Bad time to question McCain's qualifications

The Chicago Sun-Times ^ | July 4, 2008 | Steve Huntley

[2ndDivisionVet]

It was perverse -- not to mention tone-deaf and foolish -- for Barack Obama's supporters to pick the week of July Fourth to attack John McCain's military background. The cliche rings true: With political friends like these, Obama doesn't need enemies.

First up was retired Army Gen. Wesley K. Clark, who told CBS' "Face the Nation" that "I don't think getting in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to become president." That was tame compared with a vile posting by the nut-roots liberal Americablog.com headlined "Honestly, besides being tortured, what did McCain do to excel in the military?"

These ham-handed assaults revealed a lack of insight into McCain's experience that is surprising, at least on the part of a military man like Clark. Average Americans intuitively comprehend that McCain's character was tested in a way that all but an unlucky few will never have to face. Shot down over North Vietnam, McCain spent 5½ years as a prisoner of war and was tortured so brutally that to this day he cannot raise his arms above his head.

The story of those years of survival is testimony to his character, courage, duty and sense of honor -- surely important qualities for a president. The North Vietnamese broke the arm of one prisoner -- part of a bone was left sticking out -- intending to cripple him. McCain forced the bone back in the arm and, using bamboo and bandages from his own wounds, made a splint for the fellow pilot's arm.

McCain helped maintain morale among the POWs by giving sermons in religious services.

The North Vietnamese, learning McCain was the son of an admiral, hoped to score a propaganda victory by releasing him early. McCain refused, holding fast to the principle that POWs would be freed in the order of their capture.

It is true McCain was tortured beyond the limits of human endurance. At one point after four days of beatings and rope torture while he was sick with dysentery and isolated by solitary confinement, McCain made a propaganda "confession." But he then refused to sign other propaganda statements or meet with anti-war activists visiting Hanoi, and thus endured many more beatings.

McCain, who considers the "confession" dishonorable, learned every man has a breaking point. The vast majority of Americans understand that. But not the cruel men behind Americablog and the newsletter CounterPunch. They accuse McCain of "disloyalty" and of being a "collaborator." It makes you want to echo Joseph Welch's famous rebuke to the infamous 1950s right-wing character-assassin Joe McCarthy: "Have you no sense of decency?"

Obama understandably wants no part of any of this ugly nonsense. In a speech on patriotism Monday, he named McCain in honoring veterans "who have endured physical torment in service to our country." His campaign specifically rejected the remarks from Clark, once thought to be a possible vice presidential candidate.

Clark's attack was as witless as it was ill-timed. It only served to focus on McCain's military background and the depth of his experience, drawing a contrast to that of the youthful Obama. Clark compounded the blunder a day later by saying, "I simply say it's a matter of judgment -- experience, yes, it's important. It shows character and courage, but on the other hand there are other ways to show character and courage.''

By bringing up the subject of judgment, he opened the way for Obama's critics to question again the Democratic senator's judgment on a number of matters, such as remaining 20 years in the church of the extremist Rev. Jeremiah Wright, who notoriously ranted "God damn America" before an enthusiastic congregation.

Also unfortunately for Obama, his defense of his patriotism was left sounding a bit hollow thanks to his supporters' smears of McCain's service during the July Fourth week.

[2ndDivisionVet]

I disagree with Mr. Huntley on one thing: I think Team Obama was behind General Clark and the blogger's attacks and they backfired.

[ETL]

McCain on lower right

In August of 1968, a program of vigorous torture methods began on McCain, using rope bindings into painful positions and beatings every two hours, at the same time as he was suffering from dysentery.[84][79] Teeth and bones were broken again, as was McCain's spirit; the beginning of a suicide attempt was stopped by guards.[79] After four days of this, McCain signed and taped[94] an anti-American propaganda "confession" that said, in part, "I am a black criminal and I have performed the deeds of an air pirate. I almost died, and the Vietnamese people saved my life, thanks to the doctors."[79] He used stilted Communist jargon and ungrammatical language to signal that the statement was forced.[89]. Source

Also see:
John McCain, Prisoner of War: A First-Person Account
By John S. McCain III, Lieut. Commander, U.S. Navy;
http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/2008/01/28/john-mccain-prisoner-of-war-a-first-person-account.html

__________________________________________________________

[ETL]

Michael Moore endorses Wesley Clark and Obama

From Michael Moore's website, September 12th, 2003:

Michael Moore to Wesley Clark: Run!
A Citizen's Appeal to a General in a Time of War (at Home)

Dear General Wesley Clark,

I've been meaning to write to you for some time. Two days after the Oscars, when I felt very alone and somewhat frightened by the level of hatred toward me for daring to suggest that we were being led into war for "fictitious reasons," one person stuck his neck out and came to my defense on national television.

And that person was you.

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php?messageDate=2003-09-12

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From Moore's website, January 14th, 2004:

I'll Be Voting For Wesley Clark / Good-Bye Mr. Bush

Many of you have written to me in the past months asking, 'Who are you going to vote for this year?'

I have decided to cast my vote in the primary for Wesley Clark. That's right, a peacenik is voting for a general. What a country!

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php?messageDate=2004-01-14

__________________________________________________________________

Michael (the "peacenik") Moore, also from his website...

"The Iraqis who have risen up against the occupation are not 'insurgents' or 'terrorists' or 'The Enemy.' They are the REVOLUTION, the Minutemen, and their numbers will grow -- and they will win. Get it, Mr. Bush?"
[actual quote from Michael (the "peacenik") Moore (2004). It still appears on his website]
http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php?messageDate=2004-04-14

__________________________________________________________________

This one has also been up for years, although I doubt if it's actually Michael Moore saying it...

The Communist Party USA (CPUSA):
"We are a party of unity in action. We are an integral part of every struggle and movement for change to eliminate poverty and joblessness, against racism and for full equality. We are participants, initiators and leaders of every movement to make life better now and much better in a socialist future." Yeah, so they supported an oppressive dictator, like the Repubs and Democrats haven't? The CP is still around, has apologized for that whole Stalin thing, and has a quickly growing youth section.
[see: MichaelMoore.com-->Links-->PoliticalAction (bottom of the page--CPUSA promo)]
http://www.michaelmoore.com/links/index.php?linkType=Political%20Action

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From the Revolutionary Communist Party website
A Viewer's Guide to Fahrenheit 911

Revolutionary Worker #1246, July 18, 2004, posted at http://rwor.org

"People have been lied to. And many can see it. Invasion, occupation, police spying, round-ups, even torture camps--plus far-reaching changes in law, treaty and doctrine --they have all come wrapped in deceit. The President lies. His whole clique lies."

http://rwor.org/a/1246/fahrenheit_911_guide.htm

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Monday, April 21st, 2008
My Vote's for Obama (if I could vote) ...by Michael Moore

Friends,

I don't get to vote for President this primary season. I live in Michigan. The party leaders (both here and in D.C.) couldn't get their act together, and thus our votes will not be counted.

So, if you live in Pennsylvania, can you do me a favor? Will you please cast my vote -- and yours -- on Tuesday for Senator Barack Obama?

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php

[ETL]

November 22, 1970 -- During a fund-raising tour for GI deserters, Vietnam Veterans Against the War and the Black Panthers, Jane Fonda is quoted in the Detroit Free Press as telling a University of Michigan audience:

"I would think that if you understood what communism was, you would hope, you would pray on your knees that we would someday become communist," and "The peace proposal of the Viet Cong is the only honorable, just, possible way to achieve peace in Vietnam."
http://www.wintersoldier.com/index.php?topic=Timeline

Fonda made the following statement at the University of Texas:
"We've got to establish a Socialist economic structure that will limit private profit-oriented businesses. Whether the transition is peaceful depends on the way our present governmental leaders react. We must commit our lives to this transition ...... We should be very proud of our new breed of soldier. It's not organized but it's mutiny, and they have every right." --Karen Elliott Dallas Morning News December 11, 1971

From 1972: "I am not a do-gooder, I am a revolutionary. A revolutionary woman."

Source for most of the Jane Fonda material:
http://www.1stcavmedic.com/jane_fonda.htm

________________________________________________________________

From RushLimbaugh.com:
Hanoi Jane Endorses Obama
April 3, 2008

REPORTER 1: Jane, who are you voting for?

REPORTER 2: Who gets your vote?

FONDA: Obama.

REPORTER 2: Oh, my God. Heaven help us all.

RUSH: The reporter for TMZ said, "Oh, God. Heaven help us all." Obviously the reporter is an Obama supporter.

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_040308/content/01125111.guest.html

[ETL]

From Barack Obama's official website:

“I wanted to make an art piece of Barack Obama because I thought an iconic portrait of him could symbolize and amplify the importance of his mission. I believe Obama will guide this country to a future where everyone can thrive and I should support him vigorously for the sake of my two young daughters. I have made art opposing the Iraq war for several years, and making art of Obama, who opposed the war from the start, is like making art for peace. I know I have an audience of young art fans and I’m delighted if I can encourage them to see the merits of Barack Obama.”

-Shepard Fairey
http://store.barackobama.com/product_p/po26951.htm

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See, it's all about "peace, love, togetherness" and "change". Here are some of Fairey's other masterpieces. Most of his works are along these same lines...

Source:
http://jonathanlevinegallery.com/?method=Artist.ArtistDetail&ArtistID=F65EBB86-3048-28EB-92D55AA4FC996E31&GalleryID=82C33C59-3048-28EB-92DB386C8C733405

[Darkwolf377]

General Clark is doing more to unite Republicans behind McCain than McCain is doing himself.

[gunnyg]

“Bad time to question McCain’s qualifications”
~~~~~

Someone better start questioning (LOUDLY) any time now—the sooner the better!

[Jabba the Nutt]

Here's what Obama said, who like when President Clinton said something, you need to parse the sentences like a lawyer:

"I have found, for the first time, my patriotism challenged _ at times as a result of my own carelessness, more often as a result of the desire by some to score political points and raise fears about who I am and what I stand for," he said before a crowd of a few hundred people at the Truman Memorial Building here. "I will never question the patriotism of others in this campaign. And I will not stand idly by when I hear others question mine."

One, who's questioned Obama's patriotism? No significant Republican has, did Hillary question it? I don't recall anything specific, it seems to be another case of Obama playing the victim card.

"...my own carelessness...", is Obama talking about his blather for why he stopped wearing the flag pin after 9/11? Or for not putting his hand on his heart during the national anthem? Or for going to a church of anti-Americanism for 20 years? Remember, this is the guy running on "Judgment".

Gee, thanks Obama, you're not going to question anyone else's patriotism, wow, great, you're the Messiah. Well, while he's saying this, he's sending out surrogates to do exactly this about John McCain and Obama's perfectly willing to question American's religious beliefs and their clinging to the 2nd Amendment, aka Bill of Rights.

He won't stand "idly by" while people question his patriotism, this after giving the reasons, created by himself, why people could legitimately question his patriotism. And he plays the victim card again, unattractive. And he makes no promise to defend other people, whose patriotism is questioned, only his own. His surrogates attack McCain, Obama himself tries to redefine patriotism to mean dissent, he cries about being attacked, promises to lash back at his attackers, while ignoring everyone else.

The Democrats throw us another borderline personality disorder candidate, the fifth in a row, if you count Clinton twice. We have a major political party in this country controlled by malignant narcissists.

We're Screwed '08

[olezip]

It was perverse -- not to mention tone-deaf and foolish -- for Barack Obama's supporters to pick the week of July Fourth to attack John McCain's military background. The cliche rings true: With political friends like these, Obama doesn't need enemies.

First up was retired Army Gen. Wesley K. Clark, who told CBS' "Face the Nation" that "I don't think getting in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to become president." That was tame compared with a vile posting by the nut-roots liberal Americablog.com headlined "Honestly, besides being tortured, what did McCain do to excel in the military?"

Disgraced Wesley Clark should be cowering in shame because he is a war criminal IMO. But for politics in the military, Clark would have been retired as a Maj. or Lt. Col. I think he is a war criminal because he helped Muslim terrorists kill innocent Christian Serbs. He, and others of his ilk, hate the United States as evidenced by their statements, actions, who their friends are, where their money comes from, do you not agree?

[iopscusa]

WTH, McCain needs to speak out about his POW years and let us know what is inside that coconut on top of his shoulders...quit all the fake sparring and let’s grill both of these AHole Candidates, they are in a JOB INTERVIEW with us the Citizen Voters and we need to know anything and everything...time to cut out the silly pattycakes BS!

[ETL]

Obama's FIRST Flip-Flop: IRAN

May 18, 2008: Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, these countries are tiny compared to the Soviet Union. They don't pose a serious threat to us. ...they spend 1/100th of what we spend on the military. I mean, if Iran ever tried to pose a serious threat to us, they wouldn't stand a chance.

May 20, 2008: Iran is a grave threat. It has an illicit nuclear program. It supports terrorism across the regions and militias in Iraq. It threatens Israel's existence. It denies the Holocaust.

Source for these genuine quotes: NewsBusters.org:
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/brad-wilmouth/2008/05/23/fnc-shows-obamas-iran-flip-flop-colmes-might-talk-hitler

[Dilbert56]

...I don't think getting in a fighter plane and getting shot down ...

I believe the original quote was "riding in a fighter plane". Even more condescending.

[F-117A]

"I don't think getting in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to become president."

Weasley's remark was worst the this! What he actually said was,

"I don't think getting riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to become president.""I don't think getting in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to become president."

[F-117A]

Around 2:25 you'll hear Clark repeat the "riding" in a fighter plane statement...

(if you can stomach listening this long... suggest turning off the sound until the video gets close!)

here

[Grampa Dave]

Ah Yes Ole Maggot Infected Weasel Clark, the perfumed pink panty wearing pentagon poster boy of the Clintoons, aka the killer of innocent Americans civilians at Waco and innocent Christian civilians in Serbia.

Clark is shown below enjoying a gay happy moment, with no socks while being very light in his loafers!”

[Chode]

even an Army general should know the difference btwn a Fighter and an ATTACK plane... but i guess he doesn't

[shove_it]

I must have stolen that great cartoon from you - see post #9 above.

:o)

[aruanan]

Also unfortunately for Obama, his defense of his patriotism was left sounding a bit hollow thanks to his supporters' smears of McCain's service during the July Fourth week.

No, the hollowness was from the echo inside the empty suit.

[CPOSharky]

even an Army general should know the difference btwn a Fighter and an ATTACK plane... but i guess he doesn't.

Which means Weasley (where are my talking points?) Clark is just a ultra-liberal demonrat in drag.