Email this postHe'll stand his ground, and he won't back down
“John McCain is running his campaign on his experience and how his experience would benefit him and our nation as President. That experience shows courage and commitment to our country - but it doesn't include executive experience wrestling with national policy or go-to-war decisions. And in this area his judgment has been flawed - he not only supported going into a war we didn't have to fight in Iraq, but has time and again undervalued other, non-military elements of national power that must be used effectively to protect America. But as an American and former military officer I will not back down if I believe someone doesn't have sound judgment when it comes to our nation's most critical issues.”
Good for Gen. Clark. While most can agree that his phrasing -- responding with the same phrase that his CBS questioner, Bob Schieffer, had tossed at him -- is something that causes political problems, if only because he should have realized how the mouth-breathers among the media would handle it.
But the essential truth is this: McCain's POW experience makes him a hero, but how you apply that heroism -- and your other personal qualities -- in the broader arenas of politics and leadership is what makes you a president. And McCain's judgment here, as we've seen with Iraq, is not good.
Weasley Clark the best McVain operative. As I speak on the Obamathon channel MSNBC Axelrod RUNNING FROM WEASLEY.
Will, didn't you trot out General Taguba a couple of weeks ago and tell us he's a hero and because of that we should believe the administration is guilty of war crimes? I think you did. How do you apply that heroism in the broader arenas of war crimes and Constitutional law? I think you can't.
JMC, I think either you misunderstood my point about Taguba, or I made it poorly, but I thought his heroism was in the moment, for speaking out about Abu Ghraib despite the obvious harm to his career and now not backing down. It didn't have to do with his prior background. As for McCain, he once had been a force against torture, and I admired him for that, but in the last year he's really muddied the waters on what was once one of the best things about him.
I think we all know by now the level of contempt that bunch and his left wing vermin pals hold for our military. bunch and the Kos KooKs view Obama's close allies in the Weathermen as military heroes. I'm glad that Clark is helping the Messiah commit political suicide.
b, you don't know diddly. As usual, the righteous righties only hear one thing and then cry about it. Yes, McCain is a patriot and a hero for surviving five years in Hanoi Hilton. But, as Clark said, that doesn't make him presidential material. Adm. Stockdale spent more time in Hanoi than McCain and he was a joke as Ross Perot's running mate. No one, however, doubted his honor or sacrifice as a military man. There are many who have done military duty, but are dumber than posts. Look at W.
Why did the Messiah disavow the comments by Weasley if he's correct?
Will, I went back and found the post, and stand corrected. You were not talking about Gen. Taguba as a hero as most of us know an American hero, but a hero in the liberal sense of the word.
Poor b, so much hate, so little understanding of the English language. Guess you must have missed Clark's long paeon to McCain's patriotism and sacrifice during his imprisonment. I believe he said McCain was a "hero" to him and the others who served in Nam. And Bunch has never said a word against McCain's sacrifice during the war. However, and all ther righteous righties can only focus on what Clark correctly said about McCain being shot down and imprisoned. It DOES NOT automatically make him or anyone else presidential timber. Recall Adm. Stockdale, Ross Perot's running mate. Served longer as a POW than McCain, but was a joke as a candidate. Remember what he said during the vp debate? "I don't know what the hell I'm even doing here." Having military experience doesn't make you a good president. Just look at W.
So, Will, we are to believe that Obama's decision to go into politics instead of going for money out of law school is important and, indeed, key to his candidacy, but McCain's heroism as a pilot/sailor/POW should be thrown out the window? I am afraid Obama supporters cannot have it both ways. Either character matter or it does not. (It always does.) ----- Your unsupported shot at McCain on Iraq is a bit silly. He called for the surge and counterinsurgency strategy, running afouwl of his own party and the talking heads, years before it was implemented. Since its implementation we have had amazing results in Iraq. Obama said the surge would result in more violence. Obama’s judgment on Iraq has been bad. What’s worse, it continues to be bad as he continues to deny obvious military and political progress. (He went so far, yesterday, as to lump the government of Iraq, our democratic ally, with the Burmese junta.) McCain is right on Iraq, and continues to be right.
"However, and all ther righteous righties can only focus on what Clark correctly said about McCain being shot down and imprisoned. It DOES NOT automatically make him or anyone else presidential timber." I guess Clark has had an epiphany since 2004. Four years ago he thought that military service was an important qualification when he was saying, "John Kerry has heard the thump of enemy mortars. He's seen the flash of the tracers. He's lived the values of service and sacrifice. In the Navy, as a prosecutor, as a senator, he proved his physical courage under fire. And he's proved his moral courage too.
John Kerry's combination of physical courage and moral values is my definition of what we need as Americans in our commander in chief.
John Kerry is a man who in time of war can lead us as a warrior.
He has the moral courage born in battle..."
"That question makes me wish it were vodka," said Shelton. "I've known Wes for a long time. I will tell you the reason he came out of Europe early had to do with integrity and character issues, things that are very near and dear to my heart. I'm not going to say whether I'm a Republican or a Democrat. I'll just say Wes won't get my vote." – General Shelton, Los Altos Town Crier, October 1, 2003
Don't expect Weasley the Democrat stooge, let alone mike or bunch, to be consistent. They are too busy carrying the Messiah's water to remember what Weasley said 4 years ago.
Legatus, do you recall whether all right wingers in 2004 shared Clark's appreciation of Kerry's military experience? I seem to recall quite the opposite, even without the infamous swiftboat campaign. Funny thing is, I don't recall the media getting all worked up about whether Kerry's critics were out of line. Has the media had an epiphany since 2004?
Actually, I tend to agree with most of what you said msl. It seems that both Reps & Dems have exchanged places and pov's regarding the relative worth of military experience in a presidential candidate. I don't see one side as being any better than the other. The only part with which I have a small disagreement is that I do seem to remember the media getting worked up about attacks on Kerry's military experience, while simultaneously deriding Bush's.
"Obama said the surge would result in more violence. Obama’s judgment on Iraq has been bad. What’s worse, it continues to be bad as he continues to deny obvious military and political progress. (He went so far, yesterday, as to lump the government of Iraq, our democratic ally, with the Burmese junta.) McCain is right on Iraq, and continues to be right." Still sticking to the same arguments, eh bon? Do you have evidence of Obama saying that the surge would result in more violence? I asked you for that proof before, and you didn't provide it. What I have seen is where Obama said that the surge would not address the underlying causes of the violence - and the lack of political progress in Iraq validates that perspective. You are clearly wrong when you say he denies military progress - he has recognized the reduction in violence. He disagrees that there has been significant political progress - as do I. Given your belief that the military and political progress has been so significant, one would think that you'd be supporting Obama's position calling for a timetable for reduction of troop levels. If there's so much progress that's been made, then why do the Iraqis still need us to hold the progress up?
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