McCain condemns anti-Kerry ads, calls on White House to follow suit

Boston Globe ^ | 5 August 2004 | Ron Fournier

[demlosers]

WASHINGTON (AP) Republican Sen. John McCain, a former prisoner of war in Vietnam, called an ad criticizing John Kerry's military service ''dishonest and dishonorable'' and urged the White House on Thursday to condemn it as well.

''It was the same kind of deal that was pulled on me,'' McCain said in an interview with The Associated Press, referring to his bitter Republican primary fight with President Bush.

[demlosers]

It didn't take long for McPain to punk out.

[dts32041]

According to a few ex pow's he punked out about the same time as kerry.

[Just mythoughts]

This guy is no better than JFKERRY.

[IrishGOP]

''dishonest and dishonorable'' and urged the White House on Thursday to condemn it as well.

How does McCain know that it's dishonest? Did he serve with Kerry?

[TomServo]

He's posturing...

[Maynerd]

McCain is such a self-righteous prick.

[Paul Atreides]

I'm curious: has McPain ever called for any Dim condemnation of making an issue of W's National Guard service?

[michaelt]

''I wish they hadn't done it,'' McCain said of his former advisers. ''I don't know if they knew all the facts.''

Do you know all the facts, Sen. McCain?

[Miss Marple]

This is why I was worried about that ad. I can guarantee that this will be asked of the President at the next press aailability.

The media will try to portray the men as partisan Republicans operating on orders from the RNC.

A better ad would have been to show all of the men saying that they supported the President because of his outstanding leadership.

Well, we will see what will happen. The ad has already been aired, so nothing can be re-done.

[Badeye]

I find it odd McCain apparently believes the only Vietnam Veterans that should be allowed to speak are himself and Kerry.

If McCain has something that shows these vets are lying, let him produce the evidence of such.

If he doesn't, he needs to shut up. He's not running for reelection....but he obviously wishes he was.

Poor Johnny, all dressed up but nowhere to go.....

[demlosers]

I doubt it.

[x1stcav]

I can't stand the b*st*rd.

He is the go-to butt-buy for the main stream media.

What a puke.

[raccoonradio]

Tomorrow's headline:
McCAIN ANNOUNCES HE'S SWITCHING TO DEMOCRATIC PARTY

[Mr. K]

Any real information provided about J effin' K is called a stunt... how interesting.

[Just mythoughts]

You know what this book coming out is probably the reason why McCain did not accept JFKerry's offer to run as his VP.

McCain still carrying the sewage for the lying crooked liberals.

[RicocheT]

McPain just can't control himself or be controlled. The swift boat vet ad is a legal ad under the damn campaign finance law McPain inflicted on America, so he should SHUT UP !

[ladtx]

....''I don't know if they knew all the facts.''

THEY WERE THERE YOU DOLT!!

[YaYa123]

"The ad, scheduled to air in a few markets in Ohio, West Virginia and Wisconsin, was produced by Stevens, Reed, Curcio and Potham, the same team that produced McCain's ads in 2000. ''I wish they hadn't done it,'' McCain said of his former advisers. ''I don't know if they knew all the facts.''

Shame on John McCain!! Before McCain opened his mouth, he should have checked with Stevens, Reed, Curcio and Potham to find out "if they knew the facts".

[2banana]

I wonder if Sen. John McCain understands that because of the actions of John Kerry, he was probably kept longer and treated worse as a POW...

[Leroy S. Mort]

This is no surprise to me. Count on McCain to say something controversial at the Republican Convention unless GWB repudiates the SwiftVets. This was in the plan for a while, I'd guess.

[EggsAckley]

McCain is such a self-righteous prick.

Ah.......THERE'S the answer I was looking for....!! Sometimes I seek eloquence, but other times....well.....it just "is what it is!"

~/;o)

[Petronski]

These guys have first-hand knowledge, Senator McCain does not.

[gramho12]

He punked out for the same reason he made sure his records remained sealed - he has things he deosn't want people to find out about. At least, that is the scuttlebutt.

[Fierce Allegiance]

Why doesn't he ask Kerry to repudiate Moore-ons F9/11? At least these guys were there.

[12 Gauge Mossberg]

''The Bush campaign never has and will never question John Kerry's service in Vietnam,'' he said

Good strategery. Let O'Neill and the Swift Boat Vets get the truth out, while Bush gives the proverbial no-comment.

[LincolnLover]

I see that the Kerry campaign is planning to, "vigorously counter the charges and will accuse the veteran's groups of being well-financed by a top Bush donor from Texas."

Just one? What, Charles and Sam Wyly don't count as two separate people in the eyes of the Dems?

LOL...we'll see soon enough who they claim is "bankrolling" this effort, but if there weren't groups like "Keep it Flying" and "Republicans for Clean Air" to point to in past Bush campaigns, perhaps it'd be harder for the Dems to make such accusations this time around.

[johniegrad]

There is no logic to McCain's premise. In an election year, why would it be dishonest or dishonorable to want to set the record straight concerning Kerry's military record? Kerry is the one who has been touting this throughout his campaign. This becomes even less logical when the request for release of the President's military records from the DNC is taken into account. I don't get this guy sometimes.

[OKSooner]

Hey, McInsane:

STFU.

[wideawake]

No one should be surprised.

McCain's military career and his postwar conduct was questionable in all its aspects, yet it was the key to his political fortunes.

If McCain were to seek the 2008 Republican nomination, most of his campaign would be based on his military service.

If Kerry's service is exploded for the sham that it was, then people can do the same thing to his spotty record next time around.

By defending the political viability of Kerry's military record, he's defending himself.

[OpusatFR]

The White House is not responsible for independent ads as the Kerry campaign is not held responsible for the ads of independent groups such as Moveon or Act.

[stuartcr]

Right..he's definitely a punk.

[Scholastic]

THanks for the post. Both Kerry and McCain apparently have questionable war records, and both worked to cover up the POW/MIA matter.

[flashbunny]

not surprising that again mccain supports free speech for politicians but not the peons. Remember campaign finance reform, with it's gold 'though shalt not crtizcize a politician'rule?

Mccain should just resign. He's an embarrassment.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Well... now we know what Kerry must have said to McCain, during their last meeting:

[SandyInSeattle]

''I wish they hadn't done it,'' McCain said of his former advisers. ''I don't know if they knew all the facts.''

They were there, John, you weren't. I think they know the facts better than you do.

(What is it with guys named "John" lately?)

[GraceCoolidge]

I find it odd McCain apparently believes the only Vietnam Veterans that should be allowed to speak are himself and Kerry.

You know, you are exactly right about this. Who appointed Kerry or McCain the Official and Only Spokesman for Vietnam Veterans? Another poster also said what I was thinking... I must have missed McCain's condemnation of Kerry for all the "AWOL" stuff and attacks on President Bush's service. In my opinion, McCain just uses this Vietnam controversy (and the media's Pavlovian tendency to turn to him for a comment every time it arises) to keep his own Vietnam service in the spotlight. He's cut from the same cloth as Kerry in that regard. I wish he'd just keep his mouth shut for once.

[no dems]

Later, McCain said the Bush campaign has denied any involvement and added, ''I can't believe the president would pull such a cheap stunt.'' OH SHUT UP!! I don't remember hearing McCain condemn Michael "Fat Boy" Moore for his damning documentary, "Fake 'n Hype 9-11" or condemning the bald face liar Joe Wilson. I wish he would just go ahead and join the Democratic Party. He is really starting to piss me off.

[Paul Atreides]

Let's see: the Dims call W all manner of names and say that he got us into a war under false pretenses.

McCain says nothing.

People question Kerry's record.

McCain hits the roof.

[bray]

Didn't Sen. InSane write the law denying these people their Free Speech 60 days prior to an election?? When InSane was crashing planes into carriers, these men were serving our country, let them speak!!

Pray for W and Our Troops

[Just mythoughts]

I wish that this ad would end with "My name is ......., and I "McCain/Feingold this message"!!!!!

[bluecollarman]

Funny, this is just what they were calling for at DU to counter this ad. Now the focus will shift to what the motives were, rather than the substance of the charges.
Thanks John!

[Jeff Gannon]

So why won't the DNC distance itself from Fahrenheight 9/11?

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

Taking a page from infamous Simpson lawyer, Johnny Cochrane's play book,

if the ad is untrue

let Kerry and Edwards sue

[SierraWasp]

"''I can't believe the president would pull such a cheap stunt.''

Well I CAN sure believe McCain would make such an oblique CHEAP VERBAL SHOT at President Bush. Now I'm just waiting for Bill Jones to chime in with McCain like he did before to endorse McCain in the Repub primary in 2000.

McCain is such a loose cannon that he's going to damage everything on the deck of the Republican Party's vessel! Somebody needs to stick a dirty sock in his pie hole!!!

[LurkedLongEnough]

''When the chips were down, you could not count on John Kerry,'' one of the veterans, Larry Thurlow, says in the ad.

There is nothing like a wrong opinion to get the media hopping.

[Alberta's Child]

There's no reason to worry about that ad, and the Bush campaign will probably not even issue a comment on it.

Because the Swift Boat Veterans are listed as one of those "non-partisan" 527 groups, they are operating completely on their own and have no political affiliation at all.

I know it's all bullsh!t, but that's the way this idiotic campaign finance reform works.

[kinsman redeemer]

I will always support the proposal someone made (in here?) of an exchange of prisoners: We give McCain back to the Dims and the Dims give us Joe Lieberman.

[dead]

Who didn't know that McCain would do this?

He loves to bump and grind for the adoring media, and this was the perfect song for his act.

They'll fill his g-string with the glowing articles he craves.