Via Dave Hardy, I came across this article from someone who served as a POW with John McCain, refuting some of the rumors, to my mind quite disgusting rumors, that are floating around about McCain’s service.
I don’t think John McCain’s service to his country is really something that anyone can question, and the fact that some people are, with apparently false statements, is pretty lamentable.
There are enough people that he’s pissed off that I’m not surprised somebody might swiftboat him. Imagine Democratic supporters of a Democratic presidential candidate who didn’t serve in combat questioning the service of a GOP candidate who did. You’d never hear the end of it.
Frankly I think questioning the service of anyone who wore a uniform and was honorably discharged is the lowest of low blows. It’s the worst kind of armchair shit throwing. Not respectable…and makes me like the guy that much more, if his enemies are like that.
Wait, there’s term for this, kinda new…what is it?
Oh yeah, Swift Boating!
Not just lamentable, but entirely predicatable.
One of my concerns with the blogsphere is that I think it is, by and large, easily manipulated by one group or another. So much of what we read and listen to as bloggers no longer bears any resemblence to the idea of a guy in their pjs taking down the media establishment.
On the left, KOS is as much a part of the DNC as James Carville – and look at all the blogs bought and paid for by Soros, et al. who exhibit unending allegiance and unwaivering support of whatever liberal fantasy is being pedaled.
On the right, its the same thing – maybe even worse. Sure, we’ve got the Instapundit, but hell he love LOVES to link to the corner. Heck, everyone on the right likes the Corner . . . they have managed to set the line as to what is acceptable and what isn’t for conservative bloggers (when did National Review cease to be libertarians) and give us our marching orders.
As for McCain, all he’s gone through – over the last 8 years and in this campaign is payback for running strong against the rights heir to be – George Bush. The party doesn’t like disobedient interlopers, and McCain and his supporters in D.C.have suffered politically and financially for 8 years as a result. Screw Bush. Screw Rove. Screw this illusion he isn’t a conservative. Their claiming he’s not a war hero?!?!?!?
I can’t wait for him to win and to help lead the revolution to take back DC from the most corrupt and inept group of politicians I’ve ever known (and I’m a Republican).
As far as this so called swift boating thing. . . yeah sure. But the complaints about Kerry were longstanding and valid and didn’t arise from Rove et all but from the retired Vietnam Veterans community who always was offended by Kerry (importantly, not for what he did in Vietnam, but for what they saw as his disgraceful actions afterwards). Heck, my father in law – a non political retired 35 year veteran of the Army was instrumental in starting a Vietnam Veterans Against John Fonda Kerry group. Long before Kerry was the nominee and the swift boat campaign started, he and his old Vietnam buddies had pooled together money to campaign against someoen they considered a traitor. My wife and I drove around with our own Vietnam Veterans Against John Fonda Kerry on our cars in support of them throughout the primary season. We both registered as Democrats that primary to vote for Joe Lieberman in the hopes that he could somehow fend off John “sell my collegues down the river” Kerry.
They did it in the Democrat primary (but, being the Democrat primary were ignored) and they did it in the General Election. But don’t give Rove the credit for figuring this one out . . . it was given to him and Bush by a generation of veterans who will go to their grave with hatred and repulsion towards Jane Fonda and John Kerry.
What happened to Kerry was Kerry’s fault and wasn’t a surprise to anyone. It was based on congressional testimony and a viscous anti war and anti military stance Kerry adopted upon returning home. Its a far cry from claiming – as these despicable Republicans are know – that John McCain was given hookers and other special favors while a POW in order to convince him to stay behind. Its part and parcel with the Manchurian Candidate campaign that Rove ran against him in 2000.
All that said, the next time you allow one of these fools (Rush Limbaugh, The Corner) to argue McCain isn’t a conservative because of this or that and Romney (ROMNEY!?!?!?!?!?!?) is the true conservative candidate – think about their veracity in other matters.
Kerry may have brought about his own ass kicking, but I was referring to the tactic of drudging up the past and smearing it around in an attempt to discredit a person now. I could care less what a person did 30 years ago as a young, idealistic fool, I’d rather hang him on his more recent sins, ones that more accurately reflect his current outlook.
Granted, Kerry overplayed his hand and harped WAAY too much on his military record and it came back and bit him hard, but I got pissed off when I saw everyone focusing on Kerry’s past without giving any real attention to his current. Now I’m getting pissed that folks are trying to do the same to McCain, and he’s done pretty good job NOT talking about his service.
If you don’t like McCain, tell me what he has done in the past decade that would give me a reason to think he is a poor or dangerous leader.
Personally, since we have an inept democratic congress, I want an inept republican president, and maybe we can have four years of no significant legislation and our country can have a chance to stabilize a little bit. People really forget to appreciate how nice a little breathing room can be.
Lamentable isn’t the word I’d use.