Riding In A Fighter Plane And Getting Shot Down And What It Qualifies You For

Let's review:

Bob Schieffer of Face The Nation made an important point: Unlike all-American war hero John McCain, Barack Obama has never "ridden in a fighter plane and gotten shot down."

In response, General Wesley Clark (traitor) said that riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down. . . doesn't actually qualify a person to be president.

And then everyone on TV exploded:

(Greatest video of all time.)

How DARE left-wing pacifist Wesley Clark suggest that riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down doesn't automatically qualify someone to be president?

Riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down automatically qualifies you to be anything.

(Except a good fighter pilot.)

Let's review:

Riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down: AUTOMATICALLY QUALIFIES YOU TO BE PRESIDENT.

Riding on a city bus and running off a bridge: QUALIFIES YOU TO BE VICE-PRESIDENT.

Riding on a rollercoaster and flying out of your seat but then landing on a waterslide and sliding down to into the water and almost drowning but then being rescued by an Elvis impersonator: QUALIFIES YOU TO BE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.

Getting your foot run over by a fire truck: QUALIFIES YOU TO BE COMMISSIONER OF THE FDA.

Riding on a unicycle while eating a bran muffin: QUALIFIES YOU TO BE POET LAUREATE.

Falling off a really, really tall ladder and being captured by lawn gnomes and taken to their underground lair (behind the azaleas) and being tortured for five years by their evil, tiny ceramic hands: QUALIFIES YOU TO BE DEPUTY SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR LANDSCAPING.

Getting really, really drunk at Thanksgiving and crying, "Why was I never good enough for you, Dad?" and then literally eating a banjo, and then saying, "Am I man enough NOW, Dad? Now that I've eaten my banjo-- the one thing I loved, the one thing you could never understand?": QUALIFIES YOU TO BE CHAIRMAN OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE.

Riding on one of those old-timey bicycles with the gigantic front wheel and wearing a handlebar mustache and saying, "By Jove, isn't everything wonderful here in olden tymes, I wonder what amusement is to be had at the nickel-theatre": QUALIFIES YOU TO BE BOB SCHIEFFER.

Riding in a train, high on cocaine, Casey Jones you better watch your speed: QUALIFIES YOU TO BE UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE FOR INTERMINABLE GUITAR SOLOS.

Riding in a fighter jet and solving the Sunday Times crossword puzzle: QUALIFIES YOU TO BE CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT.

Happy Fourth of July!!!

Comments

[cassidynj]

Rejecting your previous independent positions to take over the positions of the most unpopular President in US History: qualifies you for continued US Senate employment in the years to come!

[skibum49]

I guess I don't understand what all the fuss is about this. Wes Clark didn't bring up the fighter plane topic Schieffer did. Clark simply responded to a direct question.


Bob Schieffer: I have to say, Barack Obama has not had any of those experiences either, nor has he ridden in a fighter plane and gotten shot down. I mean-

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Well, I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be President.

What in heavens name is controversial about saying that riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is in and of itself a qualification to be President?

[111]

I agree with you

SCHIEFFER: "...you're talking about somebody who was a prisoner of war. He was a squadron commander of the largest squadron in the Navy. He's been on the Senate Armed Services Committee for lo these many years -- how can you say that John McCain is untested and untried, General?

CLARK: "...It's a matter of gauging your opponents, and ...of being held accountable. John McCain's never done any of that in his official positions. I certainly honor his service as a prisoner of war. He was a hero to me and to hundreds of thousands of millions of others in the Armed Forces as a prisoner of war. He has been a voice on the Senate Armed Services Committee, and he has traveled all over the world. But he hasn't held executive responsibility.
That large squadron in the Navy he commanded, wasn't a wartime squadron. He hasn't been there and ordered the bombs to fall. He hasn't seen what it's like when diplomats come in and say, "I don't know whether we're going to be able to get this point through or not. Do you want to take the risk? What about your reputation? How do we handle it"

SCHIEFFER: Barack Obama has not had any of those experiences either, nor has he ridden in a fighter plane and gotten shot down.

CLARK: Well, I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president.

SCHIEFFER: Really?

[pizzmoe]

McCain is not qualified because he's clueless. Oh, wait a minute, this is America. I take that back.

[tbadger]

the only thing being a POW qualifies you for is on the issue of torture, and HE GOT THAT WRONG BY VOTING AGAINST THE BAN ON TORTURE BILL !!!!!!!

[whitegoldwielder]

And being a south side organizer doesn't qualify you to be President. No matter how glib the organizer.

[RedKnuckles]

uh...he's also a US Senator...

[pansycritter]

uh...so isn't McCain...

[111]

I'm guessing you are a Republican? and I'm guessing you believe that serving in Vietnam qualifies McCain to be POTUS? Okay

But, in 2004 Kerry's service in Vietnam was ridiculed and minimized by Republicans. There were no cries of outrage then I'm sorry to say. The Republicans rallied around their hero, the boy whose father pulled strings and got him into the National Guard where he sometimes showed up.

Funny how time changes all things and BTW - being a US Senator does qualify one to be President.

[Rog49Thomas]

There is of course something to commend this belief - that military service does qualify someone for the Presidency and those without it are sadly deficient.

Let's look at the historical record.

Ronald Reagan served with distinction in our Armed Forces (like President Pan on guard in the homeland). RWR was a proud member of the !st Motion Picture Unit - which turned out over 400 training films during the "Big One".

On the contrary, Rude E, Mitt and George V. Allen - all of whom aspired to the Presidency - wrongly it turns out because not one of them served in the military.

And if we look overseas, the Iron Lady had of course no military service and we know what a hash she made out of her stint at PM.

[alieninvader]

Not following your point.

[111]

I think the point was that many people in positions of leadership did not serve in the military.

[watchingthings]

There are those who believe that it gives them the right to cry in public for sympathy.

[whitegoldwielder]

See this is why so many are infuriated by Clark. He has shamefully brought disrespect on the heroic acts of a man who put himself in harms way. And , I don't mean by riding the subway in Chicago. McCain spent 5 years in a hell on earth. How much pain have you endured for your country, hero.

[BrettnCalgary]

I don't get this hero thing, how can it be heroic to endure captivity? What other choice is there? Even if he was offered early release, not taking it isn't heroic, it's what should be considered standard. If he had accepted it would have made him a lowlife, by refusing he maintained his normal status.

[pizzmoe]

And that makes you qualified to be President? i don't think so.

[j.gold]

I have endured pain IN my country for almost 8 years. Does that count?

[atlantis2K]

Ah, Vietnam, another ill- adviced war where the Americans could not win. I do not see McCain ever saying that it is a war which should not have been fought. Where is the leadership? He now wants to apply the same lessons of defeat to Iraq also!!!

What is amazing is that Ameriscans do not even know that after WWII the so called mighty US military ha NEVER won a wsar on its own. In my mind that automatically disquaqlifies anyone with a military background from beinf POTUS

[whitegoldwielder]

Right, a war that was ignored by a republican [Eisenhower], entered by a democrat [Kennedy] and escaslated by another democrat [Johnson].

[RedKnuckles]

and further escalated by a Republican..

[georgiaR]

What has Barack Obama done that qualifies him to be President? NOTHING
The man can give a nice speech but has NO experience

[blueinannarbor]

He's able to marshal basic facts about Shias and Sunnis in the Middle East that seem to have eluded Senator McCain.

[noamjunior]

funny- how the poeple who who voted for W are now questioning Obama's qualifications.
all you W voters should sit this next election out - you have already proven yourselves terrible judges of character

[kallisti7]

Here, here! Well said, noamjunior. But seriously, Americans are effing stupid. We have no idea about how the world really works and where our interests lie. We're obsessed with personalities over substance and look at what we get: Bush. Not only that, but this macho, false bravado crap is really tiring. And another thing, it really shows how poor the media and most American's listening comprehension skills are. I mean, Clark simply said that getting shot down in a military airplane isn't a qualification for becoming president. It might make you feel good to know that he is brave or able to withstand torture, but I don't think you can infer that it demonstrates anything about his abilities as a leader. Duh!

See, McCain made a false argument: I am qualified to be president because I served in the military. Then, Clark shot it down by rationally pointing out that the two aren't linked in any way. It's simple, really. Oh, and I think you Repugs doth protest too much. What's amatter? Afraid after you lose the war hero card you got nothing? Thought so.

[markusmarkus]

If being captured in battle and tortured for years qualifies someone for president, then the next 200 or so Afgan presidents are current or former "residents" of Gitmo.

[Rog49Thomas]

I believe this is a qualification for US President not Afghan President. I believe experience with poppy cultivation or processing is a more highly valued political skill in Afghanistan.

However, since this experience is highly valued by Americans (as represented by the comments of our punditocracy) I wondering why none have yet called for naturalization of Gitmo prisoners.

When you think about it carefully it's really scary.

[mike53]

To bad McCain didn't drive a boat in vietnam. That apparently qualified Kerry to be president.

[jbeach]

Actually, it apparently *DISqualified* Kerry to be present. At least, according to the GOP, and the Swift Boat Veterans for Rent.

The difference: Kerry's actual record was impugned. McCain's record is not being impugned; all that's being question is it's relevance.

The larger point here is: it's unfair question the relevance of McCain's military experience because he's a Republican.

[pizzmoe]

Um, Mike? Not sure where you've been, but Kerry wasn't President. In fact, his service seems to have disqualified him by those who knew best; a crowd of chickenhawks.

[cmdrgmh]

We had a pilot as president over the past 7 years. How'd that work out for ya??

[JNo]

There are no automatic qualifications for POTUS, no matter how rabid you are

[dadele]

There are two automatic qualifications: Judgement and temperament

[BigBen]

Here we go again. This time the Democratic "Swift Boating" of John McCain.Just as McCain did not come to the defense of Kerry I am sure Kerry will not come to the defense of McCain.What ever happened to the "band of brothers" concept?

[Ariadne]

The Republican attack machine happened.

[jbeach]

Hello! Kerry's military record was denied and actively lied about.

McCain's record is NOT BEING denied NOR is it being lied about. All that's being questioned, is whether McCain's military record alone is enough to qualify him for President.

Please be clear on this important difference.

[Rog49Thomas]

May I remind all the naysayers out there that during Pan's national service when he stood guard on our Southern Borders during the Vietnamese conflict there was not a single sneak attack from Mexico, Grenada or Cuba.

With proven leadership like that it's no wonder he was appointed to the Presidency!

[Bluedog12]

Ok so I guess if you run a few oil companies into the ground, muck up a baseball team then start an unnecessary war you have already become president?

[gage]

General Clark has left the scene and will keep a low profile from now on, because of the distraction he's become for Obama's campaign. His statements have only served to highlight McCain's military service and the gap between him and Obama in experience.

So it's funny that HuffPo columnists keep bringing this whole thing up. Most Dem strategists want to put this kerfuffle in the past.

[karela]

Google, Phillip Butler+McCain, and see what McCain's highly decorated combat veteran fellow Naval Academy classmate and fellow POW thinks about whether McCain is fit for the presidentcy While the pundits worry about whether America honors McCain's POW service, other POWs feel that McCain . . . well, read it yourself. The article is in "Today In the Military" and can be found on their website by entering, Butler McCain, in their search boy. The article is titled, "Why I Will Not Vote For John McCain."

[gage]

I read that weeks ago when it was first posted. He is ONE former POW who likes McCain personally, but he's a liberal Democrat, so he doesn't support McCain politically, understandably.

There are many former POWs and other men who served with McCain who are supporting him, too many to list here.

[skeller]

Hey, Duke Cunningham was an ace fighter pilot who never got captured. May they should run him for vice president--oh, but he's in prison.

[pirx]

Duke Cunningham WAS shot down in Vietnam, his parachute just landed in the water. Is this some form of wet foot dry foot rule? Shot down over land = presidential, over water = criminal? Hey wait -George H. W. Bush came down in the the water when he was shot down. This can go on and on, I haven't gotten to Reagan (played an aviator who got shot down), Kennedy (very wet feet), Eisenhower (amphibious), Truman (trench feet?). And of course George W. Bush landed on an aircraft carrier which meant he won the war.

[shengirl]

Are you a writer on The Colbert Report? If not, you should be.