Dowd: McCain "Cheapening" POW Experience

NY Times:

My mom did not approve of men who cheated on their wives. She called them "long-tailed rats."

During the 2000 race, she listened to news reports about John McCain confessing to dalliances that caused his first marriage to fall apart after he came back from his stint as a P.O.W. in Vietnam.

I figured, given her stringent moral standards, that her great affection for McCain would be dimmed.

"So," I asked her, "what do you think of that?"

"A man who lives in a box for five years can do whatever he wants," she replied matter-of-factly.

I was startled, but it brought home to me what a powerful get-out-of-jail-free card McCain had earned by not getting out of jail free. ...

So it's hard to believe that John McCain is now in danger of exceeding his credit limit on the equivalent of an American Express black card. His campaign is cheapening his greatest strength -- and making a mockery of his already dubious claim that he's reticent to talk about his P.O.W. experience -- by flashing the P.O.W. card to rebut any criticism, no matter how unrelated. The captivity is already amply displayed in posters and TV advertisements.

Read the whole story: NY Times

Comments

[AshevilleVoice]

All this whining about the poor maligned POW got me googling . It seems that more than a few folks, like these at DKos, wondered if just maybe the POW victim story was even slightly exaggerated. Ha! He had his POW records sealed up tight, so no one can check. And he's also obstructed the search by relatives for other MIAs- in order to keep a lid on his own records.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/22/16558/8573

With the call for him to release them, I wonder, why would he not want us to verify that all his colorful stories are true? Or was he really a traitor who was given preferential treatment in exchange for making the 38 anti American tapes as other VN vets claim?

We DO know that he did not receive promotions or pay raises that were automatic for every other POW. I would like to hear a decent explanation for all of this. It does make one wonder.

[FdeBear]

You've raised a legitimate issue. Why was General Clark silenced when he talked about McCain's qualifications for leadership. Why would they silence a man who has had real command experience? Why aren't more vets insisting that the truth be revealed? How can McCain have a conscience knowing that his "sealed" (how absurd!) impeded the search for MIAs? I want some answers too.

[jazzman]

a noun a verb POW POW POW POW POW POW POW. by the way has McCain mentioned that he was a POW? 7 houses? That's because he was a POW. POW POW POW POW. Oh, yes.. McCain was once a POW.

[indypete]

Hey... I just heard McCain was once a PoW. He should mention that now and again, after all, how can you NOT vote for a PoW?

[Ashall]

We all know men who were POWs who do not use that status for fame, fortune and the white house. John McCain was in prison, he was not in battle. He was flying his plane above those brave souls who were being shot at, stabbed, and had the chemicals dumped on them in the jungles. To them, prison would have been a step up.

[gapanther]

Here's my question, if McCain relates everything back to his time as a POW, what does that say about his mental state? If he's basing his whole life off of that time period, where he admits to being mentally broken, who's really making the decisions? Him or his interrogators?

If everything you say and do is a reflection of the darkest period in your life, your vision of the future is detrimentally tainted.

[Bubba Gump]

Good point. McCain always points at Obama and asks, "Is he fit to lead?"
McCain should answer that question himself.

[OhReallySheSaid]

Great question. Barry Hussein Obama already answered it: "McCain will be better than Bush." Thanks, Barry!

[FdeBear]

I have NEVER heard anyone capitalize on their POW experience like this man. You would think of the hundreds of soldiers out there that you would hear someone dropping the "card" on the table more often. There seems to be this understated awareness between vets who have gone through that horrific experience. They bear it with quiet dignity. I read your statement to my husband, a Viet Nam vet, and he emphatically agrees. He reminded me of Admiral Stockdale (I think) who was the senior most POW at the Hanoi Hilton. He ran for VP with Ross Perrot. He never made an issue out of his ordeal. In fact, I was impressed by his humor and self-effacing manner. I've got to agree, there is really something creepy about McCain. A man that likes to keep his wound open. It's sick!

[FdeBear]

gapanther, just wanted you to know that I validated your statement. I wrote about the quiet dignity of so many former POW survivors who don't use their experience as a trump card. I agree that McCain's behavior is strange and I'm concerned about the sealed documents. But my comment has been " disappeared" unfortunately.

[breakingnews]

Pat Buchanan suggested that McCain use is "POW Card"(tm) early and often. Pat hates John, LOL!

[Bubba Gump]

Yeah, Pat's got a sarcastic streak! It's pretty humorous, actually.

[marc1antony]

he hates old john but he hates the thought of the b lack man in the white house more.

[speeddeeps]

hear hear

[GuyFawkes]

I don't agree with that. Pat can be indelicate sometimes, probably because of those old school Irish roots, but to say he doesn't want O in the WH simply because of his race is a tad extreme. He's said a lot of cool things about O in the past, and I really don't think he's a fan of the neocons or McW.

[takeamericanback08]

McCain is pimping his POW experience to the MSM prostitutes.

[RedWhiteandBrooklyn]

OMG!!!!! What is wrong with me? I've read a column by O'Dowd that didn't have me screaming, throwing the paper against the wall? Please... what is going on here?

[ex-pat]

That was actually the first one of her articles I ever read to the end.

[Einstein44]

Everyone knows" the American Express card commercial" :Never leave home without it.


New version with John McCain:With my POW status card,I never leave any of my homes without it.

[RedWhiteandBrooklyn]

Now, come on. Let's be fair. McCain actualyl had the answer to "How many homes do you have?" written down on a piece of paper... but he must have left it in his other private jet.

[wbramh]

To hear the Republican spinmeisters, John McCain is Audie Murphy and Nelson Mandela all rolled into one!
My, how legends grow... and grow.
Not unlike that legend about a boy whose nose was made of wood.

The facts would suggest otherwise.

Audie Murphy was a true hero who never really felt comfortable accepting credit for his deeds. When the biographical movie "To Hell and Back" was being scripted, Murphy demanded that more credit be given to his fellow soldiers. According to his real life companions, Murphy gave them credit for acts of heroism that were his alone - acts that out of great humility, Murphy also demanded be played down.
(Remember the 3 minute "Money" scene when Murphy single-handedly mowing down hundreds of Germans from atop a burning tank that was ready to explode at any time? In reality, he held them off for almost 30 minutes and saved countless American lives).

Nelson Mandela? I never met Nelson, but to borrow a phrase, Senator - you are no Nelson Mandela!

There exists, however, one true Republican hero all rolled into one.
A man who was an actual Ace F-4 Phantom fighter pilot over the skys of Vietnam.
A man whose first (figurative) fall from the heavens led to his imprisonment.
A man who remains in jail to this day.

His name is Randy "Duke" Cunningham.

Will anyone second his nomination?...
Anybody?

[timbo628]

Could it be that the very experience McCain trumpets so proudly, his experience as a POW, that ultimately doomed him in the eyes of the Navy?

Could it be that the Navy realized that the harrowing experience of a prisoner of war affected McCain in a manner that the Navy deemed made him unacceptable to serve as an Admiral? This much we do know, the Navy made it crystal clear to John McCain that he would never make the grade of Admiral. What did they know that we should know before possibly electing this man to the highest office?

The people of this country have a right to know exactly what is in John McCain’s Navy files. We have the right to know the psychological impact that those years as a POW have had on McCain’s psyche. Does McCain’s experience as a prisoner of war qualify him for the Presidency or did it scar him so deeply that it should actually disqualify him instead? We need the full release of McCain’s military records to make an informed judgment and every American has a right to know.

The question that just begs to be answered is this; if the Navy didn’t want McCain as an Admiral, how can he possibly be considered for Commander-in-Chief. If John McCain truly puts his country first, he should rush to insure that these records are made available to the American people. If he doesn’t, we should be worried…very worried.

[JenMI]

I agree!

[FdeBear]

Somebody needs to start digging or spring a "leak" for the sake of the nation. You make a valid point about the Navy 's concern about his "fitness" for command.

[ericmiami]

McCain has offered the vice-presidency to The Devil in exchange for whispering the answers to tough questions like how many houses, cars, etc. he owns. He may lose the evangelical vote but his second choice, Romney would be no better in that regard.

[NotFooledByDistractions]

The vets groups ought to be outraged - a couple 527's ought to pool their resources and speak out.

He's using his service as a cheap political gimmick. He ought to be ashamed. I think there was a time where he would have spoken out against someone else doing what he's doing now. Maverick...yeah, right.

[SCG2]

Does it get any cheaper than this stunt?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WTu7drLfRc

[IzzyCA]

I agree, very cheap. He's been accused of stealing it from Solzhenitsyn's "Gulag Archipeligo"

[SCG2]

I know

[DWP]

He had exceeded his credit limit. The real heroes are the ones who do not come back. Like the over 4,000 brave Americans in a war that he supported.

[loax]

Right on the money Ms. Dowd. POW and bluster if you give Mccain-Bush 4 more years. Have we not suffered enough already?

[edwarvir]

Carol McCain was in the same box. She must have loved him, because so
far as we know she remained FAITHFUL TO HER VOWS WITH HIIM! So for
him to come home and finding a different looking Carol because of a car accident
did not give him a free pass to treat her like yesterday's newspaper.. It does not
excuse Cindy either, because once she found out he was married she should have
ended the relationship. Both of them were wrong, however John's vows were with
Carol. He does get a pass with me, for mistreating his first wife.
He told Rick Warren he is a Saved man well JESUS spoke about divorce
in the Bible. He gave us instructions about it. I guess John is Saved when it suits
his purpose. Matthews 5:33 tells us what JESUS saids about divorce and that's who
Saved John is suppose to listen too.

[Phoebe917]

if that man is "saved", i sure never want to see the character of someone who is "lost".