Posted on 10/07/2008 9:39:08 AM PDT by Maelstorm
Barack Obama outscored his Republican rival, Vietnam veteran John McCain, in a report card issued by an influential, nonpartisan veterans’ group.
The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA’s) Action Fund gave the Arizona senator a “D” as part of its congressional report card. Obama received a “B” from the group.
McCain is among three senators who scored a “D.” Only one senator, Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), received an “F.”
McCain — a former Navy officer and prisoner of war — and Obama, who has not served, have made military and veterans’ issues central to their campaign as they try to show voters who would be a stronger advocate for those who have fought in two wars in the last seven years.
Much of IAVA’s scoring revolves around legislation to boost education benefits for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, known as the “Post 9/11 GI Bill: Fair Education Benefits for Veterans.” The bill was the brainchild of Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) and garnered wide sponsorship throughout the upper chamber.
Because of campaigning, McCain missed six votes on the issues the group rated, out of which four were the votes regarding the GI Bill.
The maximum of points for an “A+” in the Senate is 11. McCain received a total of three. IAVA gave two points to those who co-sponsored the GI Bill — its main priority for 2008.
McCain did not sponsor that bill, but sponsored a competing bill with Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Richard Burr (R-N.C). One major aspect of the McCain-sponsored bill was the ability for veterans to transfer educational credits to their spouses and children. Ultimately, the transferability option was included in Webb’s GI overhaul bill. As a result, McCain issued strong support for the bill, but was not present at the final vote.
IAVA did not credit McCain for the bill he sponsored with Graham and Burr because the group opposed it and threw its full support behind Webb’s bill.
“Sen. McCain has been endorsed by 21 past National Commanders of the American Legion, the largest veterans’ organization in America, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the largest organization of combat veterans in America,” said Lang Sias, national veterans director on McCain’s campaign. “Sen. McCain is proud of having fought hard to ensure that an extremely high priority for career service members — the freedom to transfer their education benefits to their spouse or their children — was included in the final version of the GI Bill. John McCain made the GI Bill better for military families and veterans.”
Despite being a co-sponsor of the GI Bill, Obama did not score a particularly high mark, but well above McCain. IAVA gave Obama a “B,” or a total of seven points. Obama, who like McCain has been on the campaign trail, missed four votes on issues the group rated. One of those votes was a procedural vote regarding the veterans’ education bill. Obama was present for the other three votes regarding the bill, including final passage.
Obama’s running mate, Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.), also scored a “B.” He missed three votes that coincided with campaigning during the primaries, when Biden himself was a presidential candidate.
“Sen. Obama has a long record of supporting our veterans and honoring the sacred trust with our veterans and military families. The fact that IAVA has recognized his unending support is a great tribute,” said Obama national security spokeswoman Wendy Morigi. “If he is fortunate enough to be elected in November, veterans can rest assured knowing that he will fight for them every day as president.”
“We think attendance is important,” said Paul Rieckhoff, IAVA executive director of the scoring. “Lawmakers have to put the money where their mouth is. You can’t support the troops if you do not vote on the key issues.”
IAVA is officially releasing its congressional report card Tuesday, the same day Obama and McCain are going into another presidential debate. Rieckhoff said the release was planned that way to make veterans’ issues part of Tuesday’s debate, because none of the candidates approached that topic in detail.
“We hope that it lets them know that people are watching and that veterans are watching,” he said in an interview. “Whoever the president is, they have a huge challenge ahead with veterans’ issues. These guys have a chance to turn the page.”
In the Senate scoring, IAVA focused on nine legislative actions: boosting of funding for veterans’ healthcare in 2007 and 2008; more money for Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, known as MRAPs, for troops fighting in Iraq; expanded veterans’ benefits in 2007; 2008 legislation dealing with adaptive housing for disabled veterans, disability claims processing and education benefits for apprenticeships and on-the-job training; stopping the McCain-sponsored competing GI bill; and three votes on the Webb-sponsored GI Bill.
Among the Senate’s co-sponsors of the education benefits overhaul are several who received an “A+” for their support of veterans. Those members not only co-sponsored the landmark education bill, but also voted in favor of all the other legislation on IAVA’s agenda. Among those who received an “A+” are: Webb, Susan Collins (R-Maine), who is facing a tough reelection campaign, Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Harry Reid (D-Nev.), the Senate majority leader, Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii) and Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.).
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), a former candidate for president, scored an “A.” So did retiring Sens. John Warner (R-Va.), who was pivotal in negotiations on the GI Bill, and Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), an original co-sponsor of the bill, as well as Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), Kit Bond (R-Mo.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.).
In the House, 249 lawmakers received an “A” or “A+” for voting on 13 bills relating to veterans issues. Many of the freshman and vulnerable Democrats have received an “A+.” Democrats, and particularly the freshmen, have made it a key point to prove that their party is strong on national security. Among those vulnerables receiving an A+ are Reps. Chris Carney (D-Pa.), Patrick Murphy (D-Pa.), Paul Kanjorski (D-Pa.), Carol Shea-Porter (D-N.H.) and Nancy Boyda (D-Kan.). Another Democratic vulnerable, Rep. Nick Lampson (Texas), received a “B.”
Several vulnerable Republican members earned top grades, but many of them have also scored “B’s.” Among them, Reps. Robin Hayes (N.C.), Christopher Shays (Conn.), Randy Kuhl (N.Y.) and Ric Keller (Fla.) stand out with an “A.” Reps. Don Young (R-Alaska) and Marilyn Musgrave (R-Colo.) received a “B,” as did Reps. James Walsh (R-N.Y.) and Steve Chabot (R-Ohio).
Reps. John Campbell (R-Calif.), Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.), John Duncan Jr. (R-Tenn.) and Chris Cannon (R-Utah) scored a “D.” Rep Ron Paul (R-Texas) scored the only “F.”
IAVA has about 105,000 members and makes no political contributions or endorsements.
Any true veteran loathes Obama. After all, military service involves honor, integrity, and the ability to perform actions to perfection.
Ridiculous.
DeMint is one of the only Senators with intact values and a clear conscience. Even folks who don’t agree with him have to respect that.
This leftist group used to be called Operation Truth. Same old crap. New more “patriotic” wrapper.
“IAVA did not credit McCain for the bill he sponsored with Graham and Burr because the group opposed it and threw its full support behind Webb’s bill. “
Then they are useful tools promoting Democrats and not policy. Soviet agitprop at its finest.
Anyone who tells you he is ‘influential’ probably isn’t.
Bullsh*t. I’m a veteran and never heard of these maggots.
Here’s all any Conservative needs to know about Barrack Hussein Obama:
Special Interest Group Ratings:
Planned Parenthood - 100% Support
National Right To Life - 0% Support
NARAL - 100% Support
Americans for Tax Reform - 0% Support
ACLU - 83% Support
NEA - 100% Support
NOW Hags - 100% Support
Citizens Against Government Waste - 13% Support
Gun Owners of America - 0% Support
NRA - “F” Rating
Federation for American Immigration Reform - 0% Support
US Border Patrol - 8% Support
Unions - 82% - 100% Support
Population Connection - 100% Support (These are the ‘Zero Growth’ freaks)
http://vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=BS030017
[Barrack Hussein Obama’s record in the Illinois senate:]
- Opposed the Defense of Marriage Act; would work to repeal it in the U.S. Senate; would not vote for any legislation that would restrict the ability of gays and lesbians to marry.
- Opposed the Born Alive Infant Protection Act four times in Illinois. A similar bill passed the U.S. Senate 98-0. The Born Alive bill would have prohibited a baby from being born alive but left to die according to the mother’s wishes. Obama inexplicably opposed this bill not once, twice, or three times, but four times.
- Obama took almost $90,000 in bundled contributions from the Council for a Livable World. The council is a well-known anti-defense organization.
- Obama puts rigid ideology before what’s best for the people of Illinois, and presumably he would do that as President as well. He has on several occasions made public his opposition to the NAFTA trade agreement and his belief that it must be negotiated. All the while thanks to NAFTA, Illinois exports $1.3 billion in agricultural goods to Canada.
- Obama refused to vote for a bill in the Illinois State Senate that would have increased penalties for drug traffickers.
- Obama voted against a bill that would have delivered the death penalty to gang members who murder first responders.
- Finally, just in case you thought it couldn’t get any worse, Obama was the only member of the Illinois State Senate to vote against a bill that prohibited early release for sexual predators.
Can’t kill the innocent fast enough, can’t free the guilty soon enough!
Here’s all any Conservative needs to know about Joe Biden:
Special Interest Group Ratings:
NARAL: 100%
Planned Parenthood: 100%
National Right to Life: 0%
Sportsmen and Animals Alliance: 0%
The Humane Society: 100%
National Tax Limitation Committee: “F” Grade
Americans for Tax Reform: 10%
National Association of Manufacturers: 0%
ACLU: 92 - 100%
NAACP: 100%
Iranian American PAC: 100%
NEA: A+ Rating (Teacher’s Union)
League of Conservation Voters: 100%
Family Research Council: “O” Rating
Citizen’s for Global Solutions: A+ Rating
Jews for Peace in Palestine & Israel: -1%
Brady Campaign: 95-100% (Gun Grabbers)
NRA: “F” Rating
American Immigration Lawyers Association: 100%
AFL-CIO: 100% (Near 100% ratings on ALL Unions)
Center for Security Policy: 21%
Population Connection: 100% (These are the ‘Zero-Growth’ freaks)
All “End Poverty Now By Throwing Money Down a Rathole” groups: 100%
This guy is to the LEFT of Obama, if you can imagine it!
http://www.votesmart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=53279
Another astroturf artifact to wave in front of the peasants. I wonder how many will actually believe any of this?
The truth is this, John McCain is having Sarah Palin revamp her vaunted Moose hunting skills into the biggest Jack-Ass hunt of all time. And there's nothing but a target rich environment for her with the MSM and in Washington, DC.
Knock 'em down, field dress 'em, skin 'em, and send what's left packin'.
SARAH PALIN IS DRAWING HUGE CROWDS AT RALLIES ALL ACROSS THE NATION
They are leftist shell organizations meant to play the old soviet role of providing disinformation to the public.
This is an anti-war leftist group, formed by Paul Reichoff. He’s on Racheal Maddow’s show on Air America every single week.
Earlier post:
Military Times Poll: Troops backing McCain 68% to 23%
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2098214/posts
I wonder if this PAC has any real veterans in it or if it’s made up of all “associate members.”
Just like Pew research. Every article I've ever read about Pew has "a nonpartisan group" immediately following Pew.
Who was it that said the only conservative who works at Pew is the janitor?
I’m sure there are a few veterans who are willing dupes, who’ll put on their uniforms and parade for the cameras. Of course, we all remember “those” kind of people we served with. Always complaining about something and whining that they weren’t recognized for their military genius. The typical barracks lawyers.
0bama the magic negro ... the gift that keeps on giving.
I know the type. Real dirtbags.
Nice to see that Harry “The war is lost” Reid (D-Nev.) got an A+ from these posers.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.