--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He is obviously an American hero. John…" description: "\"He is obviously an American hero. John McCain is a vanishing breed. He is an iconoclast, he is in his own mind and often in reality a maverick. And I t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f0/john-heilemann-24311_american-hero_he-is-obviously-an-american-hero-john-mc_2257224.png" --- # He is obviously an American hero. John McCain is a… ![“He is obviously an American hero. John McCain is a vanishing breed. He is an iconoclast, he is in his own mind and often in reality a maverick. And I think, you know, you having spent the time that you spent in the Senate know that this is true.” quote by John Heilemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f0/john-heilemann-24311_american-hero_he-is-obviously-an-american-hero-john-mc_2257224.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f0/john-heilemann-24311_american-hero_he-is-obviously-an-american-hero-john-mc_2257224.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f0/john-heilemann-24311_american-hero_he-is-obviously-an-american-hero-john-mc_2257224.png) > “He is obviously an American hero. John McCain is a vanishing breed. He is an iconoclast, he is in his own mind and often in reality a maverick. And I think, you know, you having spent the time that you spent in the Senate know that this is true.” [John Heilemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heilemann/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. John McCain embodied rare, independent political courage, standing apart from mainstream conformity. **In simple terms:** McCain was a unique, independent political figure. Key Takeaway Value and support independent voices. Themes politics leadership individualism integrity Mood respectful reflective admiring Type historical political character study When to use this quote - senate debates - elections - policy advocacy Key Concepts courage non‑conformity public service Questions to Reflect On - How can independent leaders influence mainstream politics? - What costs do mavericks bear? A Different Perspective Such independence can isolate leaders and limit coalition building. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-hero/) [Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) [Maverick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maverick/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [There are very diminishingly few United States senators who you would like always want to have dinner with. It used to be in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heilemann/there-are-very-diminishingly-few-united-states-senators-who-you-would/) [John Heilemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heilemann/) > [FEARLESS is a vivid account of one man's journey from all-American boy to all-American hero. Blehm's writing takes you beyond the battlefield and right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-greitens/fearless-is-a-vivid-account-of-one-man-s-journey-from-all-american/) [Eric Greitens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-greitens/) > [She was in a difficult position being the widow of a great American hero, a role that carried high expectations but she did a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-dees/she-was-in-a-difficult-position-being-the-widow-of-a-great-american/) [Morris Dees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-dees/) > [Dr. Martin Luther King is not a black hero. He is an American hero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/dr-martin-luther-king-is-not-a-black-hero-he-is-an-american-hero/) [Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/) > [The passing of my friend and a great American hero, Dan Inouye, is a major loss for the country and Hawaii. But the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mazie-hirono/the-passing-of-my-friend-and-a-great-american-hero-dan-inouye-is-a/) [Mazie Hirono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mazie-hirono/) > [A man I admire and respect - Congressman John Lewis, an American hero, made allegations that Sarah Palin and I were somehow associated with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/a-man-i-admire-and-respect-congressman-john-lewis-an-american-hero/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Petraeus is the finest general I have ever worked for; Holly Petraeus is a great American hero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-mcraven/petraeus-is-the-finest-general-i-have-ever-worked-for-holly-petraeus/) [William H. McRaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-mcraven/) > [ I know Rick \[Monday\] has done a lot of good things as a player and as a person. But what he did for his… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-mota/i-know-rick-monday-has-done-a-lot-of-good-things-as-a-player-and-as-a/) Manny Mota > [“Huzzah! Free Trade and Sailors' Rights! But instead American ships are captured and sailors impressed by the thousands into the British Navy, becoming slaves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bert-j-hubinger/huzzah-free-trade-and-sailors-rights-but-instead-american-ships-are/) Bert J. Hubinger > [I think people feel threatened by homosexuality. The problem isn't about gay people, the problem is about the attitude towards gay people. People think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hollis-stacy/i-think-people-feel-threatened-by-homosexuality-the-problem-isn-t/) [Hollis Stacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hollis-stacy/) > [Mack Bolan is a classic American hero. Readers like him and I feel very good about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-pendleton/mack-bolan-is-a-classic-american-hero-readers-like-him-and-i-feel/) [Don Pendleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-pendleton/) > [Probably we'll think of Bush in years to come as an American hero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-franks/probably-we-ll-think-of-bush-in-years-to-come-as-an-american-hero/) [Tommy Franks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-franks/) > [“Come with me," he said quietly and extended his hand. "Nuh-uh." I shook my head, scooting in the opposite direction . "I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-saare/come-with-me-he-said-quietly-and-extended-his-hand-nuh-uh-i-shook-my/) [J.A. Saare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-saare/) > [“AMERICAN HERO The man stepped right up, feet on top of a case of bottled beer. He placed his neck into a rope noose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-shields/american-hero-the-man-stepped-right-up-feet-on-top-of-a-case-of/) Bill Shields > [“If there’s one genetic trait that automatically disqualifies a man from being able to rock, it’s curly hair. Nobody cool has curly hair; people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-lee/if-there-s-one-genetic-trait-that-automatically-disqualifies-a-man/) [Tommy Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-lee/) ## More by John Heilemann > [“in 2010, a University of Alabama scientist gunned down six of her colleagues. Here’s what made Amy Bishop snap.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heilemann/in-2010-a-university-of-alabama-scientist-gunned-down-six-of-her/) [John Heilemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heilemann/) > [I think Donald Trump now thinks it's time for Jeff Sessions to resign. There was a reporting that suggested that when Trump first voiced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heilemann/i-think-donald-trump-now-thinks-it-s-time-for-jeff-sessions-to-resign/) [John Heilemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heilemann/) > [“We are the makers of history, not its victims.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heilemann/we-are-the-makers-of-history-not-its-victims/) [John Heilemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heilemann/) > [ To get some of the substance of why \[Michael\] Flynn \[is Defense Adviser\] is so controversial. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heilemann/to-get-some-of-the-substance-of-why-michael-flynn-is-defense-adviser/) [John Heilemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heilemann/) > [ This is a guy \[Michael Flynn\] who stood up at the Republican convention and reveled in the chants of "lock her up" about Hillary… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heilemann/this-is-a-guy-michael-flynn-who-stood-up-at-the-republican-convention/) [John Heilemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heilemann/) > [Donald Trump is now at war with Jeff Sessions. He's now at war with James Comey. He's at war with Andrew McCabe, and he's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heilemann/donald-trump-is-now-at-war-with-jeff-sessions-he-s-now-at-war-with/) [John Heilemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heilemann/) > [ There's a - kind of an undercurrent of the stories we read during the campaign of, \[Michael Flynn\] was a guy we thought we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heilemann/there-s-a-kind-of-an-undercurrent-of-the-stories-we-read-during-the/) [John Heilemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heilemann/) > [ \[Michael Flynn\] has just said that the U.S. Justice system is corrupt. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heilemann/michael-flynn-has-just-said-that-the-u-s-justice-system-is-corrupt/) [John Heilemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heilemann/) > [I think we should always listen to Bill Clinton about everything. And so, if that's his view then that should be the rule of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heilemann/i-think-we-should-always-listen-to-bill-clinton-about-everything-and/) [John Heilemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heilemann/) > [There are very diminishingly few United States senators who you would like always want to have dinner with. It used to be in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heilemann/there-are-very-diminishingly-few-united-states-senators-who-you-would/) [John Heilemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heilemann/) > [“On New Year’s Day, Hillary and Bill were out on a boat, bobbing along on the blue-green sea, and decided to take a swim.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heilemann/on-new-year-s-day-hillary-and-bill-were-out-on-a-boat-bobbing-along/) [John Heilemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heilemann/) > [ \[Dinner with Vladimir Putin has\] raised a lot of eyebrows among national security officials who looked at \[Michael Flynn\] and thought these kind of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heilemann/dinner-with-vladimir-putin-has-raised-a-lot-of-eyebrows-among/) [John Heilemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heilemann/) > [ \[Michael Flynn\] has called President \[Barack\] Obama a liar. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heilemann/michael-flynn-has-called-president-barack-obama-a-liar/) [John Heilemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heilemann/) > [ \[Michael Flynn\] become someone who for a lot of his former colleagues, people like Stanley McChrystal who looked at General Flynn and sort of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heilemann/michael-flynn-become-someone-who-for-a-lot-of-his-former-colleagues/) [John Heilemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heilemann/) > [“Most puzzling was his timidity. Giuliani was supposed to be a tough guy, but in the face of attacks by his opponents, his performance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heilemann/most-puzzling-was-his-timidity-giuliani-was-supposed-to-be-a-tough/) [John Heilemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heilemann/) [Explore all 24 John Heilemann quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heilemann/) ## More American hero quotes > [“If there’s one genetic trait that automatically disqualifies a man from being able to rock, it’s curly hair. Nobody cool has curly hair; people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-lee/if-there-s-one-genetic-trait-that-automatically-disqualifies-a-man/) [Tommy Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-lee/) > [“AMERICAN HERO The man stepped right up, feet on top of a case of bottled beer. He placed his neck into a rope noose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-shields/american-hero-the-man-stepped-right-up-feet-on-top-of-a-case-of/) Bill Shields > [“Come with me," he said quietly and extended his hand. "Nuh-uh." I shook my head, scooting in the opposite direction . "I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-saare/come-with-me-he-said-quietly-and-extended-his-hand-nuh-uh-i-shook-my/) [J.A. Saare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-saare/) > [Probably we'll think of Bush in years to come as an American hero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-franks/probably-we-ll-think-of-bush-in-years-to-come-as-an-american-hero/) [Tommy Franks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-franks/) > [Mack Bolan is a classic American hero. Readers like him and I feel very good about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-pendleton/mack-bolan-is-a-classic-american-hero-readers-like-him-and-i-feel/) [Don Pendleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-pendleton/) > [I think people feel threatened by homosexuality. The problem isn't about gay people, the problem is about the attitude towards gay people. People think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hollis-stacy/i-think-people-feel-threatened-by-homosexuality-the-problem-isn-t/) [Hollis Stacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hollis-stacy/) > [“Huzzah! Free Trade and Sailors' Rights! But instead American ships are captured and sailors impressed by the thousands into the British Navy, becoming slaves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bert-j-hubinger/huzzah-free-trade-and-sailors-rights-but-instead-american-ships-are/) Bert J. Hubinger > [ I know Rick \[Monday\] has done a lot of good things as a player and as a person. But what he did for his… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-mota/i-know-rick-monday-has-done-a-lot-of-good-things-as-a-player-and-as-a/) Manny Mota > [Petraeus is the finest general I have ever worked for; Holly Petraeus is a great American hero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-mcraven/petraeus-is-the-finest-general-i-have-ever-worked-for-holly-petraeus/) [William H. McRaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-mcraven/) > [A man I admire and respect - Congressman John Lewis, an American hero, made allegations that Sarah Palin and I were somehow associated with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/a-man-i-admire-and-respect-congressman-john-lewis-an-american-hero/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [The passing of my friend and a great American hero, Dan Inouye, is a major loss for the country and Hawaii. But the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mazie-hirono/the-passing-of-my-friend-and-a-great-american-hero-dan-inouye-is-a/) [Mazie Hirono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mazie-hirono/) > [Dr. Martin Luther King is not a black hero. He is an American hero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/dr-martin-luther-king-is-not-a-black-hero-he-is-an-american-hero/) [Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/) > [She was in a difficult position being the widow of a great American hero, a role that carried high expectations but she did a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-dees/she-was-in-a-difficult-position-being-the-widow-of-a-great-american/) [Morris Dees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-dees/) > [FEARLESS is a vivid account of one man's journey from all-American boy to all-American hero. Blehm's writing takes you beyond the battlefield and right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-greitens/fearless-is-a-vivid-account-of-one-man-s-journey-from-all-american/) [Eric Greitens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-greitens/) > [Will Rogers was an American hero - someone you could get your teeth into and love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-scott/will-rogers-was-an-american-hero-someone-you-could-get-your-teeth/) [Willard Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-scott/) [Browse all 48 American hero quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-hero/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "He is obviously an American hero. John McCain is a vanishing breed. He is an iconoclast, he is in his own mind and often in reality a maverick. 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