From One Military Father to Another: John McCain Shame On You For Abusing Our Wounded Soldiers
Like John McCain's son my son served in the Marines and fought in George Bush's wars. As a military parent I am sad and angry that McCain has been using Senator Obama's canceled visit to wounded American soldiers in Germany for blatant political ends. McCain is doing exactly what Senator Obama would not do: use our soldiers' injuries to bolster his political career.
McCain and the Republicans are running a commercial trying to paint senator Obama as somehow neglectful of our troops. This claim and the commercial are a barefaced lies. The headline in today's Washington Post about this story says it all: McCain's Charge Against Obama Lacks Evidence. The lead editorial in today's New York Times also points out that this story is untrue and a proof of dirty Rove-style politics.
Senator Obama has visited our wounded service members. He has done so without media fanfare and quietly with dignity. That is because he cares enough about our troops to not misuse them as a chip in his election bid, the very reason he canceled his visit to those wounded soldiers overseas. Unlike McCain Senator Obama also supported the new GI bill to give our troops the help they deserve with college costs.
Back in 2000, before our sons went to war, I worked for McCain's election in the Republican primaries. As a guest on many conservative radio programs I argued for him against the supporters of George W. Bush. I did this as a life-long (now former) Republican. I did this as a fan of the military. And McCain rewarded me with a long and glowing endorsement of one of my books: AWOL-The Unexcused Absence of America's Upper Classes From Military Service and How It Hurts Our Country.
Last week I was speaking in Washington to a meeting of military parents, some of whom had just returned from visiting their wounded sons at Walter Reed. As I write this I'm on the road again and about to speak to a fabled Army regiment's commanders about being a military parent in today's America. I won't name them here because they didn't volunteer to be used as part of my argument. These troops and their families have sacrificed enough so that any decent human being -- whatever his or her politics -- would not stoop to abusing them for ulterior ends.
McCain, in a deeply cynical ploy to misinform, is lying about Obama. Any lie is bad enough. But to impugn Senator Obama in way that also abuses our troops is not only wrong but political slime. This is an act of unpatriotic desperation.
Today I am ashamed of Senator McCain. I'm sorry his name is on the jacket of one of my books. He is dishonoring his military record and our men and women in uniform. Shame on you Senator McCain.
Frank Schaeffer is a writer and author of CRAZY FOR GOD-How I Grew Up As One Of The Elect, Helped Found The Religious Right, And Lived To Take All (Or Almost All) Of It Back
Follow Frank Schaeffer on Twitter: www.twitter.com/frank_schaeffer
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Mr Schaeffer, perhaps you should send this article to the MSM who are running McCain's shamefully false attack ad, endlessly, promoting his lie at no expense to him, and without bothering to offer the other side of the story, ie THE TRUTH.
Thanks for writing this! I've come to count on your posts to always get good sense and the truth of the facts.
McCain saying Obama is neglectful of our troops is just dumb. How stupid does McCain think Americans are and how much longer does he think he will continue to get away with this kind of ridiculous argument?
Being neglectful of our troops would include sending them to Iraq, involuntarily extending them for months at a time, sending them into combat zones repeatedly, putting them into battle without the proper gear, suggesting the a new GI bill is to generous, advocating the rationing of healthcare for veterans and of course using the words "they volunteered" as a convenient excuse for it all.
I am a US Army veteran, my older son is a former Marine, my father in law was a Marine in WWII, my father served in WWII attached to the Marines and my younger son is very likely to go into the Marines in the next year.
I don't believe anyone should use our troops for political purposes except in the line of their official duty. I think that Obama avoiding even looking like he was doing that was the correct thing to do but he was going to be criticized either way. But, and here is the larger point: McCain does nothing to avoid using his service, as distinguished as it was, to embellish his credentials and that is just not relevant.
God bless him but he has been wrong on so many issues and the biggest one was this war in Iraq!
Frank Schaeffer does it again with another great post! I agree with many who have commented before me--Mr. Schaeffer need to go on one of the national television networks (you can bet your bippy that Faux Noise won't do it!) and expound on this as well as other posts that he's done for HuffPost. Mr. and Mrs. Middle America need to hear the truth from soneone who's "been there, done that"!!
Thank you for speaking out Mr. Schaeffer. I agree with other writers that you should take your criticism to the main stream media. I personally feel that McCain is shameless. Of course I feel that he always has conducted himself personally and professionally in a questionable, objectionable manner but lately his comments and behavior have been completely unacceptable. I do not think that the Obama campaign is going to respond to the McCain attacks by getting down and dirty so it is up to everyone else to get the truth out there.
Thanks again
Brack Obama has gone way out of his way to meet and talk to troops. He has made trips to Walter Reed without cameras. He goes on bases without cameras. The videos shot while in the middle east with the other senators were shot by the military not Obama's group. But if you really want to know John McCain go into his voting records for the total time in the Senate and as a US citizen who totally loves and supports our troops it makes me sick. His parade that shows him as a returning POW and promotes his time in the service says not a thing about what he has done to our troops since being elected into Congress. Look the record up yourselves. The amount of "No" votes and the votes where he didn't bother to show up will shock you when you see them attached to things vital to our troops. He spoke out againest the new GI Bill, we all heard him, but when it passed he was king of the hill when Bush thanked him for his support of it. Neither man supported it but Bush knew he had to sign it or face angry Americans. Look up the voting record. He doesn't like women much either there it shows.
I hope CNN runs this article for 2 news cycles like they do everything negative about Obama. John McCain is an embarrassment to the people in the military.
Thank you Mr. Schaeffer, but I would like to suggest that in the same manner you made the radio talk show rounds in support of McCain, you should now make the rounds to inform the public why you now have a change of heart about McCain.
McCain needs to be EXPOSED for the person he REALLY is.
Yeah, so what? McCain is a veteran and a hero. That entitles him to do anything he wants to do. Lie, cheat, steal. All fine if you are a veteran hero POW. So just be quiet about McCain like a good American and we won't have to expose your terrorist ties to Osama whose picture you have hanging over your fireplace. Remember, a veteran, sorry, a Republican veteran, is off limits. His patriotism is beyond questioning and his military policies are correct no matter what. Besides, Obama is........
Mr. Schaeffer,
Thanks for the post, but you are singing to the choir at this site. Would you not consider submitting your article as an op-ed piece to the WaPo, NYT, Time, Newsweek, etc?
How about an appearance on Larry King Live, or The Daily Show?
I second your motion, Jamchinadian!
With the exceptions of Keith, Rachel, Mika and Andrea, McCain's Smear Campaign gets a free ride from the MSM. You KNOW if Obama put out lies like McCain's last 3 ads, they would be all over him like flies-on-y
I could not agree with you more. John McCains actions these past few weeks have been a complete discredit to his service, the uniform he wore, those soldiers that have died or been wounded in this war as well in past wars. Using wounded soldiers for further his political standing is lowest level any one can stoop to.
Thank You Frank. You are a great American. Thank you for calling out MCcain on his lies and smears. His is a gutter politician without honor. He pimps his military service and exploits experience in Vietnam as a licence to question other people's partriotism. He is shameless.
Mr. Schaeffer, please take your story to more media outlets. Even though you'll be hounded by the robots for daring to impugn John McSurge, your criticism of him needs to be heard by more people.
Mr Schaeffer
In 2000 I was seriously considering John McCain in 2008 I can not even think of it. As a fellow veteran from the same time period he does get spacial consideration but not my blind loyalty.
The DNC has not went after John McCain for not following the code of conduct as a POW. It seems that John McCain and the RNC will even stoop to lies to win a election. Does John McCain forget so soon what was done to him in the 2000 primary the lies that were told about him. In his own book he admits that he signed a confession that he committed war crimes against the Vietnamese people. If he committed these war crimes what was he saying about the rest of the pilots that made the same bombing strikes. The question is what else did he do for the enemy what information did he give them did it cost others their lives? John McCain has been called a war hero he must believe this because he has never made a claim that he was not. What a true war hero is some one that risks their own life to save others and they do not ever make it a issue. In my opinion John McCain no longer has any honor.
Good job. I really wish the media would start hammering this liar. This is pure garbage. He shouldn't be allowed to say anything with no repercussuons. Hopefully, there is something called Karma. What goes around, comes around. I have faith the American people see thru this BS.
Well said, thank you Mr. Schaeffer!
And getttysburg,,, I hope you're right about the American people being able to see though this BS. Because if they don't, we're going to end up with another 4 years of Dubya in the White House.
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