Obama Hits McCain Over Webb GI Bill

Barack Obama is giving a speech right now on veterans' issues in West Virginia in which he hits John McCain for failing to back Jim Webb's 21st Century version of the GI bill -- a measure that would cover the full cost for veterans to attend a state university.

In the speech, Obama makes a passing reference to Hillary, conceding he'll likely lose West Virginia to her, then pivots to a general election argument, saying that he "couldn't disagree more" with McCain's refusal to support Webb's measure.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[tiredofhillary]

What a hypocrite. Mr. Magoo wants voters to believe that he is the ultimate authority on the military and the soldiers, but he won't get behind the new GI bill. Somethings wrong with this picture.

[TabysGrandma]

Here is the recent status of S.22
Title: A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a program of educational assistance for members of the Armed Forces who serve in the Armed Forces after September 11, 2001, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Webb, Jim [VA] (introduced 1/4/2007) Cosponsors (56)
Related Bills: H.R.2702, H.R.5740
Latest Major Action: 5/7/2008 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ALL ACTIONS:
1/4/2007:
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S56-57)
1/4/2007:
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S57-61)
7/31/2007:
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.
2/28/2008:
Star Print ordered on the bill.
5/7/2008:
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

Here is the Link to see if your Senators are one of the 56 cosponsors
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:SN00022:

[TrueIndy08]

I'm so happy Obama pointed this out... and I hope from now until NOV this receives more air time!!! The truth of the matter is, Mohn McCain is no Maverick...

The man claims to love our troops yet you vote against benefits for them... he has sold his soul down the river to those right wing nutties...

As the spouse of an active duty Marine, I hate the fact that my husband is now fighting in Iraq for the 3rd time... even he doesn't know why he is there!!!

We have managed to kill 4000+ and disable countless others, yet when it comes time to pay them back, they get voted down by a man who wants to be their Commander In Chief!

The extra $600 a month paid to these brave souls over in Iraq and other conflicts is nothing when their lives are on the line every moment of every day! Its sad and disgusting that we have these crooked politicians cashing in on this horrendous war while our troops are making pennies! Why don't we give them the best???

A vote for McCain is a vote against our troops... He wants to keep them over in that mess for who knows how long... and doesn't want to reward them when they get home...

He is no "MAVERICK"... he is a old desperate soul kissing the a$$ of right wing corruption all in the name of the White House!

[eej]

That speech was incredible.

[dagnew]

McCain receives a pension of $58,358 a year as a retired 'disabled' veteran, yet he is touting that he is in good health and will be hiking the Grand Canyon this summer.

[eej]

I'll bet none of the Iraq veterans who are really disabled will get that much. You know, the ones he sent to war for nothing by campaigning for George W. Bush - twice.

[steamboat]

A 100% disability rating is $2527 a month. A veteran can receive less and/or more than 100% by the way..And its compensation, by the way, not pension. McCain gets a disability rating + navy officiers pension rating.

[JackLivigni]

I reiterate what the previous poster wrote. http://www.wegoted.com/News/more.asp?ID=4398 This is a must read link on McCain's record.

[forpeace]

*

John McCain... Electable?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y395Tftgz0E

*

[merle7]

http://www.wegoted.com/News/more.asp?ID=4398

Take a look at McCain's veteran voting record,ans is whole campaign is base on his record as a verteran.

John McCain is a phoney!!!

[debwarot]

Thanks for the link. This took me by surprise - talk about being hypocritical!

[JackLivigni]

This link is a must read!! Thanks for that.

[IngeniousGirl]

Obama knocked this one out of the park, as a Blue Star Mom with many Veteran friends from WWII to Iraq, this is the message our country is looking for. Just the other evening we were saying we need to clean house in the VA period.

McCain opposes supporting our troops, he's the guy who votes for fancy toys for the boys, bombs, missle systems, stars in his eyes for Air Force and Navy, for get Marines and Army.

GOP has done everything in can to denigrate our troops, Tanner thinks there should be no money for any of them including "candlestick makers" - he is an atrocious person.

[debwarot]

It was an incredible speech, I agree!

I hope all veterans and their families realize what a friend they will have in Obama!

[Ariesjill]

Bless you....and U bet: they actuall think humans are stupid enough to think wearing a lapel pin obfuscates they are using American youth as canon fodder.

Let's make sure we prove them wrong.

[Teritt]

When I first read this I was thinking, well, McCain really has sold his soul to the GOP to get the nomination - now he's turning on his fellow Veterans. But the more I thought about it, the more I realize that the real GOP does not really like War Heroes. Look what they did to Kerry, yet they backed Bush all the way even though no one would come forth and even prove he actually fulfilled his TX National Guard duty. People like Bush & Cheney & Rove & Romney & Limbaugh & Guiliani & Bill O'Reilly & Newt Gingrich & Tom DeLay & Bill Kristol should I go on? there's plenty more) all recieved deferments. They think all the poor kids should go and fight and they'll give lip service and NOTHING else. I thought McCain was different.(A friend of mine is a Marine that served in Afghanistan & Iraq and said all the guys he served with want Obama to get the nomination.) The above chicken hawks will wear their flag pins and SAY they support our troops. But when it comes to respect or money - it's all a bunch of lies. If they had respect they'd use their influence to get the support for the troops, but they're too worried about their own tax breaks . The GOP would all rather just keep their whisper campaign going against Obama rather then do something good for our soldiers.

[JackLivigni]

Ain't that the truth!

[missette]

What no one's mentioned yet is that this is a really great speech. It needs more coverage, now.

[08timefortruth]

I just watched his speech on C-Span and it was great.

[harriscrl3]

You mean to tell me that West Virginians actually showed up to hear Obama speak. With the way the pundits were carrying on I felt sure that he would be speaking to an empty room. Its too bad he doesnt have the time because I suspect if he did he would prove some of these pundits wrong. I suspect WV is a state where a lot of misinformation is being spread about Obama. I can only imagine what they are saying and he is not there to interact with the people so they believe it.

Carol

[heal57]

I agree Carol. When people get to see and hear Senator Obama speak on the issues, they are usually convinced of his truthfulness and moral leadership. He talks to people, not at them. I saw his speech on C-Span in central Oregon and he was wonderful as always. He took questions and his answers were very deep, yet personal and he knows more about everything than any other 'politician' I've ever heard. He is unlike anybody else in government . I think a lot of Veterans has come to that realization, including some of those in West Virginia.


Independent for Obama '08

[debwarot]

I think you are right on target, heal57. Senator Obama is an extraordinary and compelling candidate. I don't think he will win tomorrow in West Virginia, but he may have opened the door a bit. Later, after he has won the nomination, I hope he will be able to return to the state and continue the process of introducing himself.

[eej]

Sadly, that was true of Dennis Kucinich also but he was blacklisted by the press, even by this blog.

I wish Kucinich would have a place in Obama's administration. We need him.

[jayburd]

I'm starting to think that one of the real reasons the right wing didn't want McCain on the ticket in the first place is precisely because he's not your run-of-the-mill Vietnam vet turned politician - he's THE Vietnam Vet. And toeing the party line on being stingy with veteran's benefits makes him look not just like a hypocrite, it makes him look like THE Hypocrite.

Republicans have managed to dodge their hypocrisy issues for years now by simple distraction. But McCain is looking more pro-war and and less pro-veteran every day. I don't see how he can wrangle away from that image even with the media being as friendly with him as they are.

[V4Vigilance]

Exposing what utter BS GOP "support the troops" rhetoric is and what a Democratic administration and Congress would REALLY do to "support the troops" should be a major issue in the upcoming election.

OBAMA/RICHARDSON 08

[steamboat]

Last week on TV McCain said, "he and Sen. Webb need to get a 'new GI Bill' finalized. He absolutely did NOT say he was NOT supporting the vets. So be fair---and I'm NOT a McCain backer.

BTW, I live in Illinois. So all you Illinois folks know what I'm talking about. Our state is the worst for getting benefits and disability rating for her veterans. BTW, the red-states like Texas and Alabama are the best. The Chicago Sun-Times did an extensive report on this. Anyway, I'm a VietNam vet and belong and participate in veteran organization activities (I belong to Disabled American Veterans). When the report first surfaced, Obama talked big, saying he was going to look into this and that, do this and that. Very soon afterwards, we NEVER heard from him again. And never got return calls when we called his offices. So I'm not as sold on him like you all are. And I speak from experience.

[nomobull]

so why didn't he support the webb bill

[Ramirez]

The GI Bill was bundled as part of an amendment to an enormous legislative package. Had it been stand-alone legislation it would have passed easily, but the Democrats filled the full bill with poison-pills so it would fail. The goal was not to pass the Webb bill, but to create talking points for the election.

[steamboat]

Thats what we were told at our last DAV meeting.........also, I don't seem to be getting any responses to my asking, "my state (Illinois) is totally democrat and liberal democrat, so why are we the WORST at servicing our war vets? Why shouldn't I be mad and frustrated over it? I prefer a 'walk the walk' over a 'talk the talk' type politician.

[steamboat]

I can only go by what he said on TV. That there finalizing the details.

Now I ask you a question or two: 1. Why did Obama break his promise to us war vets in Illinois?
2. Why is my state (Illinois) with two liberal democratic US Senators, a democratic governor, and a democratic-controlled state house ranked FIFTY (the worst) when it comes to benefits and disability ratings for veterans? .....explain?

[steamboat]

This is for 'docpooh' because he doesn't have reply under his comment.

docpooh, a year and a half ago, the Chicago Sun-Times did a report on veterans benefits and disability ratings. Even though the VA is federal, much of the ratings fall upon local and state raters. Anyway, my state, ILLINOIS, was LAST, number 50, in helping veterans, in vets receiving their disability compensation. Obama had just become senator. So naturally, he got on the media telling them, "this is disgraceful, I'm going to look into this, and help our veterans." You know, the old flag-waving speech type to us. Well anyway, we got excited. Hey, this guy's gonna help us. To make a long story short, he was "all show and no go". docpooh, my chapter and service officiers of other veterans organization have called his office, emailed, written letters, you name it, with no response. A few have gotten that formal reply but nothing beyond. We've kept pursuing but NOTHING.
docpooh: here's how the disability rating compensation (monthy) goes.....
10%---$117....20%--$230....30%--$356....40%--$512....50%--$720....60%--$921....70%--$1181....80%--$1349....90%--$1517.....100%--$2527
...docpooh, remember its a compensation not a pension or salary. Also, don't take these folks on by yourself. Belong to an oragnization and make sure you have a competent service officier. And you can get less and or more then 100% . It doesn't stop there. Your a fellow vet and I will help anyway I can.

[TabysGrandma]

Senator McCain is NOT supporting the S22. He wants to bring up a new bill which would give our service men and women less. His bill would also not include the Reserve and National Guard. Now there is a man who stands up for our military, Here is the information we just received from the VFW

1. GI Bill Call to Action: The VFW still needs you to urge your senators to support S. 22, and your representatives to support H.R. 5740, so that the VFW goal of creating a new GI Bill for the 21st century becomes a reality. As of this morning, 57 senators are supporting S. 22, a number that is unchanged from last week. Introduced by Jim Webb (D-VA), S. 22 has strong bipartisan support from fellow senators such as Chuck Hagel (R-NE) and John Warner (R-VA). Its companion bill in the House, H.R. 5740, increased by 27 to 293 co-sponsors, or 67% of the House. Introduced by Harry Mitchell (D-AZ), it, also has strong bipartisan support from fellow congressmen such as Bill Young (R-FL) and Chris Smith (R-NJ). America's newest Greatest Generation needs your help to bring educational benefits back in line with current day tuitions. Use this link to contact your members: http://capwiz.com/vfw/dbq/officials/.

I will not vote for McCain because as a veteran myself, I cannot support someone who will not support our troops besides sending them to war.

[docpooh]

steamboat,

What SPECIFIC promise did Obama make to IL vets?

[PMGallz]

Obama/Webb ticket! This will [must] happen! Obama/Webb 2008

[ebbasta]

Amen, brother, amen. I've been predicting Webb as the running mate since last year.....

[JackLivigni]

Perhaps the saddest truth (and by the way, one that republicans have been conspiring to hide) is the fact that there are likely to be more suicides amongst our military than there are deaths in Iraq. This republican party that calls these brave men and women "heroes" when they are on the front line, and then doesn't afford them any quality care when they get back is unchristian, unpatriotic, and disgusting. The stench of their betrayal is filling the country.

McCain opposes the GI bill? What a joke of a man. He is no hero to me.

[steamboat]

I'm happy it bothers you NOW.........but explain why us VietNam vets had to wait many, many years for just receive a 'simple bit of respect', why the VA all those years (and the congress--and democrat controlled, by the way) did very, very little for us. Why? We weren't even human-beings in the 70's. Maybe you are too young, but there are some folks on this blog who know damn well what I'm talking about.

[JackLivigni]

You are right, I am too young, but that doesn't change the wrongs of the past. I just know that those wrongs must not be repeated. Today they are being repeated out of financial convenience. Republican law makers and leaders do not want to spend money on GIs, because once they are back from war, they are only a financial burdern and nothing more.

How dare McCain oppose the kind of modern care a Vietnam veteran like Webb has sponsored... and why? so that Republicans don't have to raise taxes? Shame on him! They will spend billions for Iraqi oil, but won't raise taxes for veteran care?

[steamboat]

Actually there are good and bad in both major parties. Also, I prefer the guy who 'walks the walk' rather then just 'talks the talk'.

[abouttime]

I agree.
McCain is a sick and confused.
An education is the least America can do for our troops!

Obama 08