John McCain sure is a maverick, I'll give him that.
In just a week, he's managed to alienate the Iraqi Prime Minister, the Iraqi people, the American people, and the veterans community. The question is, is this the kind of maverick that we really want to see?
First, just after Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki backed Barack Obama's plan for a timeline to redeploy from Iraq, Senator McCain stubbornly said that he would not listen to the Iraqis , despite past statements saying he would. This, despite the fact that an overwhelming majority of Iraqis want us to set some kind of timeline, that the American people want some kind of timeline, and that the Bush administration even had to cave on timelines.
In response, we at VoteVets.org launched this ad, featuring Iraq War Veteran Brandon Woods. In the ad, Brandon makes clear - we fought in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and freedom means the Iraqi's sovereign government and the Iraqi people have the right to self-determination.
Then, at a town hall in Dover, NH, Senator McCain said we should ration care for veterans, by directing the VA to focus on those veterans who sustained injuries as a "direct result of combat."
As a letter veterans from 18 states sent to McCain today makes clear, this would be a retreat from a promise we've made to veterans ever since 1930 - that no matter how or when they received service-connected injuries, they would receive timely and quality care.
Further, McCain's new policy goes against every single veterans organization. Year after year, in the Independent Budget, the major veterans service organizations make clear that the answer to issues in VA care is not to cut or ration services, but to increase funding, which has been billions short for years.
So, there's your maverick. Not afraid to blow off foreign leaders, the population of other nations and the citizens of our own, or veterans and the organizations who look out for them. What's next, puppies and kids with special needs?
Follow Jon Soltz on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jonsoltz
This is the saddest moment I have ever seen when McCain is literally given a green light for stalking, defaming, maligning, hammering Obama, hoping his itsy bitsy tiny gaffe might cause him the election, while 'Hero' John is out there praising himself, himself and himself. His gaffe's are dirty, beyond inappropriate....I would actually call them racist, blasphemous and cruel. His straight talk is the straight road to Hell.
This is an excellent window to see a person's real character. McCain has let us see what a petty person he is. His behavior has been despicable, and he has honored the truest characteristic of most Republicans, that of being mean spirited.
McCain is not a Maverick - he marches in step with right wing neocons.
In February 2006, McCain voted against an amendment that would have provided for at least $19 billion for military health facilities, paid for by eliminating tax cuts for the wealthiest earners.
McCain voted against a 2006 Democratic amendment that would have provided $2.8 billion to increase veterans" medical care.
.
McCain Voted Against Establishing $1 Billion Trust Fund to Provide Improvements to Military and Veterans" Health Facilities
McCain Chooses Corporations Over Veterans, Voting Against Adding $1.5 billion to Veterans" Medical Services in 2007 Budget by Closing Corporate Tax Loopholes
McCain Voted Against Mandatory Funding of $6.9 Billion in 2007 Budget and $104 Billion Over Five Years for Veterans' Health Care.
McCain voted against the Webb amendment calling for adequate troop rest between deployments.
McCain one of only 13 Senators to vote against $430 million for Medical Services for the Department of Veteran Affairs for outpatient care and treatment for veterans.
McCain voted against an amendment offered by Senator Dodd that called for an additional $322 million for safety equipment for troops in Iraq.
McCain voted against increasing the amount available for medical care for veterans by $650 million.
McCain supported the interests of the Disabled American Veterans 20 percent in 2006.
McCain supported the interests of the Disabled American Veterans 25 percent in 2005.
In 2006 Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America gave Senator McCain a grade of D
______________________________________________________________________
Why does John McCain hate our troops?
Like Boosh, McBush is a complete transparent fraud who built his career on his father's influence. McBush did not get into flight school based on his horrible performance in the Naval Academy, but because of his Admiral father's influence. Without his admission to flight school and subsequent capture by the Vietcong we would not even hear about McBush. McBush has built his political credentials on surviving and self promotion in the senate not succeeding. His whole Congressional career has been made by taking credit for other people's work. That's why he crossed the aisle so many times because Republicans knew he would not do the work. Democrats were glad to have him cosponsor bills for obvious reasons, even though McBush would never craft the vast majority of the legislation. McBush's whole career in Congress is based on his sanctimonious grandstanding. That's why he is so hated in his own party. McBush will simply do anything to be Commander-in-Chief because he was told when he was in the Navy and worse by his father that he did not have what it took to make Admiral, so he wants to command Admirals and Generals to prove his everyone wrong.
0bama has some issues too because of growing up without a father, but these are not fatal personality flaws and 0bama's history of over achievement shows he has a self realization about his limitations and succeeds despite of them.
He also said "To me John represents the entrenched and bankrupt policies of Washington as usual". "His views much the same as Bush and his voting record is to the far right at 87% Republican leaning". "I have known John for many years, and he is not a religious man".
Morally bankrupt it seems to me
Particularly with regard to his petty, inept responses to aspects of Sen. Obama's recent overseas travels......but also, off and on THROUGHOUT the campaign to date:....... I've had the strongest sense of watching a decent man being diminished by his party and his campaign.
At times, it's actually sad.
In the last week I've had another "strong sense":........one I had not felt in such a long time I wasn't sure I recognized it at first......
That is the sense of being intensely PROUD of our national leader before the international community.
A sense of:
"Yeah...he speaks for ME"
7 1/2 years is a long time for a patriot to go without that sense of pride.
Congratulations to Sen. Obama on his sucessful trip abroad........
And....as I say to any veteran I get the chance to:
"Welcome home brother...........Well done!"
tm
obama '08
As for the debates, Kerry universally was thought to have performed superlatively against Bush, who might have had an electoronic prompter in his suit.
And in the Obama Clinton debate Gibson and Stephanoupolis made sure no real issues were discussed.
McCain's attacks on "character" and "patriotism" may be all he will have to fall back on, but even if Obama punishes him substantively this may be enough to appeal to the stupidity of the electorate for McCain to hold his own.
That is why they should be hosted with moderators who have real credibility and gravitas.
I recommend Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert (in character, natch,)
That is where I get the real news, from Jon and Steven.
Obama 08
He's an empty suit, pathetic, desperate and a danger to himself.
However, sadly enough, I see his chances to get elected 50:50.
Catch the "presumptuous" comments on Corporate Media about his trip?
Presumptuous is code for Uppity.