War Injuries? What War Injuries?

The Corner ^ | 6/8/08 | Mark Hemingway

[Dawnsblood]

If you thought we hit bottom when Kos went after McCain's teeth, another popular liberal blog has picked up the shovel and is going after McCain's war injuries:

First off, I find it fascinating that John McCain, who is refusing to vote for the GI Bill for our troops because "it's too generous," is himself getting $58,000 a year, tax-free, from the US government for his military service. Had McCain been getting that amount every year since Vietnam, that would total $2,000,000 for the man who isn't into overgenerous government. I just find that interesting.

His staff responded with the classic "he was tortured for his country." Yeah, we get it. The torture card. It's to McCain what 9/11 was to Giuliani's candidacy - the never-ending name-drop. Though what McCain's staff actually said was downright, um, we're being nice to Clinton now, so I won't say Clintonian. Here's the quote:

McCain campaign strategist Mark Salter said Monday night that McCain was technically disabled. "Tortured for his country — that is how he acquired his disability," Salter said.

Technically? What does that mean? Usually, it means that under the strict reading of the law, you're covered, but in fact it's kind of a nudge-nudge-wink-wink situation - that's what "technically" means. It's called parsing, which is something you do to "technically" claim something is true, when on its face it really isn't. So is McCain "technically" disabled, and taking $58,000 a year tax free from the government, or is he actually disabled? I would imagine there are other solders who are actually disabled who could use the money. And if he is actually disabled, just how disabled is he?

So let me help clarify things here: McCain's decision not to support an expensive proposed Democratic "G.I. Bill" is a total red herring and using it as a pretext to ask, "Just how badly was he tortured, anyway?" is pretty vile. Technically, John McCain can't lift his arms above his shoulders as a result of being tortured as a P.O.W. While that shouldn't impair his ability to be President, it does make him clearly disabled. McCain isn't doing anything remotely improper by accepting a disability pension he earned the hard way. For liberal blogs (and regrettably, the L.A. Times) to make an issue of this is as ridiculous as it is disrespectful. But hey, support the troops, right? You know, provided that one of those "troops" didn't serve their country in the most difficult situation imaginable and then have the temerity to run for president as a Republican. In which case, screw 'em.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

What Hank Williams called “rocking chair money”.

[wildwood]

they smashed all his teeth out at the roots.

[Army Air Corps]

This is pretty sick. Obambi cavorts with all sorts of human garbage and gets a pass. McCain survives torture and gets this kind of treatment. I have my problems with McCain, but...frankly, I am speechless.

[Retired Chemist]

A liberal member on another forum I frequent said McCain has a chipmunk in his cheek.

[o-n-money]

My uncle was a POW in Germany in WWII. The diet the soldiers were given did not have proper nutrition. Good thing my uncle never smoked. He traded his Red Cross cigarettes for anything with vitamin C. The Navy wanted to extract all of his teeth after the war. He refused. He is now 87 with all of his teeth.
Do you think 8 years in a POW camp in Nam would be good for anyone’s teeth?

[o-n-money]

A liberal member on another forum I frequent said McCain has a chipmunk in his cheek.

---

I always thought he looked like he had some chaw in there.

[The Shrew]

I applaud Mark Hemingway for having the wherewithal to go read Daily Kos and comment on its contents in a coherent way.

I'm no McCain fan but this is despicable.

TS

[Nervous Tick]

I deeply respect John McCain for his service and admire his courage. Yet I don’t want to see him play the “hero card” either, especially in response to honest questions about his policies, plans and platform going forward.

But I note that so far in the campaign John McCain has NOT played the hero card (although some of his surrogates have), so good for him.

Having said that... if the other side thinks they are going to get any mileage out of this sort of nonsense, they are sadly mistaken. It’s totally unfair for them to even entertain it, but part of me still hopes they try it. It will be a disaster for the Obama leftists if they’re stupid enough to do so.

[islander-11]

I wish that one of these fuzzy-headed liberal nimrods could experience one day of what a P.O.W. lived through. I bet there’d never be another pile of tripe like this coming from them afterwards...

I don’t like McCain’s politics much, but I’ll always be grateful for men like him who served to keep me safe and free.

[GunnyB]

Once again, just when I thought I’d seen the absolute depths of liberal depravity, I am proven that they continue to mine for the bottom. I was in High School with Jeremiah Dent’s kids, and he came to our school after being released. The pain that these men and their families went through is beyond measure. That the libs of this world in their quest for power would question the veracity of such heroic action is beyond despicable...

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Hank Williams’s song is poignant and respectful.

[norton]

If I'm thinking of the same GI bill - it WAS too generous and did not allow for time in service etc.

Nonetheless, there are huge discrepancies in the disability / pension / and general GI benefits proccess.

No matter what, five years as a POW should qualify for more'n the typical retirement package.

[MarkL]

Hey, it's not like McCain was being held at Club Gitmo, and "tortured" with better food and accommodations than their guards get... And he didn't have to go through the horrors of being tortured with waterboarding!

No, McCain got to spend much of the Viet Nam war in a posh hotel! The Hanoi Hilton!

Mark

[2ndDivisionVet]

"What Hank Williams called “rocking chair money”."

Please explain your comment.

[etcb]

I don’t know for sure, but I suspect that McCain’s $58,000 per year is Naval Retirement based on length of service and pay grade with the disability distinction making it partly or even fully tax exempt. At that level, it certainly is not Disability Compensation from the Veterans Administration. In this case, he is no different from any other military member. Care to guess the yearly payment for General Wesley Clark or any of the other big time Democrat retired officers.

[chris_bdba]

Let them mouth off like that around a few real Vietnam vets, I bet they will have their thoughts straighted out PDQ!

[caddie]

Hello GunnyB,

I read, "When Hell was in Session" when I was a medical student rotating through the Indianapolis VA.

I am utterly disgusted that the typical American voter gives Sen. McCain ZERO credit for what he suffered.

Not just what he suffered but how it would FOREVER reorient you to be serious about the survival of the United States.

Yet they award the asshat Obama with all sorts of points for being a bullshitter and ex-crack dealer.

This country is headed for a serious reckoning.

[cpdiii]

Some of the people that Obama has associated with were the ones that gave support aid and comfort to the North Vietnam. The very people that brutalized and tortured McCain for years. What they did to McCain was a systematic and scientific application of torture and pain and brutalization.

McCain was not my first choice as a Republican candidate. I will defend him to the last when it comes to his war record and the benefits he receives for his real and horrific injuries.

[cpdiii]

Care to guess the yearly payment for General Wesley Clark

I apologize for correcting your spelling but is is General Weasely Clark. Click here for a recent image. http://forbesontech.typepad.com/my_weblog/images/2007/06/03/long_tailed_weasel.jpg

[cpdiii]

Recent photo of the Weasely Clark

[ChicagahAl]

McCain's and Bush's opposition to the “GI Bill” is not being reported honestly. What a shock, of course.

The problem with the bill, is that it was designed by the Democrats to intentionally offer huge incentives for current military members to GET OUT. Very clever, don't you think?

The military has been meeting their retention goals, but it has been difficult. So one way to end the war is to reduce the size of the military (which is already stretched to cover all its commitments) by offering incentives for people to get out.

This allows the Dems to eviscerate the military while pretending to "support the troops". Democrats are evilly clever. Or cleverly evil. Your choice.

[Lancey Howard]

A liberal member on another forum I frequent said McCain has a chipmunk in his cheek.

LOL, no doubt this comment came from a Democrat with a gerbil in his anus.

[TheThinker]

The problem with the bill, is that it was designed by the Democrats to intentionally offer huge incentives for current military members to GET OUT. Very clever, don't you think?

Yes, those liberals are clever and sneaky as ever. The smart ones can see through their sneakiness. It's the main reason why I hate liberals. They thrive on obfuscation.

[1035rep]

LOL, no doubt this comment came from a Democrat with a gerbil in his anus.

NO doubt about it! LMAO 

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Hank Williams wrote a poignant song, called “Rocking Chair Money”. Rocking Chair Money was apparently what World War II veterans called VA disability payments in the South. While the term might seem to minimize and mock the sacrifices, Williams’ song makes it clear (in his understated and subtle way) that the veteran(s) would gladly have forgone the payment if (t)he(y) could be restored to health. It's a wry and cutting dig at folks, like Kos, who would minimize the veteran's sacrifices.

I should have said that Hank Williams dealt with folks like Kos far more effectively than I ever could.