McCain: Obama Did Not Serve In Uniform

Presumptive GOP Nominee Says He Will Not Accept "Lectures" On Military Scholarships From Those Who Didn't Serve

(AP)  Republican John McCain said Thursday that Democrat Barack Obama had no right to criticize McCain's position on military scholarships because the Illinois senator did not serve in uniform.

"And I will not accept from Senator Obama, who did not feel it was his responsibility to serve our country in uniform, any lectures on my regard for those who did," the Arizona senator said in a harshly worded statement issued Thursday.

McCain lashed out at Obama's personal history despite Obama's repeated praise of McCain's military service. As Obama said Tuesday night in Des Moines, Iowa: "We face an opponent, John McCain, who arrived in Washington nearly three decades ago as a Vietnam War hero, and earned an admirable reputation for straight talk and occasional independence from his party."

McCain was a Navy fighter pilot who was shot down and spent nearly six years as a Vietnam prisoner of war. At age 46, Obama is too young to have been drafted or fought in Vietnam. The direct U.S. military involvement in the Vietnam War officially ended in 1973, the same year the military draft was ended and replaced by an all-volunteer military.

The candidates' criticism of each other has grown increasingly acrimonious in recent weeks, a sign of things to come in the general election campaign.

At issue is an expansion of the GI bill that would guarantee full college scholarships for those who serve in the military for three years. The Democratic-led Senate passed the measure, sponsored by Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., and supported by Obama, on Thursday by a 75-22 vote as 25 Republican abandoned President Bush, who opposed the provision.

Obama and his rival Hillary Rodham Clinton returned to Washington for the vote. McCain skipped the vote to campaign and raise money in California.

McCain opposes the measure, as does the Pentagon, out of concern that providing such a benefit after only three years of service would encourage people to leave the military after completing only one enlistment even as the U.S. fights two wars and is trying to increase the size of the Army and Marine Corps.

Instead, McCain and Republican colleagues proposed a bill to increase benefits in conjunction with a veteran's length of service. Senate Democrats blocked the measure last week.

"Most worrying to me is that by hurting retention, we will reduce the numbers of men and women who we train to become the backbone of all the services, the noncommissioned officer," McCain said in his statement.

While McCain was joined on the campaign trail in California by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, former Gov. Pete Wilson and former eBay CEO Meg Whitman, Obama reiterated his respect for McCain's service in a speech on the Senate floor.

"He is one of those heroes of which I speak," Obama said. "But I can't understand why he would line up behind the president in his opposition to this GI bill. I can't believe why he believes it is too generous to our veterans. I could not disagree with him and the president more on this issue. There are many issues that lend themselves to partisan posturing, but giving our veterans the chance to go to college should not be one of them."

McCain, in his statement, accused Obama of being motivated by politics.

"Perhaps if Senator Obama would take the time and trouble to understand this issue, he would learn to debate an honest disagreement respectfully," McCain said. "But, as he always does, he prefers impugning the motives of his opponent, and exploiting a thoughtful difference of opinion to advance his own ambitions."

[jsilver2th]

I have a hard time understanding why McCain would claim a veteran''s disability pension when he has his US Senate salary and his wife earned $6 million last year alone...

Seems that wearing the uniform was not a cure for his greed...

I''m sure our homeless vets living under bridges understand...

[firststate]

Obama didn''t need to wear the uniform to foresee the problems inherent with the Iraq use of force authorization McBush supported and the resulting war. Good, sound judgement doesn''t require military experience. Giving back to our veteran''s who have risked and sacrificed so much isn''t the exclusive right of veterans, either. The numbers and quality of recruits driven by the overdue GI bill''s provisions could likely make up for any reduction in retention.

[actornaught]

Posted by RowdyWicca at 02:28 PM : May 23, 2008

Not that i think the scenario is valid, it''s too extreme for a standard. But "the finger on the button" needs to be someone of way above average intelligence, great clarity of thought, and NOT a mind that is militaristic in reaction. Not at all requirements to be a politician.

But, with that criteria, John (and w) are both quickly disqualified.

[remco82]

As Mort Sahl remarked years ago, that military stuff is pretty impressive---if you''re eight years old.

[rowdywicca]

Who cares whether Obama served or not. You can''t put the button to the atomic bomb into the hands of a first grade politician who''s been in school 143 days.

It makes no sense at all!

[not4either]

Ostensibly John McCain, who no doubt deserves the military hero moniker more than anyone in this race, feels that one must have served in uniform before adding meaningfully to discussions on military scholarship.

Does one need to have traveled in space before he is considered qualified to discuss the physics of astronomy or space travel? I think not.

Does one need to have been a trader before he is considered qualified to discuss the social science of capital markets? I think not.

This is a complete nonsequitur if I have ever seen one.

He never states in uniform service makes one qualified to lecture him on military policy.

What he does do is quite interesting: While backhandedly chiding Obama for not serving, he simultaneously denies much needed benefits to those that did serve.

America, we are in deep %^$&!

[riptide213]

Presidents do not need in uniform time to objectively reevaluate our national mindset on why we go to or stop a war.

Common sense thinking and robust actions are not exclusively guaranteed or required military traits.

Proudly Operation Enduring Freedom may still be a just cause since a belligerent foe did bring a fight to our shores.

If our enemy is no longer active in Afghanistan, pull out the troops and bring them home. Engage targets of opportunity as they arise.


Sadly Operation Iraqi Freedom is now embarrassingly exposed as an avid fool%u2019s errand to pursue a political agenda cloaked with propaganda infused with deceit and fear.

Arabic proverb. We blame our times when we should blame ourselves.

Pull out now and let the new Iraqi government sink or swim.

Who or what is left after the dust settles deserves their chance to survive and rebuild a new nation on their own at their own pace based on their own resource capacity and most importantly their own unequivocal values.




The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastxrd die for his.

George Patton

[riptide213]

Thanks patriot12436

QT it is.

[patriot12436]

jack3213
Did obama ask clinton to join his ticket ? If so what was her answer ?

[patriot12436]

riptide
It is spelled QT not quit.