McCain's Use of POW Card Makes Medical Records Fair Game

John McCain's surrogates have been out in force this week, garishly waving the POW card in America's face again. This time they're using it to defend against the Obama campaign's assertion that John McCain is an out of touch, computer illiterate. A number of Republican political operatives -- like Karl Rove, Ron Christie, and Cheri Jacobus -- have all taken to the cable news shows to assail what they perceive to be attacks on McCain's status as a war hero.

Their argument is that McCain can't send emails because of injuries sustained as a result of his captivity in Vietnam. Accordingly, the implication that he's "out of touch" because he can't use a computer, is viewed as an assault on McCain's war service.

Ron Christie laid out the conservative viewpoint today on The Hill's blog:

While I'm reluctant to launch personal attacks, the behavior of Obama spokesman Bill Burton was reprehensible. With an arrogant, sneering demeanor, Burton refused to admit to Fox News anchor Bill Hemmer that the reason McCain is unable to use a computer is the result of lasting damage of the torture inflicted on McCain by his captors in North Vietnam. The Campaign for Change, the New Hope for America that is being bandied about by Sen. Obama has now reached a new low in its attempt to say anything for its "enlightened" candidate to become the next president of the United States.

Let's rewind the clock to the 1970s, when Sen. McCain was being beaten day after day -- his body hung from the ceiling with his arms tied behind him. Let's rewind to when Sen. McCain refused early release from his captors due to his special status as the son of a famous admiral.

McCain's rationale? First POW in, First POW out -- no special treatment. Following his release from prison and to this day, Sen. McCain is unable to raise his arms or perform simple tasks like combing his hair or typing on a computer keyboard without pain.

The immediate problem here is that operatives like Rove and Christie are using this line of attack without backing it up with facts. Personally, I have no interest in poring over John McCain's medical records. If a medical doctor says he's as good to go as any other 72-year-old, then I'm fine with that. And I certainly have no interest in forcing McCain to publicly disclose the exact nature of the injuries he sustained in Vietnam at the hands of his captors.

But when John McCain's surrogates deploy the POW defense as a countermeasure against a political charge -- specifically, the seemingly unrelated charge that John McCain is "out of touch" and technologically inept -- then all of a sudden I'm interested in the precise nature of John McCain's injuries and medical history.

Because, see, by bringing this up, they've opened the door, not the Obama campaign. If John McCain is going to play the "I-don't-know-how-to-email-because-I-was-a-POW-in-Vietnam-card," then he or his campaign needs to describe to America the nature of those injuries. They shouldn't be kept secret. That way we can all work on the same level playing field. The Obama campaign would know clearly what lines they could or could not cross.

The necessity for elevated scrutiny in this case is not because I don't trust a war hero. It's because the McCain campaign has an extensive track record of lying. And not only have they lied incessantly, but two other facts come into play: First, John McCain himself has never claimed an inability to type. To the contrary, he suggested otherwise earlier this year. (At the same time, he seems to have no problem barbecuing or squeezing lemons.)

Second, this assertion seems to stem from only two vaguely sourced sentences in pieces from the Boston Globe and Forbes in 2000.

Still, I'm not saying John McCain can type. I'm not saying it doesn't pain him to work at a computer. But what I am saying is that if it's true, then we have a right to know the extent of it. To that end, if McCain is going to continue shielding his political shortcomings with physical injuries, then he has an obligation to provide answers to the following questions:

1. What is the exact nature of his injuries?
2. What are his physical limitations?
3. Has he ever attempted to have those injuries surgically repaired? When? What was the result? If not, why not?

If the extent of these injuries prevents McCain from learning "how to get online," that's fine -- though people with the severest of injuries are now capable of working on the internet. However, if they're going to be used as a political shield -- to accuse political opponents of "attacking a war hero" -- then McCain should have the decency to at least divulge to America what his actual limitations are. It would only be fair.

If John McCain wants to use the POW card as an excuse in this case, then he needs to release his medical records.

Follow Brandon Friedman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/BrandonF

Comments

[klmebane]

"the reason McCain is unable to use a computer is the result of lasting damage of the torture inflicted on McCain by his captors in North Vietnam. The Campaign for Change, the New Hope for America that is being bandied about by Sen. Obama has now reached a new low in its attempt to say anything for its "enlightened" candidate to become the next president of the United States.
Let's rewind the clock to the 1970s, when Sen. McCain was being beaten day after day -- his body hung from the ceiling with his arms tied behind him."

1. i find it interesting that his camp will deride torture while at the same time supporting the use OF THAT EXACT SAME TORTURE on prisoners we hold in facilities all over the world right now.

2. i'm insulted by their assertion that obama is striking a low blow. they've gotten pretty low themselves, but i guess, in their minds, its only ok when they do it.

[waitforme]

PART II
If McCain had gotten much-needed psychotherapy he would not be 'identifying with the aggressor', still, in the shocking ways he has voted to maintain Guantanamo's torture prisons or to vote to refuse care to broken and brain-damaged vets who have returned from U.S. wars.

PTSD is, by definition, 'a normal response to an abnormal situation'. If McCain is continually avoiding therapy due to the military culture's impression of psychotherapy as for sissies and weak wimps he should know that in the last 20 years trauma therapy can resolve sequelae of past injuries completely. Even at this late date; at any date.

And it ought not to be touted as a qualification for the office of president of the United States that someone has been tortured in a prison camp for 5 1/2 years or any amount of time, and has not sought psychotherapy for it, to the degree that he displays and uses this fact shamelessly.

When he avoids questions, now about his health and his ability to type or use a computer, using this fact about 5 1/2 years in his 72 years of life, this is not only immature but it is unseemly.

[waitforme]

PART I

John McCain identifies as a Victim, someone who is still a victim, not was a victim. His playing on all of our heartstrings is unscrupulous and dishonorable. He not only has brought up that he 'was a prisoner for 5 1/2 years in a Vietnamese prison camp, where I was tortured' many times, irrelevantly, just when an interviewer has asked him a tough question, but he described it all over again in his nomination acceptance speech at the RNC -- AFTER all his minions had already described this fact about him in their speeches. He USES his Victimhood, a psychologically manipulative ploy, to avoid accountability.

It shouldn't be necessary to preface any annoyance with this manipulati­on-by-Vict­imhood -- or any question about his physical or mental limitations -- with 'John McCain was a war hero' or such like. Everybody feels for someone who has been through what McCain went through; but presumably he has not gotten normal psychotherapy for the aftermath of his experiences or he would not be carting them around in this showy way so many years after it. That everybody feels for him is a given and should not have to be said time and time again.

(See PART II)

[joycehelene]

A lot of people with severe physical disabilities are using the computer, what a lame excuse that the McCain camp is giving. If he has such severe disabilities, perhaps he souldn't even be running for president. They seem to lie about whenever it is to their advantage, why would we want someone like him for our president, he is a real sham. Let's find out how much he is collecting in SS disability payments, like he really needs the money, maybe Cindy can float him a loan. I am sick and tired of listening to the Bush/Chene­y/McCain/P­alins, they wouldn't know the truth if they saw it in front of them.. This morning Lynne Cheney on ' Morning Joe' said she likes Sarah Palin, I wonder what Sarah really thinks of the Cheney daughter who is a lesbian, after all Sarah was thinking of banning books about gay people from the library. What a bunch of losers!!!

OBAMA/BIDEN '08

[jimspy]

Hmmm...Som­ehow I am thinking that this is not a good line of inquiry for us. I don't see any payoff that will help Obama - I know a number of executives who do not use computers, they have "people" for that, and get things done quite effectively. And the risk of escalating the POW narrative to a harrowing tale of torture and permanent disability­...we don't need to give the McCain campaign any more rope with which to hang ourselves. Let's move on.

[total frizz]

This argument doesn't wash with me. I have a dear friend who is a quadriplegic due to a cervical spine injury. He manages to use a computer (in fact makes money using a computer) using a mouth piece to type. Unless McCain has a traumatizing head injury that prevents him from learning new skills (now there is someone we want as president), I'm not buying the POW injuries keep him from using a computer story.

[arise]

I agree. McCain and Obama should both publish their medical records. There have been questions raised about Senator Obama's use of drugs after his teen years. The records should include psychiatric treatment. It would prove useful for voters.

[boo127tx]

McCain did a wonderful thing for his country 50 years ago...50 years ago.today is today and whatever he did isn't going to do sqawt now,other then get us in more wars purhaps.
But I understa them using the hero card over and over,what else do they have but the negitive?
Now as far as health goes,as far as I'm concerned he could be healthy as a horse,but for GOD sake,he's 72 friggin years old and not just thank he's got hockey "we might have to fight Russia over Georgia"thing,who can't keep her personal vendetta's out of the work place....s­carry stuff.

[rdlmorgan]

Desperate, that's all I can say. The Dems are so desperate that they are spending this much time debating this issue instead of working together to get this country on track. Very sad.

[pandag]

Oh, is that like the republicans have been "working together" you betcha Mabel, that'll work just peachy. Oh, BTW, considering McCain's running mate, his health issues are a major concern and truly do need to be addressed and understood.

[sheikwil]

there people actually thinks that the majority of americans are stupid, well no we that don't live in the backwoods are not that stupid and neither is small town american they just choose to be played for a fool by john McCain, hell even a person that can't read can use the voice command software to use a computer. McCain and Rove are both full of crap and have been caught in lie after lie, how long America, how long will you be played.

[sherpeace]

Please find out if that's true. If he gets a 100% disability check each month, he does not have the physical strength to be president OR he is a liar and a cheat!
Please pass this info on to the media and the Obama campaign.

[ladbol52]

Haven't we had enough of this POW trump card? Why not discuss his 'achievement' as a naval pilot? he personally wrecked 2 planes and he once clipped power lines. If not because Americans are crazy 'hero-worshippers' McBush would not bring up his service records as credential, because they are woeful! But maybe he is still better than the chicken hawk neo-cons goading him on because he did not use his influence to dodge the draft like them!

[waitforme]

John McCain identifies as a Victim, someone who is still a victim, not was a victim. His playing on all of our heartstrings is unscrupulous and dishonorable. He not only has brought up that he 'was a prisoner for 5 1/2 years in a Vietnamese prison camp, where I was tortured' many times, irrelevantly, just when an interviewer has asked him a tough question, but he described it all over again in his nomination acceptance speech at the RNC -- AFTER all his minions had already described this fact about him in their speeches.

When he avoids questions, now about his health and his ability to type or use a computer, using this fact about 5 1/2 years in his 72 years of life, this is not only immature but it is unseemly.

[Runsultras]

There is a hands-free computer mouse. Electrical engineers have created a voice-controlled mouse. With all of McCain's money he surely can afford a hands-free voice-controlled computer. There are many voice-controlled software programs out there.

[BlueLobster]

Okay folks...th­ink about. The excuses which are being used as to why John McCain is not tech savvy is due to his injuries. That's OK I guess. However, I work in geriatric nursing. If one of my patients has DJD or ANY injury where they are unable to lift their arms over their head, then they definitely are unable to put on an undershirt by themselves. How does McCain do it?

[lynettema]

This is a blatant lie. McCain said today he uses his blackberry. Does he dress himself? Does he tie his shoes. C'mon. This is pandering in its worst form.

"Their argument is that McCain can't send emails because of injuries sustained as a result of his captivity in Vietnam. Accordingly, the implication that he's "out of touch" because he can't use a computer, is viewed as an assault on McCain's war service."