Pundits Start Criticizing McCain's Constant POW References

As all you regulars know, the McCain camp's constant evocation of his P.O.W. past as an all-purpose shield against any and all criticism is a singular obsession of this blog.

So it's gratifying to see that pundits and writers at the news orgs are really starting to turn the screws on McCain over this.

Newsweek's Howard Fineman, for instance, says that the McCain camp is in danger of "trivializing" McCain's sacrifice.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[DerekRC]

POW story vs. Community Organizer story... I'd rather hear about the former.

[BethStuart]

There is an article in today's New York Times accusing McCain of using the "POW card" to garner sympathy and deflect any and all criticism. Here's the link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/24/opinion/24dowd.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

[firewmn]

Why..because he was a POW...!!!

Why..because he was a POW...!!!

Why..because he was a POW...!!!

Why..because he was a POW...!!!

[filo]

Correction: IS a POW!



Person Of Wealth !!

[byteb]

It's getting sickening to listening to McCain's constant POW refrain as an excuse for any and all of his behavior that is being criticized. He's used his POW status as a political stepping stone and crutch so often that it's an insult to all servicemen and women who have sacrificed with nary a murmur. It's as if he expects everything as his due now. I think he's a sick puppy.

[fdavidm]

Now that Biden has been picking as VP, he can recycle his turn-of-phrase summing up Rudy Guiliani's bid for presidency and can zing McCain in the same way: every thought uttered by McCain is the basically the same: a noun, a verb and POW !

[rgersmrk]

My father was a crew chief on an Army Huey attack chopper in Vietnam. While he was serving in Vietnam (1967-1969) one of the helicopter pilots and a gunner who flew on his chopper were captured by the enemy and spent the better part of 6 years in a POW camp. They both survived and I was able to meet one of these fine gentlemen back in 2005 when I attended a Vietnam reunion with my father.

The first thing that I will say is he did NOT like talking about his POW experience at ALL. The little I did hear him speak about it had nothing to do about him but the other brave POW's around him who he said are the reason he is alive today. When McCain speaks about his time in the POW camps he rarely speaks of other POW's and tends to credit himself with actions that many other POW's did (refusing to leave early).

This particular POW also was not fond of McCain. He said McCain tainted every POW every time he used his POW time as a stepping stone for his political career. At the time I really didn't get what he meant since I never read his book nor heard McCain speak very often. I completely understand now where he was coming from. It diminishes all the brave people who lived and died in those POW camps and he should be ashamed.

[DocJerome]

This is truly the only card he can play, as he is devoid of and real leadership skills. Vote for McCAin at your own peril.

[PioneerKing]

When are the pundits going to question McCain's lack of leadership?
McCain is portrayed as an expereinced maverick who is a leader and can make tough decisions.
McCain failed to exhibt leadership by waiting until Obama picked a running mate.
It is all so juvenile for McCain to wait until after the person he claims is not expereinced and does not have good judgement to pick his running mate.
What a joke! McCain looks like a gutlless wonder by waiting for Sen. Obama to pick a running mate. By waiting on Sen. Obama McCain appears to lack cojones and has failed to show leadership.

[rgersmrk]

I predict on 8/26 Jon Stewart will tie the McPOW talk to Mr. 9-11 and it will explode from there.

[ebbtide]

Fineman is right on. Politicizing this ad nauseum and using it as a tool ti imply it gives him certain rights and priveleges to be president, does indeed trivialize his unfortunate war experience, and I might add, all the other POW who suffered also.

[thinbluetorpedo]

Rudy 911, 911, 911, 911, 911.

McBush POW, POW, POW, POW.

Are you getting sleepy yet?

[jinxed]

After watching all the garbage being spewed from the Republican party and the McCain camp, I'm beginning to wonder if they have finally seen the writing on the walls are are starting to cut their losses. To say that Repubs despise McCain is putting it lightly, so why did he become their nominee? Could it be that they have decided to sacrifice the one Republican they don't like in an attempt to mollify the voters and get rid of him at the same time. Nothing else really makes much sense. As things stand right now, 20% of the senators will not be attending their own convention and Bush & Co. are going to be the main speakers. I mean, does that ANY sense to you? It's like putting a sign on your back that says KICK ME!

[Stirner]

Right you are. This Republican despises McCain. His hyena grin during a debate when Ron Paul was trying to make a rational point, a grin intended to ridicule Paul, to play up to a fat-cat gang, and a grin that the media lovingly lingered upon -- too much.

[levibatgirl]

It's the elephant in the room. Everyone is thinking 'shut up about that already' but afraid to say anything because he's been riding on this since he was released and gotten away with it too.



I think it's a really low life thing to do and makes me feel disgust toward him.

[Twentylaws]

Ha! Elephant in the room....Operation Dumbo drop! Boom...POW! now give me my Presidency!

[jinxed]

Good one!

[hopefulinpa]

Remember how much flack Clark got for saying that being a POW does not make you qualified to be president? I actually cheered when he said that. He said what so many people were actually thinking and were afraid to say. He never backed down either. How right he was. I am sick and tired of hearing people say John McCain is an honorable man with this nations best interests in hand. You have got to be kidding. How can someone who is so out of touch with this nation's biggest population the middle class, blatantly lies and smears someone (with lies) be called honorable? It never would if we were talking about someone eles doing those things. I now want to hear someone step up and say that McCain is no longer an honorable man so I can cheer again.

[bola47]

ok, johnny mac has never been honorable. a product of the elite military class, a goof off at the naval academy, a hard drinking playboy, reckless pilot, abandoned his wife when she was ill, became associated with jim hensley's mob connections along with charles keating, i could go on and on.

[Twentylaws]

You forgot the Savings and Loan scandal in the 70's! Who better to remind John boy of this than Joe Biden!

[Twentylaws]

McCain reminds me of Pastor Flaeger speaking about Hillary! I can imagine John saying behind the scenes. "I'M A GODDAMN POW...I CROSSOVER FROM BEING A MAVERICK TO A GOOD OLD BOY RIGHT WINGER! I'M A SENIOR CITIZEN (Shame on you Obama!), I SERVED MY COUNTRY!
WHERE DID HE COME FROM?"

All obama needs to do now is let JOE BIDEN SPEAK! He will tear McCain's depends wearing bottom up!

Biden is a man's-man.

[MizLiz]

McCain is nothing more than a kept man. He makes excuses by saying "my wife handles the finances", which I can certainly understand. Let's face it, the guy isn't all that bright and doesn't seem to want to learn anything new --- like the internet, even though it's been around since 1985. I loved Biden's jab about the "seven kitchen tables".....perfect.

[dgscol]

McCain can beat this pair if he has someone keen in the financial sector as VP, who will address real, systemic problems with the economy. Obambi needs such an adviser, up front and omnipresent before the election WANTED : A Demo Greenspan, who is a lot sharper than Greenspan.

[jinxed]

You mean like Mitt? The repubs ought to really like that! Then they can jettison 2 undesirables instead of 1 when they lose.

[CaptainStormfield]

Oh he has Phil Gramm, Forclosure Phil.. Enron Phil.. The one who said that people were just
whiners about the economy. Thats his economic adviser.

The man who made it possible for Enron to trade energy as a future.
The man who made Sub Prime Loans possible.
The man who seemingly singlehandedly got rid of the regulations that kept
speculators from robbing us blind.
McCain claims to like Teddy Roosevelt,
Teddy was"a Progressive reformer who sought to move the dominant Republican Party into the Progressive camp. He distrusted wealthy businessmen and dissolved forty monopolistic corporations as a "trust buster". He was clear, however, to show he did not disagree with trusts and capitalism in principle but was only against corrupt, illegal practices. His "Square Deal" promised a fair shake for both the average citizen (through regulation of railroad rates and pure food and drugs) and the businessmen. He was the first U.S. president to call for universal health care and national health insurance."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Roosevelt#cite_note-4
I think McSame must have been hungover or cutting class when they studied Teddy.