I’m on vacation this week, and I’m trying to forget about politics and partisan wrangling for a few days, but I wanted to take a minute to say something about all this flack over
General Wesley Clark’s remarks that John McCain’s military service does not make him qualified to be Commander in Chief. The uproar is so great that McCain’s campaign has announced the formation of a “truth squad” to defend his military record. In remarks today, I understand that
Senator Obama has distanced himself somewhat from General Clark’s remarks while defending his own patriotism. I even heard the flag pin issue raised again today.
Excuse me? What's going on here? Did you all go crazy while I’ve been gone? Are we all so afraid of being branded as not patriotic that we cringe every time someone dares to speak the truth?
Let’s take this from another angle. Can anyone out there tell me what it is -- and I mean specifically -- about John McCain’s poor showing at the Naval Academy (854 out of 859 graduates or something like that), or the fact that he happened to get shot down during the Vietnam War, or even the fact that he was injured, that qualifies him to be Commander in Chief? Or that qualifies him to set military policy. Or that prohibits General Clark, himself a highly decorated, retired four-star general and former Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO, and winner of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, from questioning McCain's qualifications.
The next thing you know, someone will be questioning General Clark's patriotism, too.
No more. I don’t want to hear about patriotism. This has nothing to do with patriotism, but if you insist, then google a few images of John McCain and find one where HE'S wearing a flag pin. I don’t want to hear about McCain's military training. This has nothing to do with military training. Military training doesn't equate to foreign policy training. I don’t want to hear about McCain's years in a POW camp. This has nothing to do with that, although I do understand that his service record may be open to some question.
This has to do with one thing, and one thing only … John McCain’s qualifications to be President of the United States … not his qualifications as the most “fun” guy at the Naval Academy, and not his former status as a POW. After all, John Kerry got no pass for his service in Vietnam, including three purple hearts. On that same basis, John McCain gets no pass because he served in Vietnam. He gets no pass because he happened to attend the Naval Academy. He gets no pass because he was injured. He simply gets no pass.
Here's the deal. The media needs to stop giving this story any shrift, except to the extent it’s time to ask REAL questions about McCain’s qualifications to be Commander in Chief. The last guy -- remember him? -- DID get a pass from the media, and look what happened to that. We're STILL paying for that mistake, and we'll KEEP paying for it. Maybe forever.
Now, back to vacation. I hope.
commander in chief. If they want to pick that statement apart. They should do it honestly and not try to leverage what Clark said, and turn it into another back of the hand at the Obama team.
What I am trying to say this disavowel-avowel seige has got to go. We've had enough of that, over the last year. Someone should write up the qualifications for C of C. Oh! they have...president of the United States. Where does it say anywhere that graduating that low or being the son of an admiral or tailspin or tailhook or being shot down and captured..incarcerated for 5 and a half years. And the Keating five and all the great work- Senator Maverick, he has done to dispose of the A.I.M at M.I A.'s problem.
McCain is McCain and I don't think, that is going to change. Barack was smart to take himself off the tax supported campaign funds. That blows McC's plan all to heck. They were going to rely on 527's and pac's_to press the attack. Asymmetrical political warfare. Shock and awe. What a country!
Barack may not have asked Clark to say that, but it sure got their goat. He said, he didn't and his speech today-'Patriotism' was perfect pitch and tone. As far as Bill Clinbton goes...I hope he gave him a 50 cent piece and said "CAll someone Who cares."
So there you go, when you get back the campaign's will still be going, with us or without us. Talk about 'passing strange'. The African Union welcomed Robert Mugabe to their meeting in Egypt, today. For more on the real deal on the street in Zimbabwe, read Cathy Buckle's blog_through Google. I used to read it-to follow the degradation of life there, but what was I going to do? I'm a weirdo. Bye Bye
Your point was perfect,and well supported, and I still voted for Bush twice...Can you believe it? TR