McCain criticizes Obama's lack of military service!

McCain and Obama fought today over the GI bill. Here is what McCain had to say about Obama:

"I take a backseat to no one in my affection, respect and devotion to veterans," McCain said. "And I will not accept from Senator Obama, who did not feel it was his responsibility to serve our country in uniform, any lectures on my regard for those who did."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080523/pl_nm/usa_politics_dc

I would like to know how Obama could have served his country in uniform when there has not been any major wars since the 1980s.

McCain wont support the GI bill because it is too generous towards the veterans and yet he critizes Obama for his lack of military service. :rofl:

Hey McCain not all veterans have had the opportunity to turn their "McCain experience" into a living fortune.

Jim Webb on the GI bill:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKRMTkutuMA

Didnt think so. Fucking lying nutbag hypocrite.

Remember, his dad hooked him up with that sweet Air National Guard job. That counts, right? :sarcasm:

No foolin'!

"They also serve who only stand and send people to their deaths, then sneak into Iraq with plastic turkeys." It's an old Bible proverb, from the Book of SCOTUS-Appointed Hosepails, IIRC.

:rofl:

Ask anyone who was involved in Vietnam, only the people who were veeeeerrrrrrryyyyy well connected could get into the National Guard. Plus, he didn't even go, which is even more ridiculous. It's eight years later and I continue to be shocked that Bush is President. And, I'm still appalled that the GOP managed to disparage both Gore and Kerry for their service and no one fought back with Bush's lies.

Maybe you need to read it again.

I have 3 uncles all drafted and sent to the front lines in Vietnam. One of them STILL has flashbacks. Fuck Bush. Fuck Cheney. And Fuck McCain. How much fighting did McCain actually see? Far less than my uncles. Yet... HE'S the hero? Please.

Since when is someone who gets shot down considered a hero anyway? Is that not exactly the opposite of what he should have done?

I'm not sure of the specifics, but he managed to get into the Air Force. People these days seem to forget that EVERYONE was doing whatever they could do avoid being sent to the Army. There is no shame in trying not to get killed for bad policies.

I'm not going to say that being in a POW camp isn't hard because it was hell. But, heroic, I'm not so sure. When I was at the Naval Academy they brought in VADM Stockdale to talk about his experiences as a POW. It was supposed to teach us the power of sticking together and trusting your "shipmates." Here's an excerpt from his bio:

He was held as a prisoner of war in the Hoa Lo prison for the next seven years. Locked in leg irons in a bath stall, he was routinely tortured and beaten. When told by his captors that he was to be paraded in public, Stockdale slit his scalp with a razor to purposely disfigure himself so that his captors could not use him as propaganda. When they covered his head with a hat, Stockdale beat himself with a stool until his face was swollen beyond recognition. He told them in no uncertain terms that they would never use him.

He even developed a "tap code" that the prisoners could use to communicate, and it is still taught to midshipmen at USNA (it's not critical knowledge, but its become a sort of tradition).

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0IAX/is_6_87/ai_n15675121


I don't think McCain visited the Naval Academy until his son started in summer 2005. (Not 100% sure, but that was the word on the street when I was there from 2001-2005)

And none of them will speak of their experiences to this day.

That Stockdale bio... wow. I dont even know quite how to respond. That is a level of dedication that I doubt I would have, honestly. Theres certainly an argument to be made as to whether or not that man is a hero, but certainly McCains got nothing on him. And as far as I know, he hasnt done a damned thing for vets.

From what I know, McCains just lucky to be alive. But then again... crashing five planes puts one into that category automatically. Doesnt it?

Many people never got the help that they needed. And McCain has only made it harder.

Check out this article from The Nation: http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080602/beutler
It has all his anti-vet votes.

McCain says he doesn't support the GI benefits increase bill because it will prevent people from serving full careers in the military. CRAP! As someone who is in the military, I know people are getting out because 1) They want to be in charge of their own lives or 2) They don't want to die in Iraq (or be deployed three out of every four years.

People are getting out because the government is abusing the military, not to use their benefits.

Only one person I've talked to out of the literally thousands I know in the military has mentioned the possibility of getting out to use his GI bill when the benefits increase, BUT that is only if he's not accepted for a certain career path in the Navy. Even with the benefits increase, his first choice is to remain in the military.

Do not be fooled by McCain's argument. He is out of touch with reality and with our current military personnel crisis!

If anything, increased benefits will encourage people to join. And why disparage those who serve one term? It is more than literally millions of other Americans do. I say we support and celebrate people who serve in any capacity, which is true support of the troops!

that the phrase "too generous towards veterans" is even being tossed around. Too generous? These are the dumbfucks paying Blackwater almost 6x much to do the same job, yea lets not to be generous.

And it's fucking PATHETIC.

Thanks for saying that.

that kind of statement require? We are truly descending into some kind of Bizarro-world...

because he served, and that Obama should shut up about it?

If that's the case, then where was similar outrage when people were calling Rev. Wright, an ex-marine, unpatriotic?

Pay for more schooling & that might encourage them to leave? Well, it wouldn't be a damn problem if you people thought through what it was EXACTLY you were doing.... we wouldn't be begging for recruits, and maybe we'd actually help the ones that came back. They shouldn't have to beg and plead their cases for healthcare, for benefits or for school, PERIOD!

McCain can go to hell with these rantings... just wait until the real stuff is thrown at him, his hyper fits will go into mass hysteria!

and J. Sidney McCain went to one of the academies.

career military. Anyway, mccain has nothing so he'll personally attack Obama and Obama will use logic and shove it right back in his face.

It was expected of him, and he basically did everything he could do get kicked out. And he would have been, if his roommates hadn't covered for him in the final incident. His father and grandfather were both Admirals and they were able to get him in and keep him in. He graduated (barely) fifth from the bottom of his class.

(Yes, I'm a USNA grad. No, they don't make us learn about and worship McCain. But, it is fairly well known that McCain was basically a delinquent while he was there. Actually, he had rough relations with USNA and has only been back recently. I think he was supposed to speak there on Sep 12, 2001, but obviously that fell through).

I know that Webb and McCain are friends and that McCain provided book reviews that appeared on several of Webb's book jackets, but come on.


haha, I always forget that McCain's nickname in high school was McNasty.

Obama and Hillary voted for the bill today while McCain did not bother showing up and instead campaigned in California.

That's why Webb would be the perfect person to attack McCain on this and defend Obama. I've seen Webb go after McCain more harshly for the GI Bill in the past, but on Countdown the other day, all he said was "Well, John McCain's busy right now. I'm sure if I could just get him to sit down and explain the bill to him, he would support it."

Not good enough, Jim. Hammer McSellout on it.

Obama and Webb against McCain. ;)

wasn't in the military he stills knows and cares enough about the military and veterans to support the bills to help them out. And care enough about them not to send them into a misbegotten war like mccain and hilary did.

It's like waiting for the volcano to burst. When he does it will be a gusher!

.. and he'd call me "young man"

But a guy that won't support a contemporaneous GI bill is a hypocrite on military affairs period :thumbsdown:

so only war vets get credit ?? Your point lacks anything resembling coherent argument on this point. It doesn't take a war for you to serve your country in the military. I don't agree with McCain regarding this issue, but your argument regarding the reasoning behind Sen. Obama deciding against military service is asinine.

That is all.

lol. what a way to cheapen your service to this country by touting it as some kind of free pass to be an idiot.