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June 30, 2008 2:27 PM

Obama Defends McCain's Military Service

Posted by Maria Gavrilovic
(CBS)
From CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic:

(INDEPENDENCE, Missouri) Barack Obama used his speech on patriotism today to defend John McCain’s military service, arguing that proof of his service is unnecessary.

“For those who have fought under the flag of this nation – for the young veterans I meet when I visit Walter Reed; for those like John McCain who have endured physical torment in service to our country – no further proof of such sacrifice is necessary,” Obama said. “And let me also add that no one should ever devalue that service, especially for the sake of a political campaign, and that goes for supporters on both sides.”

Obama’s comments come a day after his military adviser, Retired Gen. Wesley Clark called McCain’s service into question on CBS’s “Face The Nation”. Clark said McCain did not hold “executive responsibility in the Navy, adding, “I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president.”

Although Obama did not rebuke Clark by name, aides repeatedly said that Clark did not speak on behalf of the campaign. Spokesman Bill Burton released the following statement: "As he's said many times before, Senator Obama honors and respects Senator McCain's service, and of course he rejects yesterday's statement by General Clark.”

In his speech, Obama also took a swipe at MoveOn.org for launching an ad against General Petraeus last September. “All too often our politics still seems trapped in these old, threadbare arguments – a fact most evident during our recent debates about the war in Iraq, when those who opposed administration policy were tagged by some as unpatriotic, and a general providing his best counsel on how to move forward in Iraq was accused of betrayal.”

Arguing that patriotism should not be used as a political tool, Obama vowed not criticize the beliefs of his opponents. “I will never question the patriotism of others in this campaign,” he said, but then added, “And I will not stand idly by when I hear others question mine.”
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by mattcat25 July 1, 2008 1:42 PM EDT
John McCain is a Republican War Monger that wants to bomb Iran, and stay in Iraq for 100 years. McCain%u2019s Surrender to and Torture by the North Vietnamese Communists have contributed to his enthusiastic promotion for the Conservative Military Complex and Fear Mongering.

Vote McCain and vote for more WAR!
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by therealest4 July 1, 2008 5:25 AM EDT
McCain makes the claim that he is a military expert. He''s running on that. He talks tough, like he knows what to do with our military. I honor the fact that McCain served, but IS he an EXPERT like he claims? I think if McCain is going to run his campaign like he''s an expert in the military, then we need to know how he performed in the military to see if he''s telling the truth when he claims he''s an expert. I''ve seen some information out there, but I have far from a complete picture of what McCain''s military experience was like. Other than his imprisonment, how''d he do when out of captivity? Did he make good decisions? Did he make poor decisions? Did he wield his power well? Did he abuse his power? Did he have an impact? What was good and bad about his impact? I don''t want the filtered version that I would see on Russian television during the Cold War. I want to have the unfiltered, unadulterated version. If people have information tending to prove or disprove that McCain was an expert while in the military, let''s hear it!
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by therealest4 July 1, 2008 5:23 AM EDT
McCain makes the claim that he is a military expert. He''s running on that. He talks tough, like he knows what to do with our military. I honor the fact that McCain served, but IS he an EXPERT like he claims? I think if McCain is going to run his campaign like he''s an expert in the military, then we need to know how he performed in the military to see if he''s telling the truth when he claims he''s an expert. I''ve seen some information out there, but I have far from a complete picture of what McCain''s military experience was like. Other than his imprisonment, how''d he do when out of captivity? Did he make good decisions? Did he make poor decisions? Did he wield his power well? Did he abuse his power? Did he have an impact? What was good and bad about his impact? I don''t want the filtered version that I would see on Russian television during the Cold War. I want to have the unfiltered, unadulterated version. If people have information tending to prove or disprove that McCain was an expert while in the military, let''s hear it!
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by Jesse Cooday June 30, 2008 9:59 PM EDT
Obama supporters respect McCain''''s honorable service to our country.

But when John McCain says that he sees victory in Iraq in 5 years if he is President by continuing the Bush/Cheney policy on Iraq that is anther story. We already have over 29,978 US wounded, anther over 2000 UK wounded. Over 4178 US Military deaths, over 176 UK. You never see it in the media but their is anther 40,000 of our veterans and troops with Post Traumatic Stress.

Now McCain says its all about the US causalities. Because of modern medical advancements more of our troops are surviving and returning home wounded.

Obama will work with our allies and listen to the people that count so this mess is cleaned up and our troops can come home safely and a war like this can''''t happen again in our lifetime perhaps our grand kids lifetime.

This is going to be anther very close election. We all have hopes for Obama in Nov. But hes going to need all the help he can get. That Republican attack machine is getting really nasty.

Come Nov We can wake up to a beautiful morning with Barack Obama in the White House and the McCain/Bush/Cheney nightmare over. America deserves this.
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by Jesse Cooday June 30, 2008 9:58 PM EDT
Obama supporters respect McCain''''s honorable service to our country.

But when John McCain says that he sees victory in Iraq in 5 years if he is President by continuing the Bush/Cheney policy on Iraq that is anther story. We already have over 29,978 US wounded, anther over 2000 UK wounded. Over 4178 US Military deaths, over 176 UK. You never see it in the media but their is anther 40,000 of our veterans and troops with Post Traumatic Stress.

Now McCain says its all about the US causalities. Because of modern medical advancements more of our troops are surviving and returning home wounded.

Obama will work with our allies and listen to the people that count so this mess is cleaned up and our troops can come home safely and a war like this can''''t happen again in our lifetime perhaps our grand kids lifetime.

This is going to be anther very close election. We all have hopes for Obama in Nov. But hes going to need all the help he can get. That Republican attack machine is getting really nasty.

Come Nov We can wake up to a beautiful morning with Barack Obama in the White House and the McCain/Bush/Cheney nightmare over. America deserves this.
Reply to this comment
by Worldbfree June 30, 2008 8:14 PM EDT
Continued from "disgustin"

And, who do you hold up as heroes in their absence? A pathetic coward that got his daddy to keep him out of Vietnam by landing him a cushy appointment in the TANG, from which he went AWOL rather than finishing his term of committment.

A corrupt politicial marine who violated constitutional law and the conspired to obstruct justice after the fact, by shredding documents.

And, a man who graduated nearly dead last in his class at the naval academy, destroyed 5 of the navy''s planes, and then promptly surrendered and carried out the very basic human instinct of self preservation for the next 5-1/2years.

Jesus was a liberal. If it was good enough for Him, it''s good enough for me. Sorry to see that you hate Jesus.

Of course. Gen. Clark is a decorated American war hero who disagrees with booshie, so he''s obviously supposed to be villified.


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by Worldbfree June 30, 2008 8:12 PM EDT
"I think his remarks about McCain are disparaging ones to say the least. "

And? After what the GOP did to trash Max Cleland, John Kerry, and John Murtha, you''re the last ones who should be complaining about what someone says about John McCain.

Don''t take my word for it, with regard to his record, however. Look it up for yourself. He nearly flunked out of the naval academy, in spite of the fact that he was supposed to become the first 3rd gen admiral in the US navy, he had a nasty habit of crashing the navy''s planes, he surrendered to the enemy after flying only roughly 20 missions in Vietnam, he immediately offered information far beyond the requirements of the Geneva Conventions, in order to spare his own tail, and then he sat in a POW camp for 5-1/2 years, instead of trying to escape, as is the SOP for a captured soldier. THAT is a hero? Please.

Max Cleland fell on a grenade to save his buddies, and lost three limbs in the process. John Kerry ran straight into enemy fire in order to kill the attackers who were trying to kill his men. John Murtha volunteered to serve in Vietnam, and received numerous medals for his service, including a bronze star and two purple hearts.

Yet, each of these TRUE, BONIFIED American war heroes were eviscerated and villified by the GOP. Disgusting. Absolutely, unforgivably disgusting.

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