John McCain's lack of command experience is soooo sad.
No matter how much the McCain surrogates may mewl and wail about Obama surrogate Wesley Clark's comments, it is an objectively unassailable fact that McCain has no war-time (corrected) command experience. Courage and military service, sure, but not in a command role.
It's interesting to note the McCain campaign's response is to pretend that Clark disrespected McCain's courage and service and to use that pretense to attack. The obvious on-point rejoinder that Obama has no military command experience either leaves the two candidates on par, and the McCain camp can't surrender their perceived advantage even though the fact is that McCain was what business these days calls an individual contributor.
Update (7/4): The definitive account from Media Matters of this affair's complete, abject ridiculousness.
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9 comments:
I believe that McCain served his country but that does not make him any more able to be commander in chief than anyone else. Just because you have had surgery does not mean that you are able to conduct surgery. I think that McCain using his time in the armed forces as some kind of justification for his being prepared to be commander in chief is not credible.
I don't think that Gen. Clark disrespected the campaign of McCain as much as his notion that Obama has any more executive experience as the Commander in Chief. McCain knows the results of wars, and further the Democrats have always tried to sway military comments, look how they defended Clinton when he ran! As for Gen. Clark, he is not nor will he ever be a Good Choice for a military advisor...I would look for another retired General Lewi...
I just don't understand why everyone is getting their knickers in a bunch. What Wes Clark said is absolutely true. It's about time those thin skinned republicans and that chap on CNN (I think his name is Santos) realize that the truth, at times, hurts. Get over yourselves.
I wish more people would start questioning McCain's memories of his time served. Yes, he served, yes he should be respected for that but he's acting as if he's the only one to ever serve. Um, millions of Americans have served in the military - he's not special in that regard.
And I really wish someone would do some major research into his years of 'torture'. It seems that perhaps, much like Hillary's recall of being 'under sniper fire' his experience of torture may just be greatly exaggerated.
Wow, you folks sure jumped on a bandwagon about this. I'm an Obama supporter, too, but what Clark said was really low. Has Obama got that experience either? Nope. He also hasn't served during wartime, hasn't commanded anything, and has been a senator for a much shorter time than McCain. Does that make me less likely to vote for him? No. Just that the comments by Clark on behalf of Obama's campaign are starting to make me question whether he's making wise choices for people who are his "advisors".
Just take a look at history... First of all, to question the torture of McCain as a POW is absurd. He’s a war hero and any solider who’s a POW should be respected. I think those questioning what happened to him as a POW are the same people who are hypocritical and do not truly support the troops now. Four years ago, people question John Kerry’s service which again is absolute stupid. It is easy to say that you support troops but are against the war. However, experience as a solider (especially in a war environment) is more than one who’s a author I mean Harvard Grad! Many soldiers have been tortured or died for you to have the freedom to make such an absurd statement. Whether you’re a Republic or a Democratic Wesley Clark shouldn’t have questioned anyone service for his own personal gains…. I guess the Kosovo war was perfectly run! General Clark ran that from an office somewhere…not on the front lines and the country is still a poverty stricken country!
I personnel can’t stand either candidate running, but as a veteran I RESPECT Senator McCain for serving this country!
Whoa Whoa Whoa! Clark made this comment not Barack, just like why did we punish Hill for Ferraro's remarks? Get over it. I hope that Barack deals with it accordingly.
Clark didn't disrespect McCain's service. He simply observed with complete accuracy that McCain didn't serve in a command role:
I certainly honor his service as a prisoner of war. He was a hero to me and to hundreds of thousands and millions of others in the armed forces as a prisoner of war. ... But he hasn't held executive responsibility.
This is the difference between Democrats like Wesley Clark and 2004's Swift Boat Liars: Democrats say things that are true but hurt Republicans' delicate feelings, and the Democrats get pilloried for it. Republicans tell lies and spend months on Fox repeating those lies.
If you serve in the military you take an oath. To serve and protect the country and follow the commander in chief's decisions.
From the lowest ranks to the highest. It is this experience that helps those to understand how the military works and it's echelon structure. It is a benefit to have military experience when running
for President.
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