POW speaks out against McCain

EStreetJoe · May 23, 2008

An interesting read, I'll just quote the first part, but its well worth reading the entire thing

http://www.military.com/opinion/0,15202,164859_1,00.html

Why I Will Not Vote for John McCain
Phillip Butler | March 27, 2008

As some of you might know, John McCain is a long-time acquaintance of mine that goes way back to our time together at the U.S. Naval Academy and as Prisoners of War in Vietnam. He is a man I respect and admire in some ways. But there are a number of reasons why I will not vote for him for President of the United States.

When I was a Plebe (4th classman, or freshman) at the Naval Academy in 1957-58, I was assigned to the 17th Company for my four years there. In those days we had about 3,600 midshipmen spread among 24 companies, thus about 150 midshipmen to a company. As fortune would have it, John, a First Classman (senior) and his room mate lived directly across the hall from me and my two room mates. Believe me when I say that back then I would never in a million or more years have dreamed that the crazy guy across the hall would someday be a Senator and candidate for President!

John was a wild man. He was funny, with a quick wit and he was intelligent. But he was intent on breaking every USNA regulation in our 4 inch thick USNA Regulations book. And I believe he must have come as close to his goal as any midshipman who ever attended the Academy. John had me "coming around" to his room frequently during my plebe year. And on one occasion he took me with him to escape "over the wall" in the dead of night. He had a taxi cab waiting for us that took us to a bar some 7 miles away. John had a few beers, but forbid me to drink (watching out for me I guess) and made me drink cokes. I could tell many other midshipman stories about John that year and he unbelievably managed to graduate though he spent the majority of his first class year on restriction for the stuff he did get caught doing. In fact he barely managed to graduate, standing 5th from the bottom of his 800 man graduating class. I and many others have speculated that the main reason he did graduate was because his father was an Admiral, and also his grandfather, both U.S. Naval Academy graduates.

People often ask if I was a Prisoner of War with John McCain. My answer is always "No - John McCain was a POW with me." The reason is I was there for 8 years and John got there 2 ½ years later, so he was a POW for 5 ½ years. And we have our own seniority system, based on time as a POW.
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TheSportsPredictor · May 23, 2008

It that's interesting, I'm Reese Witherspoon.

EStreetJoe · May 23, 2008

TheSportsPredictor said:

It that's interesting, I'm Reese Witherspoon.
Click to expand...

Reese - Did you read the whole thing or just the segment I posted?

PeteyPirate · May 23, 2008

I furthermore believe that having been a POW is no special qualification for being President of the United States. The two jobs are not the same, and POW experience is not, in my opinion, something I would look for in a presidential candidate.

At least somebody said it.

alleyallen · May 23, 2008

Wow...

While this guy certainly makes some valid complaints about McCain's age, potential health issues and political stances, a lot of what he says about the military and POW aspects, and the Academy experience, sound a lot like sour grapes.

I don't like McCain, but I haven't exactly heard him heralding himself as the ONLY POW, the most decorated or any of the rest. This guy seems to be beefing that McCain's POW experience is serving as political capital (which it is, in some respects) but he seems to take umbrage because McCain wasn't the only one.

Uhm, dude, as it turns out, McCain IS the only one of those 600 who is actually running for president, you know.

His misbehavior as a middie? Good god...we forgave drug-using and layabout presidents for their youthful behavior. Why is McCain being held accountable for something that happened a LONG time ago? What, is he going to be a wild and crazy party guy in the White House because he was nearly 50 years ago?

If you have a beef with McCain's policies, beliefs, etc., then fine. But this guy sounds like a bitter detractor, nothing more.

Boom_70 · May 23, 2008

No new ground there- all covered in The Nightengales Song.

McCain might be the real Senator Blutrasky. He was fighter pilot - its in their make up to drink and have fun.

TheSportsPredictor · May 23, 2008

EStreetJoe said:

TheSportsPredictor said:

It that's interesting, I'm Reese Witherspoon.
Click to expand...

Reese - Did you read the whole thing or just the segment I posted?
Click to expand...

The segment you posted sufficiently bored me so as to be uninterested in reading anymore.

If there's something better, by all means, let us know what it is.

alleyallen · May 23, 2008

TheSportsPredictor said:

EStreetJoe said:

TheSportsPredictor said:

It that's interesting, I'm Reese Witherspoon.
Click to expand...

Reese - Did you read the whole thing or just the segment I posted?
Click to expand...

The segment you posted sufficiently bored me so as to be uninterested in reading anymore.

If there's something better, by all means, let us know what it is.
Click to expand...

There was indeed more in there. But if you're bored by the material presented, then why bother even posting on it? Just curious.

three_bags_full · May 23, 2008

Aren't all military academy graduates wild as fuck? 95% of those I know -- and I know quite a few -- are. I've babysat more than my share at bars since their graduation.

Dude's entitled to his opinion, but I haven't read or heard anywhere that McCain has said that his time as a POW is a qualifier for presidency.

Boom_70 · May 23, 2008

McCain is proud and unapoligetic of his party animal status at the academy.

EStreetJoe · May 23, 2008

TheSportsPredictor said:

EStreetJoe said:

TheSportsPredictor said:

It that's interesting, I'm Reese Witherspoon.
Click to expand...

Reese - Did you read the whole thing or just the segment I posted?
Click to expand...

The segment you posted sufficiently bored me so as to be uninterested in reading anymore.

If there's something better, by all means, let us know what it is.
Click to expand...

Ok Reese... maybe this segment of the article will interest you a little more:

I furthermore believe that having been a POW is no special qualification for being President of the United States. The two jobs are not the same, and POW experience is not, in my opinion, something I would look for in a presidential candidate.

Most of us who survived that experience are now in our late 60's and 70's. Sadly, we have died and are dying off at a greater rate than our non-POW contemporaries. We experienced injuries and malnutrition that are coming home to roost. So I believe John's age (73) and survival expectation are not good for being elected to serve as our President for 4 or more years.

I can verify that John has an infamous reputation for being a hot head. He has a quick and explosive temper that many have experienced first hand. Folks, quite honestly that is not the finger I want next to that red button.

It is also disappointing to see him take on and support Bush's war in Iraq, even stating we might be there for another 100 years. For me John represents the entrenched and bankrupt policies of Washington-as-usual. The past 7 years have proven to be disastrous for our country. And I believe John's views on war, foreign policy, economics, environment, health care, education, national infrastructure and other important areas are much the same as those of the Bush administration.

I'm disappointed to see John represent himself politically in ways that are not accurate. He is not a moderate Republican. On some issues he is a maverick. But his voting record is far to the right. I fear for his nominations to our Supreme Court, and the consequent continuing loss of individual freedoms, especially regarding moral and religious issues. John is not a religious person, but he has taken every opportunity to ally himself with some really obnoxious and crazy fundamentalist ministers lately. I was also disappointed to see him cozy up to Bush because I know he hates that man. He disingenuously and famously put his arm around the guy, even after Bush had intensely disrespected him with lies and slander.
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three_bags_full · May 23, 2008

And his partying in college is no more of a disqualifier than his POW status is a qualifier.

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