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The McCains introduce adopted daughter
Paul Thompson3 Sep 2008
John McCain's adopted Bangladeshi daughter has been introduced to the American public for the first time at the Republican National Convention.
Bridget McCain was taken to America by the presidential candidate's wife, Cindy, after she saw her in an orphanage run by Mother Teresa's nuns 17 years ago. Since then she has rarely been seen in public but as questions mounted over the family of his running mate, Sarah Palin, the 17-year-old made an appearance in Minneapolis.
The move came after malicious suggestions among bloggers that she was being kept out of the spotlight by the McCain campaign. She appeared alongside her mother as the story of how she came to America was told on stage.
A former aide to Mr McCain, Wes Gullett, told the convention that Mrs McCain was on a trip to Dhaka in Bangladesh when she saw Bridget and another girl among 160 abandoned newborn babies at an orphanage.
One girl had a cleft palate so severe she could not eat, the other a severe heart condition.
Fearing both would die without medical attention, Mrs McCain argued with officials until their visa papers to go to the US were signed.
The first her husband knew about it was when he met her at the airport in Arizona and she had a baby in each arm. "Where is she going?" he asked her. "To our house," she replied.
They adopted one little girl while Mr Gullett and his wife Deborah adopted the other baby, naming her Nikki.
Mr Gullett said Mr McCain acted like every other new father at the sight of his daughter. "I remember John's face. That day he was not the tough war hero senator. He was like every other new father, full of love and emotion.
"Cindy McCain decided to bring them home, give them hope and save their lives," Mr Gullett said, flanked by his daughter. Mrs McCain, 54, took her daughter's hands and both wiped away tears.
The story could help shift the focus from Mrs Palin, her 17-year-old daughter Bristol's pregnancy and the identification of the father as an 18-year-old self-confessed "f***in' redneck". Republican campaigners are hoping the warm glow of a positive story of family values will also help gain votes outside the white section of America, emphasising a multi-racial and inclusive narrative.
The speech from Mr Gullett was carefully scripted to emphasise the McCains' family values and particularly Mrs McCain's work with charity.
It is a concerted attempt to deal with Mr McCain's stumble when he admitted he did not know how many houses he owned, underlining the vast wealth his wife enjoys as an heiress to a large drinks company. Mrs McCain is addressing the convention tomorrow - a major appearance for a woman who has stayed out of the limelight during her 30-year marriage to Mr McCain who has six other children. Mr Gullett told the delegates: "Cindy spends much of her time working throughout the world in places most of us only see on the news.She works with the poor, bringing them medical care, food and hope. She has done this for years and still does it today." There was increasing-concern over Mrs Palin's political CV today, with a "jump team" of lawyers and media advisers despatched to Alaska as it emerged she is a former member of a party wanting independence for the state
