--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [John McCain] stopped connecting and just…" description: "\"[John McCain] stopped connecting and just looked at my chest and decided, \"I'm just gonna continue to talk about honor and duty and the families should..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef8/jon-stewart-455_be-proud_john-mccain-stopped-connecting-and-just_1867554.jpg" --- # \[John McCain\] stopped connecting and just looked at my… ![“[John McCain] stopped connecting and just looked at my chest and decided, "I'm just gonna continue to talk about honor and duty and the families should be proud," all the things that are cudgels emotionally to keep us from the conversation. But, things that weren't relevant to what we were talking…” quote by Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef8/jon-stewart-455_be-proud_john-mccain-stopped-connecting-and-just_1867554.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef8/jon-stewart-455_be-proud_john-mccain-stopped-connecting-and-just_1867554.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef8/jon-stewart-455_be-proud_john-mccain-stopped-connecting-and-just_1867554.jpg) > “\[John McCain\] stopped connecting and just looked at my chest and decided, "I'm just gonna continue to talk about honor and duty and the families should be proud," all the things that are cudgels emotionally to keep us from the conversation. But, things that weren't relevant to what we were talking about.” [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A speaker used lofty language about honor and duty to avoid addressing the real issue, relying on emotional appeals rather than substance. **In simple terms:** Someone used big words to dodge the real topic. Key Takeaway Watch for emotional distraction and ask for concrete answers. Themes communication politics emotional manipulation honor duty Mood skeptical critical inquisitive Type analysis commentary observation When to use this quote - political debates - media interviews - leadership meetings - public speeches Key Concepts rhetoric deflection public discourse Questions to Reflect On - How often do you notice honor language masking a lack of substance? - What questions can cut through emotional rhetoric? A Different Perspective The appeal may resonate emotionally but can obscure truth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Conversation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversation/) [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Honor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honor/) [Proud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proud/) ## Related quotes > [ You can buy \[John McCain's\] book, but in a week and a half, he'll have another. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/you-can-buy-john-mccain-s-book-but-in-a-week-and-a-half-he-ll-have/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [ The conversation that the Senate and the House are having with the President \[Barack Obama\] was very similar to the conversation that \[John\] McCain… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/the-conversation-that-the-senate-and-the-house-are-having-with-the/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [ \[John McCain\] didn't believe me. I think anybody who's been in a POW camp for five years can - take eight minutes on The… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/john-mccain-didn-t-believe-me-i-think-anybody-who-s-been-in-a-pow/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [ All I'm saying is \[John McCain\] cannot look a soldier in the eye and say "Questioning the president is less supportive to you than… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/all-i-m-saying-is-john-mccain-cannot-look-a-soldier-in-the-eye-and/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [Senator John McCain, who spent over five years in a Vietnamese POW camp, publicly releases 1,000 pages of medical records. Now people are left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/senator-john-mccain-who-spent-over-five-years-in-a-vietnamese-pow/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [“When you want to talk about honor, they want to talk about money. When you want to talk about money, they want to talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-rector/when-you-want-to-talk-about-honor-they-want-to-talk-about-money-when/) Liam Rector > [For me as a man, philosophically, when you talk about honor and integrity, that’s the way I want to live my life. It moved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cruise/for-me-as-a-man-philosophically-when-you-talk-about-honor-and/) [Tom Cruise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cruise/) > [“I am not winning any arguments because I know how to hurt someone. How does that prove that you're right? How does being stronger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/i-am-not-winning-any-arguments-because-i-know-how-to-hurt-someone-how/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [And I told you, I'm not going to pursue another man's girlfriend. You want to talk honor. 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And it seems to be working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tomasky/john-mccain-is-a-liar-and-flip-flopper-and-panderer-and-bully-and/) Michael Tomasky > [When the 2008 victory of Barack Obama and the defeat of grumpy old John McCain began looking, um, inevitable, I started fielding inquiries about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perlstein/when-the-2008-victory-of-barack-obama-and-the-defeat-of-grumpy-old/) [Rick Perlstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perlstein/) > [I really like John McCain. He's an awesome dude and was a lot of fun when he hosted "SNL." I'd love to see a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/i-really-like-john-mccain-he-s-an-awesome-dude-and-was-a-lot-of-fun/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) ## More by Jon Stewart > [Clearly, I'm way older than everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/clearly-i-m-way-older-than-everyone/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [I don't know how people feel,that's the beauty of TV, is they can see us, but we can't see them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/i-don-t-know-how-people-feel-that-s-the-beauty-of-tv-is-they-can-see/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [I don't think marijuana should be illegal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/i-don-t-think-marijuana-should-be-illegal/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [I reject the idea there are just two sides. I think that with the amount of ideas and thoughts there are, it's not even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/i-reject-the-idea-there-are-just-two-sides-i-think-that-with-the/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [Megachurches. I can't be the only one frightened when our houses of worship sound like they could take on Godzilla.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/megachurches-i-can-t-be-the-only-one-frightened-when-our-houses-of/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [While opponents label (Howard) Dean a throwback liberal, The New York Times recently noted that as governor, Dean cut income taxes, reformed welfare and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/while-opponents-label-howard-dean-a-throwback-liberal-the-new-york/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [You just have to keep trying to do good work, and hope that it leads to more good work. 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The entire place is an elective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/the-unfortunate-yet-truly-exciting-thing-about-your-life-is-that/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [A guy who says what people who aren't thinking are thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/a-guy-who-says-what-people-who-aren-t-thinking-are-thinking/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [Do you guys have to sell everything? I'd like to buy the Earth's core.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/do-you-guys-have-to-sell-everything-i-d-like-to-buy-the-earth-s-core/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [Christmas and the New Year are actually two holidays. So there is a plural, which in the English language, necessitates the use of 's.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/christmas-and-the-new-year-are-actually-two-holidays-so-there-is-a/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [We're going to do a challenge. I'm going to try and download every movie ever made and you are going to try to sign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/we-re-going-to-do-a-challenge-i-m-going-to-try-and-download-every/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [Our culture is just a series of checks and balances. The whole idea that we're in a battle between tyranny and freedom - it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/our-culture-is-just-a-series-of-checks-and-balances-the-whole-idea/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [For me it was just exciting to see fake news catching on like that. We don't you know, it's interesting. I think we don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/for-me-it-was-just-exciting-to-see-fake-news-catching-on-like-that-we/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) [Explore all 545 Jon Stewart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) ## More Be proud quotes > [At the end of night, before you close your eyes, be content with what you've done and be proud of who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/at-the-end-of-night-before-you-close-your-eyes-be-content-with-what/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [Your aunt and uncle will be proud, though, won't they?" said Hermione as they got off the train and joined the crowd thronging toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-aunt-and-uncle-will-be-proud-though-won-t-they-said-hermione-as/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Do not be proud of your inconsistency. It is a pity, it is a pity that we should be equipped like this. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/do-not-be-proud-of-your-inconsistency-it-is-a-pity-it-is-a-pity-that/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [You just have to keep trying to do good work, and hope that it leads to more good work. I want to look back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/you-just-have-to-keep-trying-to-do-good-work-and-hope-that-it-leads/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [All of my decisions I made when I was a kid were decisions, would my mother and father be proud of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-venturi/all-of-my-decisions-i-made-when-i-was-a-kid-were-decisions-would-my/) [Ken Venturi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-venturi/) > [We had pathetically simple dreams: to do meaningful work that we could be proud of, to be together, and to be happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffanie-debartolo/we-had-pathetically-simple-dreams-to-do-meaningful-work-that-we-could/) [Tiffanie DeBartolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffanie-debartolo/) > [the Republicans love to say that the Democratic Party is ruled by 'special interests.' But when pressed to name these 'special interests,' the usual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-ferraro/the-republicans-love-to-say-that-the-democratic-party-is-ruled-by/) [Geraldine Ferraro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-ferraro/) > [You should never be proud of doing the right thing. You should just do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/you-should-never-be-proud-of-doing-the-right-thing-you-should-just-do/) [Dean Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-smith/) > [I hate pride, but if I were going to be proud of anything it would have to be something I'd done myself. Race pride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-o-connor/i-hate-pride-but-if-i-were-going-to-be-proud-of-anything-it-would/) [Carroll O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-o-connor/) > [What I have most learned from my son is to respect him and to love him unconditionally. I believe that if parents respect their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/what-i-have-most-learned-from-my-son-is-to-respect-him-and-to-love/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [I was a breed of people who aren't capable of doing anything, really. 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