[a4audi08]

Maureen Dowd is trying to rip McCain a new one by talking about an issue that has mostly been thrown around only in the liberal blogosphere. This is the tendency for McCain and his campaign to refer to his time as a POW in response to any perceived attack or even question.

For instance:

1) In response to Biden's joke that McCain doesn't know which of the 7 dining tables he will sit at to discuss the family finances:

"I spent some years without a kitchen table, without a chair, and I know what it's like to be blessed by the opportunities of this great nation."

2) When asked why he chose a song by Abba as one of his favorites:

""I've got to say that a lot of my taste in music stopped about the time I impacted a surface-to-air missile with my own airplane and never caught up again."

3) In response to comments by a clergyman that criticized McCain's offering of his wife as a contestant for the raunchy "Miss Buffalo Chips" pageant.

"[McCain's character] has been tested and forged in ways few can fathom."

4) After the "cone of silence" controversy:

"The insinuation from the Obama campaign that John McCain, a former prisoner of war, cheated is outrageous."

5) Another response to the "7 houses" story

"This is a guy who lived in one house for five and a half years - in prison"

 

[AlanC]

John Kerry was constantaly bringing up Vietnam in the last election. If it's good for the goose it's good for the gander.

 

[Cruiser]

This reminds me of the time the Reagan-Bush campaign ran the WWII film footage of George Bush being rescued after his dive bomber was shot down, a combat action for which Bush received the Distinguished Flying Cross. Bush's opponent, Geraldine Ferraro, complained bitterly that as a woman she did not have the same opportunity as a man to get shot down in the Pacific; therefore, the use of the footage was sexist.

Cruiser

 

[Quay]

...If it's good for the goose it's good for the gander.

Indeed, especially as both get cooked in their own juices.

--A.Q.

 

[Quay]

This reminds me of the time the Reagan-Bush campaign ran the WWII film footage of George Bush being rescued after his dive bomber was shot down, a combat action for which Bush received the Distinguished Flying Cross. Bush's opponent, Geraldine Ferraro, complained bitterly that as a woman she did not have the same opportunity as a man to get shot down in the Pacific; therefore, the use of the footage was sexist.

Cruiser

William F. Buckley commented at the time that he personally knew of many folks that would oblige Ms. Ferraro by not only buying her an airplane to fly but also volunteer to shoot it down in grand style. He did say, though, that there was little possibility of a commendation. (For the pilot.)

Cordially,
A. Quay

 

[Relayer]

This reminds me of the time the Reagan-Bush campaign ran the WWII film footage of George Bush being rescued after his dive bomber was shot down, a combat action for which Bush received the Distinguished Flying Cross. Bush's opponent, Geraldine Ferraro, complained bitterly that as a woman she did not have the same opportunity as a man to get shot down in the Pacific; therefore, the use of the footage was sexist.

Cruiser

If Ferraro were a black, former pilot who had been shot down in battle, she'd be a shoo-in for Pres of the US!

 

[vwguy]

William F. Buckley commented at the time that he personally knew of many folks that would oblige Ms. Ferraro by not only buying her an airplane to fly but also volunteer to shoot it down in grand style. He did say, though, that there was little possibility of a commendation. (For the pilot.)

Cordially,
A. Quay

I do miss Mr Buckley!

Brian

 

[chatsworth osborne jr.]

Like most of America, I haven't been paying attention to McCain, but...

If this becomes as shameless, transparent, and comical as Rudy Giuliani's ubiquitous 9/11 references, it will make him a laughing stock too.

That said, classic case of attacking your enemy on his strengths, not his weaknesses. Besides the POW story, the main strength of McCain is :icon_scratch:

 

[a4audi08]

If this becomes as shameless, transparent, and comical as Rudy Giuliani's ubiquitous 9/11 references, it will make him a laughing stock too.

That said, classic case of attacking your enemy on his strengths, not his weaknesses. Besides the POW story, the main strength of McCain is :icon_scratch:

Noun. Verb. POW.

I'm sure Biden will be rolling it out sometime soon.

Check this one out - in response to the question "Why are you more qualified to manage the economy than Mitt Romney?" - asked during a primary debate.

 

[AlanC]

Besides the POW story, the main strength of McCain is :icon_scratch:

All too true, but that still makes him one up on Obama. I'm afraid it's a race to the bottom between those two.

 

[Cruiser]

If this becomes as shameless, transparent, and comical as Rudy Giuliani's ubiquitous 9/11 references, it will make him a laughing stock too.

I don't care if he brings it up in every sentence, what public figure will be the first to stand up and laugh at John McCains courage, and sense of duty and honor?

As Dizzy Dean said, "If you done it, it ain't braggin."

Cruiser

 

[jackmccullough]

Of course, Wes Clark was right when he said that none of that qualifies McBush to be president. That's not attacking his war record, it's a simple observation of fact.

And now maybe you can tell me, what does five years in a POW camp have to do with trading in the wife who waited at home for you on a younger model, being so rich you can't remember how many houses you own, or offering up your wife for a topless (and bottomless) contest in front of a bunch of drunken bikers?

 

[SkySov]

I don't care if he brings it up in every sentence, what public figure will be the first to stand up and laugh at John McCains courage, and sense of duty and honor?

As Dizzy Dean said, "If you done it, it ain't braggin."

Cruiser

https://www.vietnamveteransagainstjohnmccain.com/

Phung Van Chung, 70, who was a Communist Party official at the time, claims McCain was quickly singled out for softer treatment, adding: ?I found out he was the son of an American admiral, so the top people wanted to keep him as a live witness so they could use him for negotiations.?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...n-betrayed-Vietnamese-peasant-saved-life.html

 

[Orsini]

All too true, but that still makes him one up on Obama. I'm afraid it's a race to the bottom between those two.

Well, it is better than no election at all...

 

[jackmccullough]

"Softer" is a relative term. Even if this is true, I doubt that any of us have suffered the privation and suffering McCain went through during this period.

I also agree that his refusal of an early release was a heroic act.

Still, so what? It doesn't qualify him to be president, and neither does anything else he has done. Time for the MSM to stop swallowing the idea that yelling POW! means they aren't allowed to ask any questions about his qualifications.

 

[Relayer]

Phung Van Chung, 70, who was a Communist Party official at the time, claims McCain was quickly singled out for softer treatment, adding: ?I found out he was the son of an American admiral, so the top people wanted to keep him as a live witness so they could use him for negotiations.?

If you can't believe a former Vietnamese Communist Party official about what was going on at the Hanoi Hilton during the war, who can you believe, right?!

That's some good info, right there.

 

[AlanC]

It doesn't seem to me that the Dems would really want to bring up the issue of not being qualified to be President.

 

[Orsini]

It doesn't seem to me that the Dems would really want to bring up the issue of not being qualified to be President.

BUWAHAHAHA!

 

[a4audi08]

It doesn't seem to me that the Dems would really want to bring up the issue of not being qualified to be President.

Both candidates are qualified. The question is whether they are knowledgeable enough, have exhibited sound judgment, and can actually lead. McCain is clearly not intelligent enough to discuss the economic problems this country is going through. He does have the foreign policy knowledge, but quite honestly he has been on the wrong end of just about every major foreign policy crisis in the last 8 years.

He was wrong on wanting to go into Iraq in the weeks after 9/11.
He was wrong in taking a soft approach towards Musharraf and the Pakistanis.
He was wrong in not wanting to conduct negotiations with the Iranians.
He was wrong in taking the uber hawkish stance in Russia v. Georgia.
He is wrong in surrounding himself with advisors who were of the same neo-con school of US foreign policy that have led us to our current position.

 

[Leather man]

Of course, Wes Clark was right when he said that none of that qualifies McBush to be president. That's not attacking his war record, it's a simple observation of fact.

And now maybe you can tell me, what does five years in a POW camp have to do with trading in the wife who waited at home for you on a younger model, being so rich you can't remember how many houses you own, or offering up your wife for a topless (and bottomless) contest in front of a bunch of drunken bikers?

Is anyone going to address this grim point?