Rachel Maddow Calls McCain Out on Playing POW Card
Not surprisingly, Rachel Maddow found precisely the right words to expose what McCain has done by using his military experience as a trump card to excuse every gaffe he makes (he did this most recently on Jay Leno’s show last night). Maddow said that there was only one way McCain’s military record could be diminished–if McCain, himself, cheapened it by using it to score political points, which is exactly what he and his surrogates have been doing, or trying their best to do.
Maddow was speaking a few minutes ago live at the convention–the crowd exploded when she made this point (she said it better than I did here). David Gregory did his best to change the subject, arguing that McCain could respond to charges that he is out of touch by talking about his father-in-law’s Horatio Alger story. Maddow’s pithy response: “what would he say–I married into it?”
I am thankful for Rachel Maddow.
- Original article
- FILED UNDER: Guest Blogger
- August 26, 2008
FRist
Let me be the FRist to say that Rachel just knocked it out of the park!
-- McCain = Four more years of the same --
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By dtaylo75August 27, 2008 - 10:13amThe Speech the Democrats won’t say: PART 1
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Part 1 – Foreign Affairs and the Military
The country is grateful for John McCain’s service and his own personal sacrifice. Does experience as a POW mean that John McCain would make a good president?
Let’s consider John McCain’s voting record for our beloved troops.
John McCain has a rating and grade from the Disabled Veterans of America and from the Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan of 20% and a D. When I was in school, a grade of D was not good. Perhaps a grade of D is not so bad for John. Maybe for him, a grade of D is over achieving? We, as a nation, can’t settle for a D.
John McCain feels if you give a veteran too many benefits, they won’t stay in the military. Our own Department of Defense says benefits are what attract people to the military. Good benefits bring good people.
While our military has not only done an amazing job, they have done everything ask of them. They have been asked too much.
John McCain has voted again and again against care for our injured soldiers. They return to Walter Reed and Fort Sill and are expected to live in pest infested rooms and black mold. John McCain has voted against the mental care for those suffering from the mental stress of living under the constant fear of dying and repeated and unrelieved tours of duty.
John McCain voted against sending our troops new equipment and arming them with the weapons that are needed to keep them safe. John McCain has claimed that he has a 100% rating from Veterans groups. John McCain has even attempted to take credit for a bill, introduced by Jim Webb, which he voted against. John McCain is so desperate to become president; he has made claims that are not true.
No one is putting down John McCain’s military service. We are grateful. When John McCain was airlifted from the smoking ruin that was the Forrestal with the other severely injured crewman, he was back in the air only a month later, when he was shot down over Viet Nam. We know of John McCain’s bravery from the lips of the survivors of the Forrestal and how they honor John McCain during the many memorial reunions that he has attended to morn the crewmembers that died from this terrible accident. Without John McCain’s involvement and acts of bravery, who knows how much worse it could have been? But did John McCain’s actions during the Forrestal incident prepare him to be commander in chief?
If it’s all about good judgment, then why did John McCain walk around a Baghdad market surrounded by 100 troops and 5 heavily armed helicopters? To put these good soldiers in danger for a photo op shows a terrible lack of judgment.
No my friends. John McCain does not have the judgment to be commander in chief. Whispering Joe might not be around to “whisper” in John McCain’s ear.
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By deanrddAugust 27, 2008 - 10:18amThe Speech the Democrats won’t say: PART 2
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Part 2 – Foreign affairs
John McCain has served this country nobly. He was incarcerated in a POW camp and underwent torture and deprivation. And this was only a short time after being airlifted from the Forrestal with severe injuries after a mysterious explosion killed over a hundred of John’s crewmates. Every crewman on deck was decorated. John would have been to if he hadn’t been airlifted with severe injuries which didn’t keep him from flying over Viet Nam only a short time later.
Does this experience give him the “judgment” to be Commander in Chief?
5 Years after the invasion John McCain didn’t know the difference between Sunni and Shiite. Whispering Joe was there to shield John. Whispering Joe may not be there the next time to “whisper” into John’s ear.
If John McCain were president, we would now have troops in Georgia facing the Russian Army. Troops with poor equipment. Troops that have been devastated by Iraq.
John McCain said the “Surge worked”. We have been told many times, “the surge worked”. We ask you John McCain, “The surge worked to do what?”
John McCain talked about the Christians in Georgia. How the Christian religion in Georgia has been there for hundreds of years. I ASK YOU JOHN MCCAIN, “WHAT ABOUT THE CHRISTIANS IN IRAQ?”
Article 2 of the Iraq constitution says, “Islam is the official religion of the state and is a basic source of legislation”
Part A says, “No law can be passed that contradicts the undisputed rules of Islam.”
John McCain, how does that protect the Christians of Iraq?
The second part of Part A says, “This constitution guarantees the Islamic identity of the majority of the Iraqi people and the full religious rights for all individuals and the freedom of creed and religious practices.” Religioius practices WITHIN Islam.
John McCain, how does that protect the Christians of Iraq?
Article 3 of the Iraq Constitution says, “Iraq is a multiethnic, multi-religious and multi-sect country. It is part of the Islamic world and its Arab people are part of the Arab nation.”
Part of the Islamic world and part of the Arab nation. John McCain, how does that protect the Christians of Iraq?
The truth is, it doesn’t.
John McCain and George Bush have misled the American people. Iraq was never about democracy and freedom. It has always been about oil and the Republican cash cow that it has become.
IF JOHN MCCAIN CARED ABOUT CHRISTIANS, HE WOULD CARE ABOUT THE 1.4 MILLION CHRISTIANS WHO HAVE SEEN HALF OF THEIR POPULATION DISAPEAR SINCE 2004. WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
John McCain was wrong about not trying diplomacy with Iraq. John McCain was wrong about not trying deplomacy with the Russians. If John McCain becomes president, America will see a never ending string of wars that will bankrupt the country and see America as less safe.
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By deanrddAugust 27, 2008 - 11:10amWe could add
"If the surge worked why do you feel we need to stay for another ""100 years or even 1000 or whatever it takes""
and what ever happened to "it's up to the Iraqi people" and the Iraqi Government. They have spoken. Get Out! Now.
Great speeches, dread!
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By justintymeAugust 27, 2008 - 11:49amThank you Rachel
NEVER take that edge off. Never let those MSM pukes get away with talking points as the premise(i.e. "His honorable service.....he is a maverick...straight talking etc.) for the questions.
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By justintymeAugust 27, 2008 - 11:53amAnother thing MSM conveniently leaves out...
When Crash was a guest of Ho Chi Minh, he sang like the birdies...
New slogan: "MCCAIN 08: THE GOLDEN SNITCH IN HIS GOLDEN YEARS"
You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.
---Ray Bradbury
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By LiberalIconoclastAugust 27, 2008 - 3:45pm