Cindy McCain: A Mother's BlackBerry

Reporter Holly Bailey of Newsweek tagged along with Cindy McCain and daughter Meghan during their recent trip to Singapore, Vietnam, and Thailand. In her fascinating profile of the Senator's wife, Bailey describes the two times that reporters have seen Mrs. McCain break down on the campaign: 

McCain lost the South Carolina primary after a vicious dirty-tricks campaign, in which his opponents smeared Cindy as a drug addict and spread rumors that Bridget was really McCain's illegitimate child. Cindy cried in full view of reporters...

When Jimmy was in Iraq during the primary season, Cindy, like every mother whose son is at war, lived to hear his voice. She kept her BlackBerry in her hands at all times so she wouldn't miss his call. When she went onstage, she would hand the phone to a campaign aide who would stand with it in her line of sight. "She slept with that BlackBerry in her hand," says Harper. Earlier this year Cindy approached the senator backstage at a campaign event. She was on the brink of tears. "He called," she told McCain. "I missed it."

Bottom line: go ahead and mess with the husband, people, but not with his babies.

Meghan and Mom: Smiles in Vietnam

Meghan McCain's face always seems so happy when she's with her mother. She and the blogettes joined Cindy McCain on a trip to Vietnam to visit a center run by Operation Smile, an international organization that provides surgery for kids born with cleft palates.

The McCains reunited with Phuoc Thi Le, a girl Cindy McCain brought back to Arizona for surgery in 1997 -- five years after Bridget's journey from Bangladesh for the same operation. Le went back to her parents and Vietnam; Bridget, of course, who had been in an orphanage, stayed in Phoenix and became a McCain.

McCain's Granddaughter at UNC

Doug McCain (sometimes called Doug Shepp) is a pilot with American Airlines who lives in Virginia Beach. He and his wife Ashley have two kids, a daughter at the University of North Carolina and a son at Norfolk Academy. That means "Aunt Bridget" (John McCain's 16-year-old daughter) is younger than one of her nieces, and might be about the same age as her nephew.

Doug and his family live near his Mom, Carol Shepp, who was McCain's first wife. According to this interview in Pilot Online, Ms. Shepp "not only sports a McCain bumper sticker on her car but also contributed to her ex-husband's campaign." How encouraging is that for the blended families of America?

Meghan's Campaign Perk: Everglades Airboat Tour

As Meghan McCain continues to get a front seat experience, I'm wondering when school gets out for Bridget because I'm hoping we see more of her this summer. And what about Jimmy (and Tess), Jack, Sidney, Andy, and Doug? Or maybe schmoozing and cruising with a Dad who's been in politics for decades doesn't seem exciting to any of Meghan's other sibs. 

Today Meghan (and the blogettes, I think) have left the trail and are about to head out with Cindy McCain, who seems like a great traveling companion. It was hard not to notice that Meghan's bubble and bounce returned as soon as Mom climbed back aboard the Straight Talk Express. Who can blame her? Now that Dad's done SNL and the Ellen Show, wouldn't you want to hang with your Mom and movie stars instead of a bunch of middle-aged strangers listening to the same jokes at yet another finance meeting? 

Mom and Bridget McCain on Pet Duty

Cindy McCain has been MIA on the campaign trail lately, not turning up for her usual fun photo ops on daughter Meghan's blog. She's probably home with Bridget, who's finishing out the school year, and reconnecting with the rest of the family:  two Yorkshire terriers, Lucy and Desi, two more dogs, a cat, and several parakeets. Since the family moved from the ranch house to the condo last summer, gone are the guinea pigs, snakes and an iguana that Jack walked around the house on a leash.

Where Were All The Veep Wannabes?

Heather Brand of mccainblogette was the only official photographer allowed inside the gates at the McCain Sedona Memorial Day Bash, but even she couldn't provide us with photos of Mitt Romney, Bobby Jindal, or Charlie Crist (who are all getting the buzz about becoming veep candidates). What she did give us, though, is a great new photo of Bridget McCain, who looks like she at least was having a good time at the barbecue.

Bridget Meets Bobby and Supriya

If Bridget McCain, who's used to crowds without too many other brown faces around, was at the ranch in Sedona this past weekend for the big McCain barbecue, she had a nice surprise. There were two other Americans with South Asian roots there -- Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and his beautiful wife Supriya. I can just picture Supriya and Bridget chatting in a shady corner, can't you?

Photo Source: Mark V. Genre via Creative Commons

Hooray for Bridget McCain!

Meghan McCain shows off photos of her beautiful sister Bridget, aka "Lil' Peanut," in the blogettes' newest video production:

Cindy McCain: Bridget Chose Me; I LOVE Meghan's Blog

In a recent Mother's Day interview with Kathryn Jean Lopez, Mrs. McCain talked about who was really in charge of Bridget's adoption from Bangladesh:

You know, she chose me, I’m convinced. She was only ten weeks old but she captured my heart. As you know, she had a very severe cleft palate and she had a number of other little problems along with another little baby. When I realized, when the nuns prevailed upon me and said: You know these babies need help you could help them, all of a sudden a light bulb kind of went off in my head and it was like: “Yeah you know I can help them.” I’m in a situation where I can get some help for these kids. It was just a matter of really responding to the call and then of course realizing on the flight home that I just couldn’t give her up. I didn’t go there with any intention of adopting or adding to our family in any way, and as luck and God would have it she is our lovely daughter to this day. And even though it was a surprise to my husband, he loves her just the way I do, and she adds such a special dimension to our family.

She also talked about daughter Meghan's blog ("... I read it all the time. I was her biggest supporter and biggest fan when she started it ... It’s wonderful, it really is. She has such a different and unique perspective of the campaign. It’s just through different eyes, and I just love it ...") and her oldest daughter's company on the trail ("... Just the fact that she’s around certainly me makes me feel better. And also her support. We support each other on this. If I have a bad day she’s there, and certainly if she has a bad day I’m there ..."). Meghan recently posted a bundle of photos like this one featuring the close relationship she shares with her Mom.

Bridget in the Limelight

The youngest daughter of Cindy and John McCain, Bridget, has been busy with homework, volunteer trips to New Orleans, and playing on the volleyball and basketball teams at school in Arizona, but she still finds time to join the family on the campaign trail every now and then. Here's another sweet photo of Bridget and her big sis Meghan, and their Mom's take on the youngest McCain's role: 

When Bridget drops into the campaign, Mrs. McCain goes out of her way to point her out. "I want to make sure everyone knows she's a part of us, too," she said.

Bridget McCain's New Orleans Trip

Bridget McCain visited New Orleans during spring break, and I'll bet a father-daughter email exchange or dinner table conversation inspired Senator McCain. Listen to the passionate promise he made during a visit he made a few weeks after Bridget's return:

McCain said his teenage daughter Bridget had been there with a volunteer youth group a few weeks ago to help in the recovery.

"Never again, never again, will a disaster of this nature be handled in the disgraceful way it was handled," McCain declared, a pledge he repeated over and over during the day.

Meghan McCain: Spending Time With Bridget

While she takes a break from blogging to get strategic about mccainblogette, Meghan's chilling in Arizona with her kid sister:

I'll be at home indulging in a few of my favorite guilty pleasures including, sleeping in my own bed; hanging out with Bridget; watching "The Three Stooges" (an obsession of mine since childhood); eating fish tacos; drinking strawberry margaritas; playing "Rock and Roll Jeopardy"; and taking in beautiful Arizona sunsets.

The only public event she's planning to attend would lure anybody away from a vacation. Get this: People Magazine invited her and the other two blogettes to attend the White House Correspondents Dinner hosted by Craig Ferguson in Washington, D.C. on April 26th. Sparrow is green, because who doesn't adore Craig Ferguson? Take us along, Meghan, even if it's virtually.

Bridget McCain Scores Points For Dad

... in Pakistan, that is, where Bridget is described as a "pivotal part" of the McCain family. Dr. Saleem Ali, the author of the article, goes on to praise John McCain for his "noble" deed:

While Senator McCain might not be the most appealing US presidential candidate for many Pakistanis on other counts, his nobility as an adoptive parent must be admired and emulated.

The article doesn't mention Cindy McCain at all, even though she's the one who's really responsible for Bridget's joining the family. The nuns at Mother Theresa's orphanage in Dhaka, Bangladesh couldn't feed Bridget because of her severe cleft palate, so Cindy took her and another baby back to the States for treatment, falling in love on the journey, as she told Harper's Bazaar:

By the time she landed in the United States, Cindy "realized I couldn't give up this child" and called her husband, telling him about her charges and asking him to meet her at the airport. "When I disembarked carrying Bridget, John said, under his breath, 'Where's she going?' I said, 'To our house.' He laughed. 'I thought so.'" She chuckles. "I brought home a baby without telling him, and he not only took it in stride but loved it, immediately embracing Bridget, who shares John's very dry sense of humor, so she and her dad do pretty well together. If I hadn't taken Bridget out, I think she would have become a prostitute or, worse, died." (The other infant was adopted by another family.) Her children, meanwhile, completely accepted their new sister.

When A Public Parent Blows it ... Publicly

It's hard enough to be dragged into the limelight because your parents are famous. But what happens when your Mom or Dad makes a huge mistake and has to confess it publicly? Parental penitence is another thing that Chelsea Clinton and the McCain kids have in common.

Chelsea's Dad's secret relationship with a White House intern made international headlines for months and months. And when Meghan was 10, Jack 8, Jimmy 6, and Bridget 3, their Mom admitted to the world that she'd been addicted to painkillers when Jimmy was a year old, after two back surgeries for ruptured discs, and that she'd stolen drugs from a charity she founded, the American Voluntary Medical Team.

Fast forward to 2008. Chelsea's parents are still married, and I can see the forgiveness in their family. Can't you? Cindy McCain talks freely about addiction, healing, and grace, and her children adore her. Both Bill Clinton and Cindy McCain have a shot at First Spousedom, which tells me that America's a country of second chances. And also that kids make fantastic forgivers when parents admit they blew it and face the consequences with courage.

Photo Source: Daniella Zalcman via Creative Commons.

Daughters Can Help You Win

Some people think that Chelsea's very public stumping in Ohio made a big difference in her Mom's win:

Highlighting their strong mother-daughter relationship showed a much softer side of the Clinton family. Chelsea was all over Ohio and got a lot of media coverage referring to Hillary as "my mom." During the debates, the camera would cut away to this beautiful young woman smiling supportively at her mother.

Meanwhile, Meghan McCain hung out with First Daughter Jenna Bush at the White House, bringing along their mothers for company. Hey, how come Bridget missed that meal, too? She adores her candidating parent, just like Meghan and Chelsea. WE WANT BRIDGET! WE WANT BRIDGET!

Photo Source: T-Fiz via Creative Commons

Where Was Bridget at the BBQ Bash?

Meghan McCain, whose Dad won the Republican nomination yesterday, posted some great pictures of a barbecue the family hosted for the press at one of their houses.

This particular bash was in Arizona, where Bridget goes to school, so where was she? Not a glimpse of the youngest McCain daughter on mccainblogette.com lately. I hope she's not googling away and making herself disappear because of a couple of absolute idiots who spew garbage on the web. They'd trash Mother Theresa herself if they had a chance at five seconds of fame. Here's the real truth: WE LOVE YOU, BEAUTIFUL BRIDGET! Don't give power to the loonies!

McCain Kids Like Private Schools

Meghan, John and Cindy's oldest kid, went to Xavier College Preparatory before graduating from Columbia University in New York. Jimmy (a private in the Marines) and Jack (at the Naval Academy) graduated from Brophy College Prep, and Bridget is a sophomore who plays volleyball and basketball at a private school in Phoenix (she went to elementary and middle school here.)

Welcome, McCain Hunters!

Sparrowblog's been tracking the First Kid wannabes for months now, so if you're looking for the buzz about the McCain family, click on these labels: Bridget McCain, Meghan McCain, Sidney McCain, and McCain. We're all about the good stuff here -- no dirt, sorry, but feel free to browse around.

Brown People in Da House?

... and I don't mean serving the food. If our next President is either Barack Obama or John McCain, we're going to have non-white First Family member(s) living at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Welcome to the browning of America, people. We might have to start calling it the not-so-White House.

Tired on the Trail

This long, exhausting campaign's getting stranger by the minute.

According to Peter Nicholas, Seema Mehta and Maeve Reston of the Los Angeles Times, Josh Romney's taken to surfing his dad's campaign signs down the aisles of jet planes.

Bridget McCain's Mom misses her, the dogs, and hiking so badly she's taking a day off and heading back to Arizona.

Hilary Clinton's addicted to big mugs of tea, Janet Huckabee's starting to rap, and Ann Romney's hugging Michelle Obama every time they see each other. 

And it's not just the candidates and their families who are getting loopy; the journalists covering them can't see straight either. Think of the money Starbucks is making on double-shot ventis sold to these sleep-deprived people, and it's only February.

Happy Super Tuesday, America!