He Can’t Answer the Question.
That is why this week we have seen the McCain campaign react so defensively and angrily at what former NATO Commander Gen. Wesley Clark said on Sunday. All Clark said was that being a fighter pilot and being shot down in Vietnam did not qualify him to be President. He did not dishonor or smear McCain’s military service. Indeed, he honored it, just as Barack Obama has done time and again during this campaign.
But the point remains, McCain’s military service does not qualify him to be President. The only qualifications to be President are that the candidate be a thirty-five year old citizen of the United States who was born in this country. That’s it. Don’t believe me, then look it up yourself in the Constitution. Yeah, remember that quaint little document?
Now, military service adds to your resume that voters can consider. But lack of it does not disqualify you from the Presidency. Some of our most successful Presidents did not serve in uniform, namely Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. Meanwhile, some of our worst Presidents did serve in uniform. So military service, while not being a qualification for the Presidency, also does not predict success in the Presidency.
Yet the McCain campaign has been, up to now, asserting that the Senator’s honorable service somehow preordains that not only he is qualified to be President, he should be President because of it.
So that begs the question….how does it qualify you to be President?
McCain became visibly angry when I asked him to explain how his Vietnam experience prepared him for the Presidency.
“Please,” he said, recoiling back in his seat in distaste at the very question.
He gets angry because he can’t answer the question. Or he doesn’t want to give the honest answer to that question, which is “it really doesn’t.” No one is questioning McCain’s service. No one is smearing him. If we were, we would form a 527 group called “Downed Fighter Pilots For Truth” and make up lies about his service, like Republicans did to fellow Vietnam veteran John Kerry in 2004. All we are asking is how his honorable service qualifies him to be President. And it is a fair and legitimate question, since McCain is campaigning on his service.
I dare say McCain’s anger at being questioned on this disqualifies him to be President, for if he angers so easily at a simple question, we cannot trust him to make rational decisions at any time.
Military service has a magical effect on Republican candidates. It gives them super powers. Super powers that are so powerful that there is a strong taboo around even bringing them up.
Military service has no such magical effect on Democratic candidates. Just ask John Kerry and Al Gore.
Yet another example of IOKIYAR. Indeed, this incident shows the double standard twice over:
1. A Democrat’s lack of service is a character flaw (Bill Clinton), while a Republican’s lack of service is irrelevant (G.W.Bush).
2. Republicans have every right to smear and dishonor a Democrat’s service, but no Democrat can ever even think about considering whether a Republican’s service is anything but a God-given right to rule all.
Maybe McCain’s VC jailer will start “Hanoi Hilton Veterans For Truth”:
Duyet claimed McCain “invented that story that he was tortured and beaten to win votes.” link
(no, I don’t take that claim seriously…)
To go into McCain’s military career is to open a can of worms he really doesn’t want to go into, especially his pre-POW days.
He’ll keep playing the warrior-genius card until the collective MSM gets put-off by his sanctimonious idea of himself and really go after him.
Indeed, why would I believe anything a Vietcong has to say. I tend to not believe torturers, which is one of the many reasons why I never believe George W. Bush.
The unintended genius of Clark making these comments is, despite the faux outrage the traditional media showed in the immediate reaction to the comments, they are now asking questions about his service, hence McCain’s anger.
Personally, I could give two shits about the details of McCain’s service. He served, and was a prisoner of war, and that is enough for me. It is enough to make him an honorable veteran. It is not enough to make him President. It is not enough to give him any judgment on how to run the country today. Indeed, despite his honorable service, he has shown horrible judgment in supporting George W. Bush and in supporting the Iraq War. He shows horrible judgment in wanting to stay there 100 years.
The truth is McCain is outraged that anyone would dare ask the question. HE can use his military service in the campaign, but no one else better dare. The arrogance is breathtaking.
IMO, Wesley Clarke said nothing wrong or controversial. Hopefully, McCain’s over-reaction will lead to the press asking him serious questions.
Also, could everyone please stop adding the “McCain’s a war hero and we honor his service” tag to every comment made about the man?
I agree with DD – McCain’s service was honorable. My issue is that AGAIN we’re refighting the Vietnam War in our presidential election. A significant portion of voters were not even born when the war was occurring. Can we talk about something a little more recent this time?
McCain needs to show what he’s done in the last 40 yrs. He’s been in government a long time, so he has a long record to examine. Perhaps he doesn’t want us to look at that, and that’s why he wants all the attention on what happened before I was even born?
My issue is that AGAIN we’re refighting the Vietnam War in our presidential election
There you go. And don’t you think that is behind the real eagerness of McCain and his surrogates to keep this narrative going? (They called out Jim Webb for being part of some coordinated attack when he was no where nearby) This is how they get back to Vietnam and try to make Obama look like he’s denigrating the troops or something.
Good on Wes Clark for not backing down, either. I responded on this in this other thread, but still find it remarkable that so many of the press could take up this so-called “attack” narrative, when there was plainly no such thing. More Dems need to step up and push back on this foolishness.
Does anyone else hear the echo in here?
Jeez. His military service doesn’t qualify him for the job any more than Obama’s ‘community organizer’ gig qualifies him for the job. They are simply life experiences that speak to their character.
I have no problem with what Wesley Clark said. I do, however, experience completely involuntary eye rolling when I hear Obama and so many others saying they ‘honor his service’. It’s just such a fucking cheesy, dismissive, canned thing to say. It’s right up there with ‘I have friends who are black’. They should either say something genuine about why they honor his service or not say anything at all.
I do believe Clark appreciates McCain’s service, but not how he got into the cockpit.
Looking at their early backgrounds, Clark was given no special favors and he might hold a little resentment for all the nepotism shown McCain’s way.
Agreed on the obligatory “honor his service” line!
Just like the ‘ol “My Friends” ….ugh.
Exactly. ‘My friends’ is cringeworthy.
I find it amusing that Team Obama here is now talking about McCain’s lack of experience making him qualified to be President. Please explain exactly what qualifications Obama has that McCain lacks.
queue crickets chirping.
Duffy – Obama’s experience is already being challenged by Republicans (and Dominique too, but I repeat myself).
What we are doing here is applying the same questioning to McCain, and finding him lacking in the kind of experience you want in a President.
Not only that, the experience that McCain does have is bad experience, and a long string of poor judgments.
Less see . . .
While McCain graduated 889 out of 894 in his class at Annapolis, Obama excelled in school and was honored by being made editor of the Harvard Law Review.
While McCain came home, ditched the first wife, married the second who had lots of money and political connections and jumped on the House and then the Senate gravy train, Obama toiled in the poor Southside of Chicago, passing up the easy money of a big law firm.
McCain supports an endless occupation of Iraq that will make Exxon-Mobil our overlords. Obama has opposed this from the start, seeing it for the oppression of the Iraqis and Americans that it actually is.
Obama supports our troops, McCain votes against GI Bills.
Obama is a constitutional law expert, McCain knows nuts about the constitution and could care less.
McCain got shot down over Viet Nam. Apparently not once but five times. If he hadn’t been the son and grandson of Admirals he would have been grounded. It’s a shame that somebody in the Navy hierarchy didn’t do that before he got captured. This guy is a dim bulb. Obama is pretty darned smart.
Would you like more Duffy? This could go on all day.
“While McCain came home, ditched the first wife, married the second who had lots of money and political connections and jumped on the House and then the Senate gravy train,”
Ditched is a loaded word. You don’t know what happened in their marriage. Low blow. Change the above name to Kerry and the facts would be unchanged yet you’d be swooning over him.
The rest of your points are in a similar vein but the last is reprehensible. You obviously know nothing about the Vietnam war and less about the air campaign there.
Obama started his campaign in the home of an unrepentant terrorist and his wife who spoke of Charles Manson’s family in glowing terms.
He sat in the pew of a racist church for 20 years and strangely never heard anything.
He received a 1.2 million dollar mortgage from Countrywide below prime.
Change we can believe in? I think not.
Jason wrote:
Military service was of no account at all to the Democrats in 1992 and 1996, when a
draft-dodgernon-veteran was running against two men of very distinguished military service, one of whom was a disabled veteran. Then, in 2000 and 2004, not only did military service matter, but it mattered just how good the candidate’s military service was, because the Democratic nominees were both Vietnam veterans, while the Republican was only in the Air National Guard. It mattered so much that CBS soiled itself using forged documents trying to prove that the former Air National Guardsman had somehow used favoritism while in the ANG.Now, come 2008, why military service again means nothing, because the Democratic nominee was never in the service.
You’ll note that Senator Obama has disassociated himself from General Clark’s comments. If General Clark’s comments were right on, why would Mr Obama have done that?
Obama’s stated that Clark shouldn’t have to apologize to McCain, he said that he doesn’t necessary agree with Clark’s assessment.
Obama is walking a fine line, I know, but not getting into that battle is most likely a smart one.
And Duff, don’t think that Clark, Kerry, Cleland, or any other liberal vet doesn’t remember fat ol’ jabberjaw conservatives
wearing purple heart band aids during the Republican Convention in ’04. If you want quid pro quo, then maybe all of the Dem Convention members will wear….what? prison suits with a silver spoon around the neck? No, a vast majority of us wont go there….
BTW – Nice button on your hat, asshole lady!
And the idea of military experience being a requisite as POTUS during the time of ill-defined, never-ending war is only brought up by McCain and his surrogates…not Obama.
The idea of a civilian commander-in-chief was implemented as a way for the People to lead the Services, so we wouldn’t become a military junta. We had Secretaries of War and the Joint Chiefs as the tactical and strategic minds for our forces; the President is to defend the Constitution and its laws, and also to use the command of the military to protect our citizens from threats, external and internal. POTUS doesn’t need to know how to execute a flanking maneuver or land a jet…and if you think that’s not true, then you’re moving the bar of acceptability as you see fit…
VC, that’s the point! Republicans feel they determine who’s patriotic and who’s not. Just like they determine who’s religious and who’s not.
Let them rant. The old playbook is history, their brand is damaged and they can’t stand their candidate. They’ll focus on Obama to their detriment rather then directing their energies where they’re most needed. Keep it coming, Duffy. All the smears in the world won’t make McCain palatable… And that’s your real problem.
Sorry guys, Dom nailed it. Obama has exactly zero legislative accomplishments to his credit, never had to vote for or against the war in Iraq, and the so-called constitutional law expert is on both sides of the DC gun ban. Who is it that can’t answer questions about qualifications again?
G Rex’s definition of ZERO.
Keep on chipping away at your credibility….it’s amusing!
And, OMG!!!, it’s sourced too! Wow, backing up statements is hard work!
I notice that most of these start with”Joined Senator so-and-so…”
Remember that Life Cereal commercial?
“I’m not gonna co-sponsor it, you co-sponsor it!”
“Hey, we’ll get Barry, he’ll co-sponsor anything!”
No offense, but that’s a silly, ineffective response…but I’m sure you already knew that.
No offense, but it’s a silly, ineffective list. Now, I’m under no illusions that our esteemed legislators sit down and research and write all their own bills personally, but when a bill is titled Lugar- Obama, it means that Lugar’s office wrote it, and Obama attached his name to it. It’s like who gets top billing on the movie poster.
The only thing on that list that can be attributed directly to Barack Obama as a legislative accomplishment is raising the Pell Grant = spend more taxpayer money to subsidize a tuition increase. The rest is log-rolling. Oh, and then there’s the Global Poverty Act = spend more taxpayer money subsidizing guys like Robert Mugabe.
Your example of Selective Contempt is hillarious!
So we go from ZERO to Some….wanna revise your assessment once more?
G, you are outwitted here and by a half wit none the less. Stop before your look silly
wait…too late
Selective contempt? No, it’s complete contempt. What’s funny is that somebody had to come up with this list in the first place (following the embarrassing silence when Chris Matthews asked the question) because nobody can ever think of any reason why Obama is qualified to be president, just that he brings hope and change.
Barack Obama wants to spend 100 years engaged in a Global War on Poverty!
What’s funny is that somebody had to come up with this list in the first place
they had to come up with the list b/c of numbnuts like you going around the internet saying he had no record 🙂
b/c numbnuts like you regurgitate the same crap you read on NRO and think it is gospel.
that’s why there is a list! B/C when it comes down to it, the only thing that gets you people to shut up are actual facts. And when facts get in the way, you attack the messenger.
sheesh 🙂
see you at the party!
LOL – Keep on keeping on!
So the exercise of making the ‘list’ invalidates the items on it?
Just…WOW…with logic like that, how CAN we win?!?!?
“toiled in the poor Southside of Chicago”
That actually made me giggle. You make him sound like something out of a Dickens novel. Please. Did he receive a salary for that job? I’ll admit I don’t have their bios memorized like you guys do, so maybe you can tell me what, if anything, he and/or his wife have ever done without a paycheck attached?
BTW, I was listening to HNN on the way home today and they were covering him at a town hall meeting. I hate to break it to you guys, but he’s not that smart. At least he doesn’t sound smart when he’s speaking off the cuff. He was answering someone’s question about NCLB and his response was an incoherent string of canned phrases. At one point he said ‘So…’ and I thought I had lost the connection because it took him so long to complete the sentence and when he finally did he said, ‘It’s not enough for kids to just go to high school. They have to go to secondary school and college, too’…umm…what?
If he wins, the comedians will have a field day with him. Comedically speaking, it will be a 3rd term of GWB.
I hate to break it to you guys
no you don’t, you got a little excited and feel that you are keeping Hillary’s torch alive. So sad…so sad.
Hopefully your kid doesn’t turn out like lofinks
The only qualifications to be President are that the candidate be a thirty-five year old citizen of the United States who was born in this country.
Actually, the only requirements are that a person be 35 and “natural born citizen.” That says nothing about qualifications.
Military service has always been one type of experience Americans like in presidential candidates. As Dana pointed out, when Democrat candidates have had military backgrounds, it was treated as vital for a future Commander in Chief. Hell, haven’t liberals spent the last 7 years complaining about “chickenhawks” who aren’t in the military or have family members in the military?
Military service, particularly service in a time of war, is considered a sign of bravery, honor, and adherence to duty. That’s why it is the sort of experience Americans tend to admire in presidential candidates. Being a “community activist” doesn’t require bravery, but can still be quite telling about a candidate’s character, just as their associates, church affiliation, and friends can.
The reason Clark and Obama’s minions have attacked McCain’s service to this country is because Obama has nothing comparable to it and they know it is a liability. I suspect this strategy will largely backfire.
‘Hopefully your kid doesn’t turn out like lofinks’
Ironically, you’re about as abusive as he is alleged to be. I hope you don’t have kids.
What’s with your obsession with Hillary? You can’t seem to stop mentioning her. Is she stuck in the back of your mind? Do you have a little crush on her? Do you long to see the pantsuits again?
Obama’s inability to articulate a sentence that doesn’t appear on a teleprompter has nothing to do with Hillary. Are you going to claim that he’s velvety smooth off-the-cuff?
Ahh, Sharon. A voice of reason in the echo chamber. Good luck getting any of them to concede that Obama is less than perfect, though. It’s an exercise in futility. They will excuse him just about anything. Even when he flip-flops on an issue it’s ok because he’s just ‘moving to the center’… just like he promised he would. You remember, it was HOPEmovetothecenterCHANGE!
Sharon: it’s not that McCain isnt a hero! Clark and others gave him that. You might consider this, why was McCain a Lt. Colonel and never went higher? Why are the veterans he actually served with, (and in the POW camps) stating that he was responsible for destroying 5 planes, (one of them acting silly) shut the engine off in the air, tom foolery. Why when he was a POW are the soldiers who served with him saying “He was the first one to scream, “my father is an Admiral”! Even the veterans are NOT all on his band wagon…many oppose him and what he DID while he was in service, prior to his capture. Clark on the other hand is a General…NATO commander. Clark did not speak against McCains military service, but called him a “hero”… but service or even a POW does not necessarily make you the “best person for the office of President”.
I am not one who wants a “military man for Prez”, they are trained in warfare, thats what they do….they make war. McCain is a 3 generation “military man”. If you want war with Iran, vote McCain if you want more Judges like Alito, and Scalia, vote McCain, if you want more financial woes for america, vote McCain he loves the “free market system” even though our jobs are being sent away. These corporations have no allegiance to america or american workers.
McCain’s anger problems should be a red flag for everyone! Thats his PTSD, do you really want him with the nuke button….c’mon.
Anyone calling Obama an elitist is mistaken. Cindy McCain a multi millionaire, just spent about $1 million in a month on her credit cards…they own about 7 homes…yeah these people really have my best interest.
No offense, Liz, but your description of those who question John McCain’s service sounds quite a bit like the Swift Boat Veterans whom liberals despise. And Clark was no great shakes as a general and there have been many who have criticized him both as a military commander and as the political creature he has become.
You are correct that military service doesn’t necessarily make one the best candidate. Look at all those military men the Democrats have offered over the years and I would pick the Republicans without military service over them. My point was that Democrats shrieking that McCain’s military service doesn’t make him qualified is only an issue for them because Barack Obama has none. Dems think military service matters when their candidate has it.
My father served in 3 wars, Liz. I respect the men and women in uniform and think they all deserve respect, not contempt or questioning of their service, regardless. What got John Kerry in hot water was what he did after he returned from Vietnam. That’s what most people cared about.
Justices like Roberts, Alito, Scalia, and Thomas? That’s a dream team! I’d love to see more of them confirmed, but I don’t expect the Democrats in the Senate to allow that. They’re pretty scared that anymore conservatives on the court might stop judges from making up law from the bench.
I, too, love the free market system, since it has provided far more opportunities for people to make it than other systems. Way too many of today’s adults have made it because of that system.
And, yes, I’d rather have McCain with his finger on the button than Barack “Let Me Change My Positions to Look Less Liberal” Obama, who thinks we should just talk to our enemies.
And are you serious when you talk about how “Cindy McCain is a multimillionaire”? Surely you know that Obama is, as well. You think the Obamas have eaten mac & cheese for dinner over the last 15 years? Obama went to Harvard and hasn’t made less than 100,000 in years. This “he’s not an elitist because he’s only got $3 million!” meme is ridiculous. You really believe that?
So while you guys are here debating the entirely manufactured point that someone’s military service has been dissed, let’s remember one of the repubs’ finest specimens, replete with admired military service.
Really, Cassandra? Duke Cunningham was a piece of shit? Is that supposed to be breaking news? Do you think that the Dems don’t have just as much to be ashamed of in Congress (regardless of military service)? What about William Jefferson? Remember him and his frozen peas, uh, I mean $90,000 in bribe money?
Jesus Christ you guys are the biggest bunch of hypocrites. I can guarantee your panties were in a knot up to your intestines like mine were when Kerry was swiftboated, yet here you are doing the same thing to McCain and/or any republican you can find on the internet.
Your candidate is constantly crowing about how he’s a different kind of politician who will not be distracted from the issues by petty bickering, but none of you can resist the temptation to trash his opponents and hold them to a way higher standard than you do your golden boy.
I stand in awe of anyone willing to join the military – especially when this administration thinks nothing of sending them off to die. When you guys trash them in any way it makes my skin crawl. It’s just as despicable as when they did it to Kerry.
Agreed, Dom.
And of course, the sign that you’ve not a decent response is the vehemence with which you entirely bypass the point.
Duke Cunningham was a Congressman with a great military record. That record or experience certainly did not inoculate him against his character or leadership issues, to say the least. And since we all agree with that, we are back to Wes Clark’s basic point — military service is not an automatic qualification to be President.
And, of course, you do know that Wes Clark did not impugn McCains’s service — certainly he did not trot out a series of lies about McCain’s war record in the way that the despicable Swift Boaters did to Kerry. But the fact that the Swift Boaters were successful in besmirching Kerry’s record (and John McCain’s in NC in 200 too) has made them all the more valuable to McCain. He has hired them as surrogates and they are still pushing their lies about Kerry’s record. Even though McCain called them out on it in 2004, even though McCain was subject to it in 2000, he hires these guys which looks from here that McCain is actually staffing up for a GWB campaign, which won’t be respectful of anything.
But hey! Keep dancing, sweethearts, because the dog whistles are still blowing. Too bad you don’t get that they are blowing for GWBIII.
To be fair, Cassandra, you didn’t even make a point. You posted a snarky sentence and a link. It was incoherent at best. I’m sorry, but I don’t have any interest in reading between the lines to decipher some obscure point that’s being made. It’s pretty funny that you dismiss my response as ‘not a decent’ one simply because you don’t agree with it. If you want a ‘decent’ response, perhaps you could consider stating your point in a clear manner like you did in #44.
You pick one Republican jackass with a military record and hold that up as proof that a military record doesn’t equate to good leadership skills. Is it safe to infer that you also think that Wes Clark doesn’t have leadership ability, either? I mean, what else does he really have other than his military record? I know this is difficult for you guys to grasp, but there are bad people, as well as good people, with military records on both sides of the aisle. All republicans aren’t bad and all democrats aren’t good. Are things really so black and white in ‘progressive’ land?
If you read my original comments, I had no problem with what Wes Clark said; however, you’re blind if you don’t see McCain’s military record being minimized by Obama supporters, including yourself. Until just recently, I never knew that he had crashed five planes or that he was only in the position he was in because his dad was an Admiral. Huh. I wonder why.
The man was a POW who was held in captivity for years because he chose not to be released when given the opportunity. He can’t even brush his own hair because of that experience. To criticize any aspect of his service is beyond insulting. Regardless of what you think of him as a candidate, as a human being he has more character in his gray hair than Obama can ever dream of having. What has Obama ever done that has demonstrated courage?
Oh come now. You knew excatly what I was getting at with the Duke Cunningham link. Which was why you got so apoplectic.
you’re blind if you don’t see McCain’s military record being minimized by Obama supporters, including yourself
And now you are back to making shit up again. Show me where I minimized McCain’s record. I am here to defend Wes Clark’s point, which in no way minimizes anyone’s record.
And this: The man was a POW who was held in captivity for years because he chose not to be released when given the opportunity. He can’t even brush his own hair because of that experience. To criticize any aspect of his service is beyond insulting. Regardless of what you think of him as a candidate, as a human being he has more character in his gray hair than Obama can ever dream of having.
You can just say that you “honor his service” and we’d get it.
involuntary eye rolling when I hear Obama and so many others saying they ‘honor his service’. It’s just such a fucking cheesy, dismissive
*
and what Hillary is well known for voicing…oh wait, we are supposed to ignore the source of your contemptuous, deliriously vapid attitude..the failed pussy agenda. Get over it shark whack.
And here you go Donna – some grounding in modern day political reality to do with flag pins and shit:
“Limbaugh: Democrats will not say “We honor your service” to troops returning from Iraq
Summary: Rush Limbaugh asserted that troops returning from Iraq “will not receive anything from the Democrat [sic] Party along the likes of ‘Job well done. We’re proud of you.’ And this is highly distressing. Not only will Democrats not say, nor leftists, say to any returning troops from Iraq, ‘Good job. Job well done. We honor your service.’ No, they did just the opposite. They sought to secure defeat of the U.S. military in Iraq.”
In fact, many Senate Democrats recently honored the service of U.S. troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan in floor statements supporting the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2007, a bill to expand education benefits to veterans that was introduced by Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA), provisions of which were incorporated into the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2008, which was passed by Congress and subsequently signed by President Bush.”
http://mediamatters.org/items/200807030005?lid=421310&rid=10583739
It is too bad that this the state of affairs in our great democracy. Gee thanks for being one of the fucking assholes.
I don’t want to discuss McCain’s war record, and so far I haven’t. The problem is McCain constantly discusses it. I’ve yet to see a single speech where his military service was front and center. It’s his answer to everything. “I’m a war hero and let’s drill for oil in the US” seem to be his only issues. Frankly, McCain needs to talk about policy because using his military service as the reason to elect him is bad stategy. The MSM will soon tire of the war hero meme and try to spice things up – You know they will. It’s in the media’s interest to have a close election.
As far as having the experience to be President… no one has that experience until they become President. Until then it’s a role of the dice.
And, in case you didn’t realize…The “Commander and Chief Threshold” is bogus.
Nancy, could you pop one of your mood stabilizers, please? Why are you (and many others on this site) so completely obsessed with Hillary? Let it go, she’s no longer in the race. It’s ok to relax now. It makes my skin crawl when Hillary says it, too. Contrary to what you may believe, I don’t drool over Hillary or any politician and will call her out when necessary. That’s probably a concept you have a difficult time wrapping your arms around.
BTW, must you be so condescending? It’s truly unbecoming and, while you probably think it makes you seem really cool, in reality it just makes you come across as completely unhinged.
Pandora, why on earth wouldn’t McCain talk about his military history? All candidates talk about their life experiences so voters know who they are and what they came from. Obama talks non-stop about his community organizer job – should he shut up about that? I know I’m sick of hearing about it, but I know he does it because it’s the thing in his resume that people may see as an example of him helping those less fortunate. I suppose he’s lucky that our superficial media has no interest in looking into the specifics of that role so he can continue to imply that it was some kind of charity work.
You criticize McCain because he allegedly answers everything with ‘I’m a war hero and let’s drill for oil’, then you say he needs to talk about policy. Oil drilling is a part of energy policy.
Cassandra, I interpreted your post exactly as my comment indicated. You can either take me at my word or you can continue to believe that you know my thoughts better than I do. Either way, it was a bullshit example to hold up which is probably why you didn’t address that part of my comment.
BTW, you minimized his service by posting that link as if to say, ‘so what’. That’s how I interpreted it, though I could be wrong. Do you believe that McCain’s military service speaks to his character? Do you believe he is a war hero?
Cassandra – I noticed that you didn’t answer my question about what Obama has ever done that demonstrated courage. I didn’t read his books, so there may be something I’m missing, but I’m not aware of anything either courageous or charitable (no paycheck attached) in his resume.
McCain is running on personality rather than policy, and for months, Dom, you’ve cited his persona as your reason for voting for him over Obama.
And referencing his military experience is fine, but it’s obviously all he’s got. What’s McCain’s plan for education? Iraq? Healthcare? The economy? Geez, Dom, for someone who goes on and on about specifics you sure don’t seem to care about them when it comes to McCain.
Come on, convince me why people should vote for McCain without listing vague, subjective character traits or his military service. Stick to his policies and his plan for the future. I dare you!
The point of raising Hillbotism is your obsession with Obama! Get over it, addiction is a disease!
BTW, you minimized his service by posting that link as if to say, ’so what’. That’s how I interpreted it, though I could be wrong. Do you believe that McCain’s military service speaks to his character? Do you believe he is a war hero?
I explained my point in #44 of that link, which you acknowledged in #45. And now you are here “interpreting” that link even though I’ve already discussed why I posted it. So now you are not only wrong, but you are dishonest. You need to get much better at this if you aspire to the hive mind.
Yes I do think that successful military service speaks to character.
Yes I do think that McCain was a war hero.
But neither his war hero status or his military service is an automatic qualification to be President, which continues to be my only real point here.
And that courage question — we’ve already been through this (and many other subjects) and I won’t be suckered into another conversation where there is 1) nothing I will say that you will even hear, much less reasonably engage with and 2) that you don’t give a shit about anyway.
Perhaps someone else here has time to burn, and I wish them luck.
OK, so the answer is no.
Jesus, the numbers are making me dizzy. In post #44 you were critical of me for ‘bypassing your point’ in post #41. In post #45 I said I didn’t even understand what you were implying in post #41 until you explained it in post #44. In post #46 and again in post #54 you accused me of lying. Just so I’m clear, if I don’t follow your vaguely worded comments that makes me a liar? Whatever.
BTW, ‘hive mind’ is another one. I had to google it. Why can’t you just communicate like normal people? Oh, and I don’t aspire to the ‘hive mind’, thank you very much. I prefer to be a free thinker who doesn’t follow along with what everyone else is thinking just because I don’t want to buck the trend. I never was very good with that whole cult mentality, though I know that there are those who thrive in it.
Also, I don’t remember anyone saying that his military service is an automatic qualification to be president. You guys seem to be the ones who are putting those words in his mouth.