about the equipment and training they carry on them. And an ied went off and she rushed in. We talk about her because it should really stop any argument about should be over. That is one of the difficult parts because you want to protray people in their times and in a way that a couple people are not the most model citizens to say the least. But at their moment in time they performed. Myron we are truly honored to have Sergeant Mary rhoads who served in the persian gulf in the 14th Quarter Master detachment from western pennsylvania. I know it might be hard to say this in front of her but it might be easy. Why did you chose her to be the subject of the one soldier pro profiled from the persian gulf . Senator mccain we used to have a Large Standing Army and it was all volunteers and it has gotten smaller and smaller. We rely on the guard and reserve enorm enormously and years ago especially the guard, if there was a fire or Something Like a flood, they were called out to direct traffic. Today the guard and reserve members do everything the combat army marine airforce and navy do and better. She was a reservist and answered the call after hearing it. She saw a very tragic event which frankly she thinks about every single day. Here was an ordinary citizen. She went to a far off land and cradled her dear friends after they were killed by a scud attack. And so, one of the things we are trying to point out is we now have a lot of citizen soldiers who respond to the call. And to me mary epitomized that port of society. And our Vietnam Veterans were not welltreated when they came home. The pows are probably the only ones treated as heroes. I am so pleased to see today all over america the honor that we bestow on our men and women who are serving. It is the most uplifting probably just about one of the happy happy happy days to me is the honor given to the men and women who are serving and have served. [applause] myron as you just alluded to a few minutes ago, and as you write in that chapter, about the persian gulf war. The persian gulf occasioned the largest single deployment of women to a combat zone in history. 13 of them were killed as you pointed out. When you graduated from the u. S. Naval academy in 1958 did you ever envision women in your lifetime would play such an active role including in combat, in the u. S. Military and did you initially favor that development and do you feel any need to have restrictions even today placed on the way woman serve in the u. S. Military. Senator mccain in answer to your question no and no. When i graduated i did not have that. In world war ii there was a much Greater Service than women are given credit for whether it be rosie the riveter or the womans army core we call them by different names but there was Great Service rendered including in the nursing core. And so i dont think women ever got the credit they did for their service in world war ii. But now, there are certain standards we expect everybody to meet. Male female gender neutral. They meet the standards and they serve. I have run into really, really capable, professional women that have moved into position of commands. Our number two member of the United States navy, our second vice chief of Naval Operations is a woman and i am proud of that. And they command squads and ships. I think the argument is over to be honest with you. I think it is done. And it should be done. But there was time in our history where women had a different role in our society. And now thank god they have as far as i can tell an equal low in our society so they should have the equal opportunity to serve. Myron turning to vietnam where you flew combat missions over North Vietnam until you were shot down in october 1967 captured by the nort vietnamse and held as a prisoner of war until 1973. I know many persons and i have spoken with them who say if someone else was the author of 13 soldiers you would be the service man selected to be profilled as a soldier representing vietnam. You chose a pilot woo was the recipient of the medal of honor. For a time you shared a cell with him and guns of other pows. To give us a perspective of the valor you write throughout the book why was he so special . Myron he was a special friend. And he received the congressional medal of honor for what happened on a combat Mission Weeks before he was shot down and became a prisoner. I try to make this as short as possible but still the most heavily defended air space in history was the air space over North Vietnam. There were literally tens of thousands of anti aircraft guns thousands of surface air missile in placements and they had made aircraft at various basis that would come out on occasion. They could not come out all of the time but they were there as a constant threat, too. And unfortunately we watched those being offloaded from a russian crater taking off and taken up by truck and put in place and we were not allowed to strike them and they later fired at us. Dont ask me to explain that. Myron those restrictions still hurt 50 years later . Senator mccain he lost so many men to the surface air missiles and some of them we could have destroyed before they got there. The surface air missiles sites we have strong evidence were run by russians and not vietnamease. In order to counter the significant threats of the surface air missiles they had a group called why whistles and they will go in and try to attack the missiles in the area where the main attacks were going to come in. He came in with wingman and they were shot down and we had ways of rescuing pilots. We could send in planes to secure the area and helicopters could come in and pick them up. He shot down two megs and circled more, more missiles fired and came back again. Remember he could have gone and left the first time. They circled around one of the pilots got lost and they had to ride him back to the tanker and he had no fuel and glided in the base in thailand and as soon as the wheels touchdown on the runway the engine turns off because it is out of fuel. It as a story of aviation skills and he was doing that because of the loss hof of his friends to try to help the friends on the ground. So it was a combination of bravery, commitment, love and all of those that makeup the real definition of the word valor. And then i am sorry to tell you a few weeks later he was shot down and i ended up in the same well many years later when they put us all together. He is a wonderful man. He remains an inspiration to me. [applause] myron senator, i wanted to turn to chapter four and the civil war when your subject is oliver holmes, jr. Who rose as member of the 20th massachusetts volunteers and went on to becomes as you write one of the most eminent jurist in the country history serving on the Massachusetts Supreme Court and a u. S. Supreme Court Justice for 30 years from 19021932. I felt one of the most moving passages in the book was when you wrote about a memorial address he delivered in 1904 and he went on to say to all those who fought in the war they have been transformed by war and by the suffering and lost that attended the transformation. He called it our great good fortune that in our youth our hearts were touched with fire. It was given to us to learn at the outset that life is a profound and passionate thing. That was oliver holmes, jr. What say of senator john mccain of how war transformed your life and the experiences in vietnam shaped your life there after including as a United States senator since 1987 . Could i say a couple words about oliver windel holmes. There is the graduates of harvard and others were put in the regimen and they fought in the bloodiest encounters of the civil war. He was wounded in the neck. And you can imagine what that would have been like. He was missing on the battlefield. His father was a famous author in those days and walked the battlefield searching for his son and believed he was dead so caught up with him later on. Remarkable story and he continued to fight in these battles so they took incredibly high casualties. The bloodiest war of all was our own civil war. Brother against brother and family against family. Remarkable when you thing about the carnage that might have been necessary but it was a huge and terrible cost. He was a remarkable man and forever changed. He left for harvard as a crusade crusedercrusade crusadecrusade crusader and he was transformed into a realist. He would bring his lunch to work in an ammunition box to remind himself what he and his comrods had undergone. It is hard to define what the experience did to me or for me exactly. First of all it was the obvious, when you spend five a half years in captivity you cannot imagine how much i appreciate every day of freedom and that has not diminished in any way. But i was blessed to serve in the company of heroes. I was blessed to serve with men who were senior to me and led us and tried to keep us from communicating with each other which is why i spent nearly three years in solitary confinement because they combo knew if we could communicate we would organize. We tapped on the walls and communicated with one another and that was led by men that were just outstanding leaders. They made us capable of doing things that we otherwise wouldnt have been able to do because of the motivation and leadership. I would go to interrogation and what they wanted from us the vietnam people was confessions of war crimes so they could use it for propaganda. The military information was nothing. But confess crimes and attack our country for the unjust war and that kind of thing. I wanted my officer to know i did whatever i could to resist these efforts. So you forge a bond and i remember tapping on the wall for one guy for two years and then he was moved out. I never saw what he looked like until three years later. It was nothing i imagined. I think other than comrades who call me every day why didnt you give that speech why dont you vote like that i get a lot of constructive criticism from my fellow pows so that is one of the real takeaways as we say from my experience there. And also because the vietnam one time broke me and i signed a confession i found out i was not a perfect person. Myron it would be great to have one or two more questions that i will have the senator. But those who filled out cards, hand them in and we will try to answer as many as we can. When a political leader writes a book the first thought is they are running for president. I think that is safe to say that wasnt the intent of this book. But i would like to ask a political question from 2014. One week ago today the republicans want control of the u. S. Senate giving your party full control of congress with an enhanced majority in the house. How optimistic are you that the gridlock of the past will pea transformed into a new era of bipartisan including on key issues such as immigration and what role do you plan to play as chair of the Senate Armed Services committee . Senator mccain first of all we are committed to going back it the regular orders and bringing up bills and amendments to vote on. We are committed to that. It is us up to us to govern. I am not blame harry reid any more. I would love to blame him i am not going to be able to do that any more. If we expect to eleth elect a republican in 2016 we have to show the American Public we can govern. I know there are certain members across the aisle that i and others have had good relationships with for a long time. On the Senate Arms Service committee we have been very bipartisan. Jack reed, carl levin my beloved friend is leaving, and jack reed from rhode island is going to be our leader and except for his education, at weslen he is a very fine man and we will get along fine. The rest of the question was . Myron what role do you plan to play on the Senate Arms Service committee . Senator mccain we are in sequestration which is harming the military badly. We have to change that. But we have to do two things. Understand the challenge we are facing and have a strategy that shapes the budget and not a budget that shapes the strategy. And that really sound fairly easy. And we need to do that. The second thing is we will have a hearing because right now i say with all respect does anyone know the strategy . The president said the goal is to degrade and defeat isis. Does anyone know the goal of the strategy to achieve that . We need hearings calling them up saying look, how are we going to do this how much will it cost, what do you need to do it. I want to work with the president. But the president is going to have to give us the strategy that the we can help him implement. And it is the job of congress to author authorize and appropriate. That is our constitutional responsibility. So again i want to work with the president. There is too many things at stake here with the isis threat being enormous and a greater threat than the end of the cold war and maybe and the end of world ii. We now open to the audience. I was just handed a question we also have cspan television here tonight. What is your expectation and how relations between the United States and russia and ukraine will change now that republicans are in control of congress . May i point out to write your friends i have covered a large structure. Something about being too liberal and also i was sanctioned by him after a recession in russia he sanctioned three. [laughter] with a first of nine periodic number one in the whole world is john mccain and then about one month ago fidel castro gave an interview that said the israelis circus secret service john mccain is responsible for isis. [laughter] so we have covered a large political basis around the world. I am very, very very upset about russian behavior and though most by americans we will not give ukrainians weapons to defend themselves as hispanic russians dismember their country as tanks and equipment goes into Eastern Ukraine it is obvious that Vladimir Putin wants to take that side to crimea. So then he puts enormous pressure on politics with his own words he wants to restore the old russian empire. That does it mean go back to the cold war but for solidarity for ukrainians i was there with to a hundred thousand people in subfreezing weather where they stood for days because they wanted a free country and a free biehl of the government that was in power but now theyre unable to achieve that. I think part of our relations with russia have a great deal to do with the behavior of Vladimir Putin. Host what is your opinion on the military Drone Program . Is that a key part to the future . Interesting thing happened a drone landed on an aircraft carrier. As historians look back it was a seminal moment period the mission setter now conducted will now be conducted by a drones. They can later for 12 hours you will see that Technology Get better with the exclusive franchise to see as a great deal role for the drones and less for the manned aircraft. We know what happens with the american pilot is captured and the repercussions of that. If we can do the job staying on the station for 12 hours than why not buy from a moral standpoint i do have some qualms about thinking somebody sitting behind a consoles it is something that i have a little trouble with this passionate attachment to make easy and attractive so greedy to think our way through this. We could go a long time on this issue but it will be with us in the future and will present us with some questions that i think we will have to work our way through. We had discussed that are televised launched last friday the Veterans Affairs succory bob mcdonald spoke of his intent to move on from the past to deal with any staff who are responsible for delays and other issues and spoke of his intent to cut down the waiting list how confident are you this secretary can fill these desires . Gimmicky is qualified not very often in my embarrassed or ashamed about my country but when 50 veterans died waiting for care, i cannot say what the hope that it what a black mark that is. He is a good man i hope it doesnt get caught up with the bureaucracy or with the delay to fire the people responsible. We gave him the authority and of legislation that we passed through the senate 93 three. I would like to see more efficiency. But there is also a lot of boys stand in efficiency waste. But to get firings that gets people questions fired. They said theyre going through the process. It is always been my belief and it is not shared by every Veterans Organization for every veteran to have a card has a choice card to go to get the care that that veteran things that he or she needs. [applause] as we approached the centennial day think we will get a National World war memorial on the wall . Our brave soldiers have spent overlooked. It is interesting that is the case because they do steady history from a historical standpoint that war had more impact than any agreement the use of europe, the widening out, the versailles treaty of unequal terms imposed that gave rise to fascism the bolshevik revolution with a list of the impact on the entire century. But those boundaries drawn between iraq and syria with the british colonels eyes understand. And the bloodletting is beyond anyones imagination is staggers the imagination the british lost 30,000 killed and wounded in the first day. The numbers overall view. Even those United States came late in the war and the battle fought that was the seminal battle the americans won against the germans american marines. It is entirely appropriate not for those only to sacrifice but to recognize that contract was up proportions that my imagination does not encompass how terrible that bloodletting was. Called all quiet on the western front ive recommended who has not read it to understand the incredible horror of that war. You say it is the humility that makes Service People he rose. Explain humility. I was in prison with individuals with urea and world war ii veterans and some that were aces. I had been i could win those and theyre all modest individuals. You almost have to pry it out of them the experience that they had. The most humble man that i have met because they had the kind of character that was willing to do things that only qualifies someone for the congressional medal of honor. When heard frederick veterans bragging just of little bit uneasy. Everybody is proud of their exploits but it depends on how you do it. I think humility is an important aspect for all of us whether combat veterans or whenever we do in life. Host i have extended the period in the will do to more questions. But i think the senator has the prerogative. This is your sixth book starting with the first phase of my fathers. Is there another . We have spent part talking end market i have been partners in most of the credit goes to his hard work i was thinking in retrospect with the president ial campaign with what we have been involved in with United States senate i thought maybe that is something we should do. Host that we hope you have at the National Press club. [laughter] going back to this book is there a movie or miniseries . I think a miniseries because of each individual experience. But thank you for coming tonight. I know the traffic is convoluted to because of the events down on the mall and i appreciate you being here. We love you and thank you so much for your wonderful service. It has been a great privilege of my life to meet americans and medea others. And every day i express my feelings with those who are serving our country after the war unfortunately we did not honor our veterans and that is still an embarrassment an embarrassment to meet but we make up for it the way we honor them today. Having two sons of the military i am biased it is better than my generation. [applause] host we have a tradition at the National Press club that as a small token of our appreciation to be present to our very distinguished guest the traditional National Press club mud but tonight i want to give you is the first mug [applause] into senator mccain is an honor to have you here tonight. You will always remember veterans day with senator john mccain. I know you will stay to sign books. Thank you for your service and all you do for the country. [applause] [inaudible conversations]
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