--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I spent several years in a North…" description: "\"I spent several years in a North Vietnamese prison camp in the dark, fed with scraps. Do you think I want to do that all over again as vice president o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e9/john-mccain-465_arizona_i-spent-several-years-in-a-north-vietnam_423435.png" --- # I spent several years in a North Vietnamese prison camp in… ![“I spent several years in a North Vietnamese prison camp in the dark, fed with scraps. Do you think I want to do that all over again as vice president of the United States? The vice president has two duties. One is to break a tie in case of a tie vote in the United States Senate... The other is to…” quote by John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e9/john-mccain-465_arizona_i-spent-several-years-in-a-north-vietnam_423435.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e9/john-mccain-465_arizona_i-spent-several-years-in-a-north-vietnam_423435.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e9/john-mccain-465_arizona_i-spent-several-years-in-a-north-vietnam_423435.png) > “I spent several years in a North Vietnamese prison camp in the dark, fed with scraps. Do you think I want to do that all over again as vice president of the United States? The vice president has two duties. One is to break a tie in case of a tie vote in the United States Senate... The other is to inquire daily as to the health of the president. Neither one of those are very challenging as compared to being able to live for a good part of the time in the state of Arizona.” [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He contrasts the hardships of war imprisonment with the relatively mundane duties of the U.S. Vice President, highlighting his resilience and humor. **In simple terms:** War hardships vs. political duties. Key Takeaway Recognize that leadership can be both serious and absurd. Themes resilience humor leadership Mood wry reflective Type political personal humorous When to use this quote - political campaigns - military training - public speaking - media interviews Key Concepts political duty military service personal sacrifice Questions to Reflect On - How does humor help cope with past trauma? - What does this reveal about expectations of political office? A Different Perspective His humor may downplay the trauma of imprisonment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arizona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arizona/) [Break](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break/) [Camps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/camps/) [Cases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cases/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Duties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duties/) [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Feds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feds/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [President Duties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president-duties-3748010/) [Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison/) [Scrap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scrap/) [Senate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/senate/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [States Vice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states-vice-3748011/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Tie Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tie-vote-3748012/) [Ties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ties/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [United](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) [Vice president](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vice-president/) [Vices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vices/) [Vietnamese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vietnamese/) [Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [I wrestled and played football in high school and in my last year, I started as a wrestler and actually had a fairly good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-wrestled-and-played-football-in-high-school-and-in-my-last-year-i/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [I spent several years in a North Vietnamese prison camp, in the dark, fed with scraps. Do you think I want to do that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-spent-several-years-in-a-north-vietnamese-prison-camp-in-the-dark-2/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [I appreciate the decision made by Gov. Brewer to veto this legislation. I hope that we can now move on from this controversy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-appreciate-the-decision-made-by-gov-brewer-to-veto-this-legislation/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [I'm very optimistic about my home state of Arizona...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-m-very-optimistic-about-my-home-state-of-arizona/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [There is no doubt in my mind that Rudy Giuliani in the Senate will be a leader for the people of New York but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/there-is-no-doubt-in-my-mind-that-rudy-giuliani-in-the-senate-will-be/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Arizona may be the only state in America where mothers don't tell their children that someday, they can grow up and be president of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/arizona-may-be-the-only-state-in-america-where-mothers-don-t-tell/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [We have duties to others, and duties to ourselves, and we cannot shirk either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/we-have-duties-to-others-and-duties-to-ourselves-and-we-cannot-shirk/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [One has two duties - to be worried and not to be worried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/one-has-two-duties-to-be-worried-and-not-to-be-worried/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [Duties are ours; events are God's. This removes an infinite burden from the shoulders of a miserable, tempted, dying creature. On this consideration only,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cecil/duties-are-ours-events-are-god-s-this-removes-an-infinite-burden-from/) [Richard Cecil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cecil/) > [Some duties exist simply because we are part of a larger family or community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-anders/some-duties-exist-simply-because-we-are-part-of-a-larger-family-or/) [Max Anders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-anders/) > [I guess everybody has to pay duties at the Masters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seve-ballesteros/i-guess-everybody-has-to-pay-duties-at-the-masters/) [Seve Ballesteros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seve-ballesteros/) > [“I truly wanted to live a life in which I could make my own choices, independent of the 'duties' of my birth and position.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/i-truly-wanted-to-live-a-life-in-which-i-could-make-my-own-choices/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [Medical physicists work in cooperation with doctors. A few medical physicists devote their time to research and teaching. A few get involved with administrative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cameron/medical-physicists-work-in-cooperation-with-doctors-a-few-medical/) [John Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cameron/) > [knowledge of our duties is the most useful part of philosophy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/knowledge-of-our-duties-is-the-most-useful-part-of-philosophy/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [“You must not allow the hurt of the past to haunt or hinder you from fulfilling and performing your duties as one who has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/you-must-not-allow-the-hurt-of-the-past-to-haunt-or-hinder-you-from/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) ## More by John McCain > [I have the utmost confidence in General Mattis, General Flynn, General Kelly, Dan Coates. I couldn't have picked a better team. And so I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-have-the-utmost-confidence-in-general-mattis-general-flynn-general/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Washington is a Hollywood for ugly people. Hollywood is a Washington for the simpleminded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/washington-is-a-hollywood-for-ugly-people-hollywood-is-a-washington/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [I think that it's important that we understand the importance of the Hispanic vote in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-think-that-it-s-important-that-we-understand-the-importance-of-the/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [ I will not agree to have this bill \[to repeal DADT \] go forward, because our economy is in the tank. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-will-not-agree-to-have-this-bill-to-repeal-dadt-go-forward-because/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [I don't know a politician who enjoys fundraising. The system is such that the American people have lost faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-don-t-know-a-politician-who-enjoys-fundraising-the-system-is-such/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [It is perhaps my greatest hope, Mr. President, that some day we'll consider tax and spending measures with no one else in mind but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/it-is-perhaps-my-greatest-hope-mr-president-that-some-day-we-ll/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [This kind of horror has become all too familiar to us. As parents, Cindy and I offer our prayers to the memory of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/this-kind-of-horror-has-become-all-too-familiar-to-us-as-parents/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Thousands of Americans have given their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq upholding their oaths and defending this nation. Chelsea Manning broke her oath and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/thousands-of-americans-have-given-their-lives-in-afghanistan-and-iraq/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [The truth is sometimes a hard pill to swallow. It sometimes causes us difficulties at home and abroad. It is sometimes used by our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/the-truth-is-sometimes-a-hard-pill-to-swallow-it-sometimes-causes-us/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Countries, not just their armies, win wars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/countries-not-just-their-armies-win-wars/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [My greatest fear is the Iranians acquire a nuclear weapon and give it to a terrorist organization. And there is a real threat of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/my-greatest-fear-is-the-iranians-acquire-a-nuclear-weapon-and-give-it/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Presidential ambition is a disease that can only be cured by embalming fluid .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/presidential-ambition-is-a-disease-that-can-only-be-cured-by/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [3 "amnesty" didn't mean rewarding illegal behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/3-amnesty-didn-t-mean-rewarding-illegal-behavior/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [On the subject of Osama bin Laden... we will track him down. We will capture him. We will bring him to justice, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/on-the-subject-of-osama-bin-laden-we-will-track-him-down-we-will/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [That's Joe Biden right there - unbowed, unbroken and unable to stop talking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/that-s-joe-biden-right-there-unbowed-unbroken-and-unable-to-stop/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) [Explore all 539 John McCain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) ## More Arizona quotes > [No man-made structure in all of American history has been hated so much, by so many, for so long, with such good reason, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/no-man-made-structure-in-all-of-american-history-has-been-hated-so/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [Fifty thousand people in Mexico have been murdered. Puerto Penasco, 60 miles south of our border, just had five people and a police officer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-brewer/fifty-thousand-people-in-mexico-have-been-murdered-puerto-penasco-60/) [Jan Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-brewer/) > [I didn't know much about the Mexican gray wolf before January 2011, when we contributed a flight in our Pilatus PC12 to the effort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-covey/i-didn-t-know-much-about-the-mexican-gray-wolf-before-january-2011/) [Joy Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-covey/) > [I'm an Arizona boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cejudo/i-m-an-arizona-boy/) [Henry Cejudo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cejudo/) > [I often say that Arizonans should decide what's best for Arizona.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-d-hull/i-often-say-that-arizonans-should-decide-what-s-best-for-arizona/) [Jane D. Hull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-d-hull/) > [I went to Phoenix, Arizona for 'Angel Unchained,' and they'd hire the bike gang from Phoenix to be extras in the movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bishop/i-went-to-phoenix-arizona-for-angel-unchained-and-they-d-hire-the/) [Larry Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bishop/) > [Sarah Palin is brilliant. She is a media magnet and a media magnate. She creates headlines and draws crowds wherever she goes, whether it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/sarah-palin-is-brilliant-she-is-a-media-magnet-and-a-media-magnate/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [Arizona just became the 15th state to approve medical marijuana. So I give it three days before they stop caring about the whole immigration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-fallon/arizona-just-became-the-15th-state-to-approve-medical-marijuana-so-i/) [Jimmy Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-fallon/) > [If liberals had been in charge of the Arizona memorial, it would probably have featured an exhaustive exhibit about the internment of Japanese Americans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mona-charen/if-liberals-had-been-in-charge-of-the-arizona-memorial-it-would/) [Mona Charen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mona-charen/) > [My concerns through the years increased about the concerns of an independent judiciary and how we maintain it. Certainly in the states. I'm a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/my-concerns-through-the-years-increased-about-the-concerns-of-an/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [I grew up in rural Arizona. My dad ran a general store. I grew up learning to do more with less. And I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-kirkpatrick/i-grew-up-in-rural-arizona-my-dad-ran-a-general-store-i-grew-up/) [Ann Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-kirkpatrick/) > [In the empire of desert, water is the king and shadow is the queen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/in-the-empire-of-desert-water-is-the-king-and-shadow-is-the-queen/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [What most people don't understand is that UFOs are on a cosmic tourist route. That's why they're always seen in Arizona, Scotland, and New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cooper/what-most-people-don-t-understand-is-that-ufos-are-on-a-cosmic/) [Alice Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cooper/) > [Arizona faces many challenges ahead. None is more important or more pressing than passing a new state budget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-d-hull/arizona-faces-many-challenges-ahead-none-is-more-important-or-more/) [Jane D. Hull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-d-hull/) > [Legislators in Kansas, Arizona and 23 other states who are properly determined to protect religious freedom can begin by asking themselves: Does any religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blankenhorn/legislators-in-kansas-arizona-and-23-other-states-who-are-properly/) [David Blankenhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blankenhorn/) [Browse all 299 Arizona quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arizona/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I spent several years in a North Vietnamese prison camp in the dark, fed with scraps. Do you think I want to do that all over again as vice president of the United States? The vice president has two duties. One is to break a tie in case of a tie vote in the United States Senate... The other is to inquire daily as to the health of the president. 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