Attacking McCain's military service odd, sad, silly political strategy
By Pete Riehm
Mobile GOP, Chairman
Military experience is neither a prerequisite nor a definitive qualifier for the Presidency of the United States. Therefore, the current attack on U.S. Sen. John McCain’s military record is disingenuous and silly.
Assailing the military record of a certifiable hero is a very odd strategy for the Democrats. When President Bill Clinton was running in 1992, Democrats pooh-poohed any notion that military service was pertinent to Presidential qualifications. Then in 2004, Democrats loudly proclaimed U.S. Sen. John Kerry’s Vietnam War credentials as absolute proof that his combat heroism made him indisputably more qualified to be a wartime President than President George W. Bush’s stateside service in the Air National Guard. Which is it?
It is neither.
Then, as again now, it is all propaganda. Our Constitution provides only a few vital prerequisites. We choose a President based on ability to act or more precisely lead and judgment as demonstrated by competency and integrity. Military experience is not mandatory. However, all voters are right to inspect the résumés of prospective candidates and honorable military service is certainly a solid indicator of performance.
McCain had a distinguished military career including combat and command. Best known for having been a POW in Vietnam, the real essence of his story was his selfless sacrifice. An Admiral’s son, young McCain was offered early release by his North Vietnamese tormentors. He refused because he would not accept any favoritism and leave his shipmates behind. He also realized that by accepting early release he would give his communist captors a priceless propaganda prize. A true hero and leader, he stayed.
General Wesley Clark’s smarmy and self-serving attack on McCain’s military experience is pathetic. He not only discounted his service, but denigrated it when he quipped that “getting shot down” was not a Presidential qualifier. Of course, he pointed out that being a war-time General ordering the bombs to fall (like he did during the Kosovo campaign in 1999) was indeed excellent military experience for a President. Clark’s Presidential aspirations are known, but he is stumping for U.S. Sen. Barack Obama here. Of course, he is presenting himself as a superb Vice President to balance Obama’s complete lack of military experience.
The contradictions are astounding, but quite possibly lost on the narcissistic Clark. While Clark is certainly intelligent, his judgment is debatable. During the Kosovo campaign, he had a heated argument with a Navy Admiral about Carrier Air support for the bombing. Navy Aircraft Carriers were conducting “Flex Deck Ops” which are high tempo flight operations for three days, but on the fourth day, the carrier would not fly at all. Decades of Navy experience had shown that on the fourth day of high tempo fight operations, fatal accidents would increase exponentially. They also determined more ordnance could be delivered over a longer period using “Flex Deck Ops.”
Clark insisted the Carriers fly everyday (by the way, the Admiral refused and we won anyway). He was either oblivious to the safety of the Sailors and the endurance of the campaign or his arrogance disregarded the Admiral’s experience, or he just could not comprehend the concept. He actually appeared dumbfounded that opinions other than his existed.
In attacking McCain’s military experience and extolling Obama’s lack thereof, Clark appears similarly blinded by his arrogance as he eyes his Presidential path through a VP bid.
Kerry is piling on with another of his incredible flip-flops. In 2004, Kerry seriously considered and courted McCain as VP for a bipartisan ticket, but now Kerry claims McCain “does not have the judgment to be President.” These shameless attacks show the Obama supporters as mad for power at any cost.
McCain has an undeniably distinguished military record which bodes well for his character, patriotism, and dependability. It is valid data for voters assessing the man.
However, the reasons to elect McCain President spring from his vision for America and the certainty in his capacity to lead us into the future. McCain will keep America safe through strength and a sensible foreign policy. He also has the credentials and commitment to harness our unbelievably bloated federal government and get spending under control.
Consider what John McCain has done and vote for him for what he will do for America.
