Don't Take the Bait

As the presidential campaign enters a particularly combative phase, John McCain is turning to his trump card at every turn: his famous stay at the Hanoi Hilton.

Liberal commentators like Maureen Dowd, Rachel Maddow, and HuffPost's Sam Stein have pointed out the ridiculousness of McCain overuse of the "I spent five and a half years in a POW camp" defense. McCain turns to his wartime service as a means to explain away everything from why he can't remember how many houses he has, to why he hasn't come up with a plan to solve American's health care crisis.

By going back to this line of defense over and over again, McCain is on the verge of doing something that once seemed impossible: Turning his horrific Vietnam experience into a punchline. As Joe Biden might say, McCain's sentences these days are nothing more than a verb, a noun, and 'did I mention I was a POW?'

But a message to Biden (and any others in the Obama campaign who might be tempted to point this out): Don't do it.

The McCain campaign, already pinning its hopes on proving Obama to be something less than wholly patriotic, wants nothing more than for someone in Obama's camp to say something less than congratulatory about his war service.

McCain's repeated reliance on his POW experience isn't only because his campaign has nothing better to say; it's because they desperately want Obama's people to respond by saying something that can be construed as anti-American or anti-military.

Obama himself has been careful not to tread anywhere near these waters, but it's no mistake that McCain has upped his use of this defense right as Obama has brought on Biden, a candidate notorious for putting his foot in his mouth.

To Obama's staffers and surrogates who may be tempted to point out how ridiculous and irrelevant McCain's favorite line of defense is, just don't do it.

McCain is doing a great job trivializing his service himself; there's no need to give him a helping hand. Don't take the bait.

Comments

[chinationreport]

America, look forward! You are not defined by wars and war heroes. You are defined by a proud American dream and by the land of grace and opportunities. America, be brave, look beyond Vietnam, Iraq, 9/11, proudly lead again, not by a war hero but by someone that truly inspires more American dreams, for all Americans, for you and me. http://www.chinationreport.com/

[cmnsntz]

McCain has this, Obama has nothing. We're screwed.

[jethrock]

I completely agree with this... They have been using POW at every turn in an attempt to get the Obama campaign to criticize McCain's service.

So far... The Obama Camp has been smart and stayed clear. But I'm glad journalists have taken notice, and I hope they do their job and scrutinize McCain as much as they have Obama.

[be4obamain09]

Some group has put out an ad with nothing but the pow experience in it.

When you have no plan thats what you do talk about your best point and hope nobody notices your sad position.

BE4BOin09

[happyu]

Hanoi and Paris, McCain sure loves to mention the Hiltons.

[morselofthought]

Let John Sidney McCain III pull the PeeOhDubya card over and over again. The Obama campaign need not mention it, but what would be very nice is if another POW were to call Sidney out on it. Have another POW call him out for trivializing what hundreds of other Americans went through.

[splinky]

A suggestion: let's all honor John McCain's trial as a POW by accompanying it every time with a clause about how long ago it was, i.e. by saying "Forty-one years ago today, John McCain became a prisoner of war...", "John McCain's heroism of forty years ago is not in question," and "we should all honor what he went through in service to his country forty years ago..."

[swift goat pet for truth]

Mc has nothing else.

Check out his website, his positions on the issues. There's no substance there.

[mikey683]

By cleverly avoiding any sort of accomplishment whatsoever, Barack Obama has avoided criticism of his actions by not having any.

[WoodyIV]

I guess you havn't looked into his record. He has accomplished much. In fact, if you take into account of how long he was in the us senate, he has been one of the most productive members of that body. Then take a look at legal briefs and efforts as a community organizer. Then look at what he did at the state level of government. As he has shown in running this campaign, this guy is no novice. If you are a McCain supporter, one word of advise, do not underestimate BO. Ask HRC.

[cmnsntz]

Actually he's not, voting present doesn't accomplish anything. Chicago is the worst place in America to live and you're praising his community accomplish­ments...yo­u're covered in Kool-Aid, sweet Nikes.

[death2MSM]

Totally agree. ObamaBiden need not touch this.
However, I have 3 words for you:
Saturday.
Night.
Live.

[Freesia2]

Yes. :-)

Hey, at this rate, McCain might be able to fund his campaign collecting checks from the comedy shows for writing their punchlines for them. And all he has to do is just ...talk. It could also lead to new party games. "6 Degrees to John's a POW". Or the old drinking game "Hi Bob". Every time he says POW - raise a glass.

[lw1899]

It may not be appropriate for the Obama camp to challenge McCain on POWing us to death - but it's good that the point was raised. His camp's overuse of the word just makes me to roll my eyes and say here we go again. I don't doubt a lot of people across the country feel the same way.

Extramarital affair - I was a POW. I don't know how many houses I own - POW. I like ABBA - POW, dammit! That safety net is wearing thin.

[bibb]

I suppose that if the press actually gets around to calling him on the Keating 5 scandal, he'll probably use the POW excuse for that, too.

[DrFitz]

His using it AGAIN on Leno makes me believe that he is daring Biden to adapt his favorite line. I think Biden may be able to pull off aluding to it without going there explicitly. I'm so anxious to hear his speech. I can't wait!!! McCain's games with this are total and utter bullshit, and I'm outraged on behalf of everyone who does or ever has worn a US uniform. My uncle, a fighter pilot who took over the Black Sheep squadron from Pappy Boyinton is surely rolling over in his grave--and he was a big time Republican. I'm positive he would not be with the party if he were alive today.

[Colmore]

Since John "I was a POW" McCain is milking his service for all it is worth, why are his military and medical records sealed?? He must be confident they will not be made public, so isn't it time somebody questioned this? There must be a problem somewhere, which voters have a right to know. Also, he draws a 100% disability check, what is the nature of his disability? Most people who are 100% disabled can not work, yet he is going for a stressful job, paid for by taxpayers. Open the records, let us find out just what this "hero" is hiding.

[burndtdan]

i'm more than happy to make fun of mccain unofficially, so that they don't have to.

[seatea1967]

That's one way of looking at it. The other way is that, left unchallenged, McCain will be able to repeat it enough to establish it firmly in the American voter consciousness. "Oh, McCain, he's that brave man who was a POW."

Low-info voters are more than shallow enough to let that be their deciding factor when pulling a lever this November.

[ObserverinVancouver]

You are so right. The netroots will take care of this without any help needed from the Obama campaign. Yes, indeed, Sen. Biden should bite his tongue whenever the temptation arises to make any remark that could possibly be twisted so the McCain campaign could compare it to "Noun, verb, 911". Gen. Clark got himself in deep doo doo for simply stating the truth that getting shot down is not a qualification for president.

I think the Obama campaign discipline will kick in from top to bottom on this and drive the McCain campaign nuts and they may be the ones to run out of bounds.

[fairwitness]

Wait...this sounds familiar..­.yes...yes­...it's exactly the advice given Kerry and so many previous losers: cower and genuflect before the Republican's awsome power to...

...Call You Names!

[Political Know How]

Wow! You're so clever and mature.