Is McCain "Milking" His POW Status?

[Fizzgig]

Respectfully, I have to disagree with you. The fact of his POW ordeal will affect every answer he gives. It will shape his decision as president just as Eisenhower's leadership experience and JFK's PT109 experience affected his.

How will being a POW affect his economic decisions? Affect his opinion of how well his Presidential campaign is going? Does the fact that he was in a POW camp really excuse his prickly demeanor enough to encourage him to be in negotiations with foreign states?

 

[MAKmom]

I think what he did on Leno was a bad move. I have to say yes.

 

[Fizzgig]

Actually it was in response to Biden's attack about getting around a kitchen table, that he first had to decide which table at which one of his 7 houses. McCain said that when he spent 5/12 years as a POW, he didn't have a kitchen table, he didn't have any table, no bed -- nothing and that he couldn't wait to get back to America so he could.

I think that with the millions that Biden and Obama make, they shouldn't throw stones...

First thing Obama did when he got money was to make a crooked deal with a now-felon to get a $400,000 discount on his mansion in Chicago.

That's not the first time he threw the "POW experience" in his opponent's face. He did that in his first political race, too, and it worked pretty well for him. He won that election. That's a 30 year old rebuttal from Senator McCain.

 

[legalsea]

I guess he can take it too far, but to date I have not found Senator McCain to be over-hyping his military service.

However, that may be my age speaking. I well remember the Vietnam war; the POW bracelets, the horror stories of the Hanoi Hilton, and of McCain coming back home. His courage in the face of literally unspeakable horrors amazes me to this day.

It was a life-changing experience for him, and it would be strange if he did not speak of it.

I still enjoy listening to other veterans speak of their war time experiences: Bob Dole and Senator H (I can't spell his name) of Hawaii, for two examples.

It does not mean that I will end up voting for Senator McCain. However, I will not hold his speaking out about his experiences against him.

 

[Barbossa]

Where are the "Vietnam POWs for Truth" when we need them?

 

[okeydokey]

Actually it was in response to Biden's attack about getting around a kitchen table, that he first had to decide which table at which one of his 7 houses. McCain said that when he spent 5/12 years as a POW, he didn't have a kitchen table, he didn't have any table, no bed -- nothing and that he couldn't wait to get back to America so he could. /QUOTE]


So being a POW prevented him from knowing how many houses he owns? There is no link between between being a POW and not knowing how many houses one owns. He should speak to his POW experience when it is relevent to the conversation at hand, otherwise it becomes a punch line. I don't think he wants that to happen and I think he'll be more careful with its use in the future (Or I think he SHOULD be more careful with its use).

 

[Fizzgig]

I guess he can take it too far, but to date I have not found Senator McCain to be over-hyping his military service.

However, that may be my age speaking. I well remember the Vietnam war; the POW bracelets, the horror stories of the Hanoi Hilton, and of McCain coming back home. His courage in the face of literally unspeakable horrors amazes me to this day.

It was a life-changing experience for him, and it would be strange if he did not speak of it.

I still enjoy listening to other veterans speak of their war time experiences: Bob Dole and Senator H (I can't spell his name) of Hawaii, for two examples.

It does not mean that I will end up voting for Senator McCain. However, I will not hold his speaking out about his experiences against him.

I think you're mistaking using that experience in proper context garnering legitimate support, and using that experience as a political sword. When speaking of McCain not being sequestered before a debate as expected, is it really relevant to the subject to bring up the fact that your boss was a POW? Or the fact that you don't know how many houses your wife owns because you have spent the most time probably in Hanoi?

Context is everything to this issue. He isn't using his (horrible) experience in context. He's using every opportunity to reiterate the fact that he WAS a POW. So in that regard, he is milking it.

 

[happygirl]

I don't think he is. If he is so did Kerry

 

[legalsea]

I think you're mistaking using that experience in proper context garnering legitimate support, and using that experience as a political sword. When speaking of McCain not being sequestered before a debate as expected, is it really relevant to the subject to bring up the fact that your boss was a POW? Or the fact that you don't know how many houses your wife owns because you have spent the most time probably in Hanoi?

Context is everything to this issue. He isn't using his (horrible) experience in context. He's using every opportunity to reiterate the fact that he WAS a POW. So in that regard, he is milking it.

I disagree that I am "mistaking" anything. You have your opinion, I have mine. I was responding to the original posting.

 

[dcentity2000]

Yes. It is not an explaination for why he didn't know how many houses he owns.

I saw that! Ridiculous, isn't it? I mean, it's not as if houses are easy to miss or anything



Rich::

 

[legalsea]

I think you're mistaking using that experience in proper context garnering legitimate support, and using that experience as a political sword. When speaking of McCain not being sequestered before a debate as expected, is it really relevant to the subject to bring up the fact that your boss was a POW? Or the fact that you don't know how many houses your wife owns because you have spent the most time probably in Hanoi?

Context is everything to this issue. He isn't using his (horrible) experience in context. He's using every opportunity to reiterate the fact that he WAS a POW. So in that regard, he is milking it.

Actually, I have now read your statement backwards, and even translated it into French then back into English, and it still does not make a lot of sense.

Sometimes people will disagree with you. Sad part of life.

 

[declansdad]

I'm not trying to discount what happened to him but I have a question for you all.

People talk about his distinguished military career but I have never heard anyone say why it is distinguished. Is there something other than his time as a POW that has distinguished him?

 

[Fizzgig]

I disagree that I am "mistaking" anything. You have your opinion, I have mine. I was responding to the original posting.

You are definitely drawing a logic line based between your emotional reaction to your memories of Vietnam and the logic of using the word "POW" in his responses to how many houses his wife owns, being called a Johnny-come-lately, etc.

I'm calling you on your justifications. I believe you are mistaken in your logic.

 

[Fizzgig]

Actually, I have now read your statement backwards, and even translated it into French then back into English, and it still does not make a lot of sense.

Sometimes people will disagree with you. Sad part of life.

You're right. Some people cling to emotionalist reactions as logic, you're right.

Even though you use English wonderfully, I find your logic still flawed. Could have something to do with ad hominem, but hey...

 

[transparant]

Jimmy Carter isn't good enough to clean McCains shoes.

 

[Master Mason]

I don't think he is. If he is so did Kerry

Kerry tried, it backfired on him though...

 

[Fizzgig]

I'm not trying to discount what happened to him but I have a question for you all.

People talk about his distinguished military career but I have never heard anyone say why it is distinguished. Is there something other than his time as a POW that has distinguished him?

"His 17 military awards and decorations include the Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star and Navy Commendation Medal, for actions before, during, and after his time as a POW."

He got out of the service as a captain. I think trying to get another pilot out of a burning plane is pretty darn amazing. That was before becoming a POW.

 

[suzanna1066@comcast.]

Yes, he cheapens it when he uses it as a crutch.

 

[transparant]

I'm not trying to discount what happened to him but I have a question for you all.

People talk about his distinguished military career but I have never heard anyone say why it is distinguished. Is there something other than his time as a POW that has distinguished him?

Silver Star
Legion of Merit with Combat V and one gold star
Distinguished Flying Cross
Bronze Star with Combat V and two gold stars
Purple Heart with one gold star
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Medal with one bronze star and Numeral "2"
Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V and one gold star
Combat Action Ribbon
Prisoner of War Medal
Navy Expeditionary Medal (Cuban quarantine)
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Cuban quarantine)
National Defense Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal with two bronze stars
Navy Unit Commendation
Meritorious Unit Commendation
National Order of Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam)[166][198]
Vietnam Campaign Medal with device (Republic of Vietnam)

 

[Fizzgig]

Silver Star
Legion of Merit with Combat V and one gold star
Distinguished Flying Cross
Bronze Star with Combat V and two gold stars
Purple Heart with one gold star
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Medal with one bronze star and Numeral "2"
Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V and one gold star
Combat Action Ribbon
Prisoner of War Medal
Navy Expeditionary Medal (Cuban quarantine)
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Cuban quarantine)
National Defense Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal with two bronze stars
Navy Unit Commendation
Meritorious Unit Commendation
National Order of Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam)[166][198]
Vietnam Campaign Medal with device (Republic of Vietnam)

Right, transparant, but that wasn't the question asked. The question was what did McCain do that was amazing besides be a POW. McCain did at least one amazing thing before being imprisoned/tortured/etc by the North Vietnamese.