This Sunday, General Wesley Clark on Face The Nation questioned McCain’s claim that he is qualified in national security matters because of his experience as a POW. Here is an article from Huffington Post about the comment.
Here is what Gen. Wesley Clark said (the comments in bold are set by me):
“In the matters of national security policy making, it’s a matter of understanding risk,” he said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “It’s a matter of gauging your opponents and it’s a matter of being held accountable. John McCain’s never done any of that in his official positions. 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.”
“He has been a voice on the Senate Armed Services Committee and he has traveled all over the world, but he hasn’t held executive responsibility,” Clark said. “That large squadron in the Navy that he commanded — that wasn’t a wartime squadron.”
Moderator Bob Schieffer, who raised the issue by citing similar remarks Clark has made previously, noted that Obama hadn’t had those experiences nor had he ridden in a fighter plane and been shot down. “Well, I don’t think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president,” Clark replied.
John McCain campaign is hoping to win by saying that he is is the person most qualified to be President because of his national security record. So, why is it when anyone attempts to challenge him on that claim, it is turned around and that person is attacked for “questioning McCain’s military service.”
No one is denying the fact that John McCain served honorably for this country, and that his time as a POW is probably one of the greatest sacrifices one could make for their country. No one is calling McCain unpatriotic. All they are asking is, “What event(s) in McCain’s military history give him the right to claim that he would be better with national security measures than Obama?” We have a right to ask those questions, especially since most of his service records are sealed.
This isn’t attacking McCain’s service as his campaign wants you to believe, all we are asking for is some evidence to back up the claim that his experience as a POW would make him a better president. Running from those questions and getting defensive only shows that you aren’t too comfortable with people questioning McCain’s service as the media has given McCain a free ride while going after Obama left and right.
If McCain was running on his strong economic experience, the opposition would be doing the exact same thing. They would be questioning his past and asking questions saying, “What event(s) in McCain’s history give him the right to claim he would be able to handle the economy better than Obama?”
When Gen. Wesley Clark said, “Well, I don’t think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president,” who here cannot agree with that statement? One could argue that it could have been said a little more tasteful, but if you simply look at the statement from an objective standpoint you start asking the question, “Well, does his experience as a POW make him better prepared to be president?”
All I ask of you is to ask some questions. Stop blinding accepting that if some serves in the military that they are automatically qualified to be president. Check out my other post regarding some of his attempts at blocking people from getting to his own records. Read about McCain’s military record on how he was at the bottom of his class and only got through because of his father and grandfather.
And before you start saying “Well, Obama doesn’t have any military experience so how can you question McCain’s?” Just remember, Obama isn’t running on his record of military service. He is running on character and good judgement. He was right about Iraq, regardless of how you feel about the war, he was spot on. Obama’s history has been pecked at for months now, so why can’t McCain’s?
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