"Up, Simpa" (What is the meaning?)

When we were assigned to read this article during Spring Break, I assumed that it would be another interesting article on the Vietnam War. I did not imagine that I would be reading a lengthy article on McCain's staff life on the road.
What I found most enjoyable of this article was the way that Wallace seemed to make a connection to our generation. It was definitely very, "Rolling Stone" styled and I felt like he did understand our train of thought.
I did not enjoy reading about life on the "Trail". It was so boring and meaningless to me because I did not see what information I was supposed to get out of reading about people eating Krispy Kremes, importance of cell phones to journalists, and Wendy trying to find Ms.McCain a manicure. This article would have been better if it had been narrowed down like they did on the Rolling Stone, rather then giving us the unrated, unscripted version. Unrated is good when it comes to movies, not articles about John McCain2000.
Whenever Wallace would speak on McCain, it made McCain look like a great guy and it caused me to wonder, why did he not win? This guy has the qualities that we would want in any president. Giving, unselfish, and honest. At this point in time, we, Americans are looking for and change and something bigger to believe in. We want reality.
McCain's background as a Vietnam veteran didn't seem something like something different to me. My thought was, "Yeah, so he served during this war? Give me something that will set him apart from all the other candidates that are running." The guy was a POW who risked his life and followed the US military's Code of Conduct for Prisoners of War. Wow, he actually chose to stay instead in Hoa Lo because he wanted the other POW's before him to also be released? The guy is dying from injuries and starvation, has broken bones, and yet he stayed inst ead of being released because of his dad? Any other person would have left running but McCain stayed. We, people, choose what gives us comfort but we praise those who do the right thing, the right thing we are too afraid to do.
Seemed to me like McCain is "capable of devotion to something other, more than his own self-interest." That is one of the qualities that I would cherish in someone who is leading my country. Knowing that he will put himself out there in order to protect the American public.
Then again, this article had me confused and pulling my hair out in order to figure out what I was supposed to take away from reading about BS1 and life on the Trail. I was looking for different ways that Wallace was using rhetoric. Then I came to the conclusion that I would rather read the Rolling Stone edition.