John McCain's Biography Tour To Show How War Dominates His World View

AP writes about McCain's biography tour:

Republican Sen. John McCain opened a new chapter in his presidential campaign on Monday, casting himself as an "imperfect servant of my country," descended from a family of U.S. warriors devoted to honor, courage and duty.

In remarks both personal and philosophical, McCain recalled ancestors buried at Arlington National Cemetery, and mused about "the honor we earn and the love we give when we work and sacrifice with others for a cause greater than our self-interest."

Bloomberg says the tour will "underscore how war dominates his world view":

John McCain's weeklong "biography tour" to showcase his half-century of public service will underscore how war dominates his world view.

"McCain's record of noble service is almost a singular asset in his campaign," said David Gergen, a professor of public service at Harvard University who advised four presidents. "The question is whether he can convince people that he will not only keep us safe but also be cautious in using military power."

Comments

[BigLib]

The real issue is this," Dean said in March 2004, when endorsing formal rival Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., "Who would you rather have in charge of the defense of the United States of America, a group of people who never served a day overseas in their life, or a guy who served his country honorably and has three Purple Hearts and a Silver Star on the battlefields of Vietnam?"

McCain has been awarded the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, two Bronze Star Medals, a Purple Heart and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

"Yeaaaahhh­hhhghhhh!"

[TheHandyman]

And that fact alone demeans and devalues every medal given to others who really deserved them.

[fixbone]

McCain is a war hero and should be respected and honored for that fact -

BUT that does not make him qualified to be president, does not mean he has better judgement or temperment to be president or CIC, it does not mean he is an able statesman or leader, it does not mean he has a better understanding of the complexities for foreign policy, negotiation, mutual understanding, etc, etc, etc,

[JulieSA]

He and Kerry got President Clinton to normalize relations with Vietnam, after they personally negotiated for three years with the Vietnam government.

20 years on the Senate Armed Services Committee and 20 years of negotiating votes on foreign policy in the Senate qualify as foreign policy experience.

Three years as the Navy's liaison to the Senate qualifies as foreign policy experience. He escorted Senators on trips around the world, meeting world leaders and arranging with foreign governments for all the details of the trips. He has an office in a Senate office building that became a hangout for Senators and staffers, from whom he could learn.

This showcases the huge gulf in foreign policy expertise between him and the two Dems.

[majormoderate]

McCain/Cheney 08!

[peggio]

McCain/Clinton 08

Two patriotic and totally insane Americans!

CHANGE YOU CAN"T BELIEVE IN!

Two peas in a rotting pod.

Campaign slogan....­.HOPE'S FOR DOPES

[Hitsong]

How pathetic that this feeble liar has WAR listed as the cornerstone of his biography. Although - hair-trigger temper; inability to distinguish right from wrong (would NOT sign the ban against torture, duplicity (calling jerry fall-well an "agent of intolerance" and then speaking at his toy university), forgetfulness, lack of knowledge (lie-ber-man whispering into his ears) - well - this guy's just perfect to helm the most powerful job on the planet, isn't he?
McCain is a fake, fraud, liar and mental incompetent who will be found out real soon.
Using his POW experience (as he promised he would NOT) as the centerpiece of his veritable existence doesn't wash anymore. THAT was ancient history. Oh - and from a guy who says we NEVER were defeated? What do you call getting airlifted off the roof of a foreign U.S.A. embassy? Straight talk? Straight HAWK, methinks. My friends. My friends.

[bikerdude]

As this war mongering incompetent blathers on, we need to continue to broadcast his craziness. No sane person preaches unending war as a life style. No patriotic American would even consider such a departure from sanity. Let the republicans take this empty suit to the public and let our progressive candidate mop the floor with this faux warrior.

[argent1]

I wonder why he is causing more harm than good. First, it is a burden for the armed services to tote him around like this. Second, he is only portraying himself as a militant leader incapable of seeking peaceful solutions to an IMPOSSIBLE military solution. Third, he wears his valour heroically while standing on top of the corpses of those who would rather NOT have been put into the meat-grinder. Fourth, McCain has no spiritual bravery, becomes less than human in sending the future down the river to hell. If there is some higher purpose he would like us to all be kneeling to, where in the equation does he forget that the North Vietnamese, or the Shi'a have purpose to oppose him with?

[ZenWhenICanBe]

I don't want a former POW for a president, and I especially don't want a POW that is EMBOLDENED by his wartime tragedy. That's like letting a the family of a murder victim decide how to punish the killer.
Or better yet...it's almost like he's the Joker....t­hink about it.

Tragedy can be a great source of inspiration and personal emotional growth...b­ut I'll take my tragic leaders in the form of Nelson Mandela.

[new logic]

so true
This man frightens me, he has too much baggage. He appears to have something to prove; and that song..."bo­mb bomb bomb. bomb bomb Iran", should be a wake up call for all men of good will.

[TheHandyman]

If ever there were a Manchuriand Candidate, McInsane is it!

[JulieSA]

You've been reading those far-right conspiracy sites, haven't you?

[CarlsV]

This is pathetic! Look at the picture ... he carries around bush's panties to worship

[TheJibreelaMonsters]

You never been in a spinning Huey have you?

[CarlsV]

Sure have! And didn't have to worship any guys panties either!

[davesideas]

Before voting for McCain, it would be wise to put his five years spent as a prisoner of war into perspective; how could an experience that horrible not influence his outlook? And that being the case, do we really want to trust our future to someone with that significant negative an experience?

[JulieSA]

I you want some perspective, maybe you should read about his 20 years in the Senate, and four years in Congress. Look at the big picture, long term view.

[NewJerseyMike]

McCain the warrior!

When I think of warrior McCain, he reminds me of the spartan king Leonidas in the movie 300.

[majormoderate]

must be the washboard abs...

[MidwestMomma]

LOL! Thanks I needed that!

[new logic]

How did that work out for him (never mind his army)

[CommieKazi]

pres elect MCCain is gona sweep floor with whichever dem leghumper survives denver
denvers gona make 68 chicago look like a tea party
sharptons promisin riots, code pinkos gona be there
and lies of obomba and shrillary are gona sink em
good goin dems!!

[CarlsV]

You are going to be one depressed moron come November.

[wayoutleft]

he's a depressed moron now. but - obviously- not nearly as depressed as he was in english class.

[StillAmused]

Lobotomy precludes depression. You're looking at a permanently happy child.

[TN]

Even the christians want nothing to do with the repugs. Can't wait for November!

[wmfor]

Although carping about spelling and grammar is considered out of bounds on many websites, there are those of us who appreciate a post on major political issues written in something other than textmessagese.

i h8 2 disya, butt u ndrstnd y?

[TheHandyman]

How comical. The ramblings of senile dementia or a 4th grader. Which is it?

[majormoderate]

Were you there during the American Revolution? McCain was... AND McCain and Eisenhower led the Allied Forces in WW2.

McCain IS America. McCain is War.

McCain/Cheney 08!! "We'll never surrender, they will!!!!!"

[NewJerseyMike]

McCain wants to continue his illustrious military career, starting with his heroic days as a pilot, and culminating with Commander In Chief, where he's sure to bring the same level of competence and success.

Go McCain!

Two war heroes on the ticket:

McCain / ????

I can't find another war hero like McCain.

[CommieKazi]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duncan_Hunter
and his sons in iraq just like MCCains

[NewJerseyMike]

Nah..not in the same league as McCain.

[CarlsV]

Gonna be hard for ole duncan to shake off that fbi investigation!

[CarlsV]

"and his sons in iraq just like MCCains"

Which side?

[vixie29]

I wonder if we should ask the prisoners at Abu Graib if they feel like war heroes to for being tortured as well.

[MidwestMomma]

Maybe in a different time we could appreciate an illustrious military career but we can't afford war anymore so those qualities will be useless. McCain knows nothing about the economy and admits its! Yikes!

Can't find another war hero like McCain? Well it's not because they aren't out there. They just don't exploit their experiences as a career like McCain.

[bikerdude]

Why Bobby Dole, of course! McCain/Dol­e...Contai­n the fire.....

[Steamboater]

The republicans can always dig up Custer to second the charge. Of course the results in Iraq would be the same--disaster.

[Steamboater]

That's sounds about right bikerdude. They can run on the Incontinence Ticket.

[TheJibreelaMonsters]

you can place Powell on the ticket

[Steamboater]

Yeah, Powell who lied about why we had to go to war in Iraq and then didn't have the courage to resign, and McCain who continues to lie about the war in Iraq. We've had 8 years of lying from this administration. We don't need any more so-called warriors who tell lies to deceive America any more.

[missmarple]

While he was a POW - he was out of it. He didn't know what was going on in the Field and the "Heroes" of the Vietnam War were the thousands who died and the ones who came home . McCain is a POW survivivor - the others are the Heroes!

[MidwestMomma]

WoW! I never thought of it that way but I certainly agree in theory and in truth.

[JulieSA]

He was offered early release because his father was commander of the Pacific theater. He refused to go home before the others, and he was tortured for it.

They managed to force him to make a propaganda tape once (they broke his arm and several teeth and ribs), but only once. He refused to do any others, and for that was beaten several times a week for months.

[wmfor]

You should really get the vocabulary right.

McCain was a "detainee" who underwent "enhanced interrogation techniques".

[TheHandyman]

That McInsane would choose to stay when offered to be released by NV because of his fater was not heroic, it was stupid. I've never bought the torture thing. Why would the NV torture him knowing his father was an Admiral? That makes no sense.

[RantingTommy]

Republicans are so easily misled due to their overwhelming fear.

They ignored the fact that Bush was a cheerleader in high school and cowered under his skirt.

Now they are willing to cower under the POW.

Such cowards.

I believe America is strong enough to defeat terrorists WITHOUT stomping around the ME like an elephant scared of a mouse. But then again, I'm not a scared-shitless right-wing moron.

[TheHandyman]

Damn straight. The GOPers are scared shitless and still refuse to fight themselves. It's every mother's son but theirs!

[MidwestMomma]

Noble? Not exactly what I would call someone who wants war and occupation for a 100 years or more to come. He's fixated on war in that crazy old man way, I find pathetic.

[lysistrata]

Viagra for McCain would be cheaper than paying for another war.Old men do send young men to die, it does something for them.

[quintus]

Excuse me, but what a huge crock of sh*t! And what a twisted bit of pr propaganda.

[Rotcod]

You're excused.