Dishonest John McCain may be a distinguished veteran, but he isn't the favorite of veteran's groups. Not that you'd know it to listen to him. He has consistently lied about this, blatantly and brazenly. Like when he responded to a veteran's question about why his voting record on funding the VA is so abysmal:
Q: I know you voted for lesser increases, and sometimes they were so much less, and our VA desperately needs the money. Can you tell me why you would vote for less money for the VA when there's a war going on?M: Well of course I have not and I'm afraid I've been endorsed by the VFW in every election that I've been in. I have been -- received the honors, the highest honor and awards from all our veterans organizations for my consistent support of them. I don't know what you're looking at, but the DAV, the VFW, the American Legion, all of them have given me their highest awards for my consistent support of them. (Reno-Gazette Journal, h/t ThinkProgress)
Except that they have not given him their highest awards. Unless you turn the scale upside down:
- Disabled American Veterans (DAV): In a list of 36 "key votes," shows McCain "Voted Against Us" 16 times. (Obama "Voted With Us" 17 times, and against only once.)
- Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW): Endorsed Sen. Jim Webb's (D-VA) GI Bill that McCain vigorously opposed; called McCain's alternative GI Bill "very partisan" and said they "didn't have much input" in its crafting.
- American Legion: Endorsed Webb's GI Bill and criticized McCain's concern about how it would affect retention, saying the bill "would encourage young men and women to join the military."(via ThinkProgress)
Or how about the grade of D he just got from the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (Obama got a B)?
The Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) have noted that in its "Key Votes," McCain "Voted Against Us" 15 times and "Voted For Us" only 8. (Obama voted for VVA 12 times, and against only once.) ThinkProgress)
So he's sold out his fellow veterans and then he's bold faced lied about it. Two wrongs make a Rightist.
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McCain's lack of respect for Veterans, shown buy his voting record, speaks volumes about McCain the man.
I have to say, I'm getting an almost perverse enjoyment out of watching their train wreck of a campaign as it drives itself flaming into the ground. A guest on the Rachel Maddow show said it's as if McCain and Palin are each acting out different Shakespearean tragedies--McCain is, obviously, King Lear while Palin is the villain in Titus Andronicus.
If it weren't for the moments of paranoia tinged with terror ("Will the GOP somehow manage to steal the election--again?!?"), it would be even more amusing.
Hmmm, Palin as Tamora in Titus Andronicus? So, she'll. . . drag the country to the brink of a civil war which will only be averted after Joe Biden tricks her into eating the flesh of her children which have been baked into meat pies?
That would certainly be an, um, October Surprise.
The link to the Reno Gazette-Journal
http://news.rgj.com/article/20081020/NEWS19/810200349/1232
is no good.
If you look around the archive for the 20th you'll fine one story with a similar URL. Change "news" to "www" and strip off the "/1232, making it
http://www.rgj.com/article/20081020/NEWS19/810200349
you'll come close, but the passage above does not appear.
Best to go listen to the YouTube audio linked from Think Progress, which is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlygqmJLBs8.
The question McCain was asked was not precise enough. The first sentence refers to lesser increases, but then the question itself was, Why would you vote for less money for the VA?. His answer, that he had not voted for less money for the VA, may be correct.
I don't think he's lying. I think he probably just answered the question he heard.
The last thing I want is a McCain/Palin victory, but making a big deal about this particular exchange seems unjustified. It's insignificant compared to, say, the mis-characterization of Biden's unfortunate remarks about a newly elected Obama administration being tested early on.
This is amazing to watch. You know, as a Veteran, I have written to both Senator McCain, and Senator Obama about what I had perceived as a travesty of justice. Extending Veterans involuntarily just because there were not enough troops available. I explained in my letters to them that I believed the contracts the vets has signed disallowed an extension except in the case of a "DECLARED" war. Since Iraq was not a declared war, It is my belief the extensions are illegal. Both Senator's wrote back that the CFR was changed to allow for the President to extend National Guard Troops without the declaration of war. HOWEVER, ONLY ONE STATED, 'IT IS A TRAVESTY OF JUSTICE TO EXTEND THE TROOPS," THAT PERSON WAS JOHN MCCAIN, not Barack Obama. So, when it comes to spending money, John McCain is tight fisted. No kidding! and Sen Obama got an Earmark for a new building right in my old neighborhood of Riverdale, Il. Specifically, Pacesetter Park. Where all the drug dealers hang out. I want you to know, I am soooo surprised to find a crooked politician in Chicago Politics. Who would have expected it? Must be the first time in history, right?