Did McCain's actions save the lives of many of his fellow soldiers?

I admit I haven't spent a lot of time reading up on his actions in the war, but from what little I've heard, he basically crashed a few planes, then got himself captured and survived a number of years in captivity under torture.

If that makes him a hero, how are not all of the people we captured and tortured in Abu Ghraib 'heroes' as well, simply because they survived years of incarceration and torture?

McCain built himself a career of power and wealth based upon being a 'war hero'. Was there more to that heroism than simply doing what he could to survive in extreme circumstance, something I think most humans would do?

When the NVA figured out who his father was. McCain's father was the Admiral in charge of the Pacific fleet, one of the highest ranking positions in the Navy.

McCain declined the offer because he feared what would happen to the other prisoners if he was split up from them. He spent several additional years as a POW and was severely tortured for that decision.

I can see why folks are more apt to call him a hero given that information, especially if we assume he was correct, and that the others would have been treated worse.

Mark my words, more of the rabid base are going to get behind him over this,

I don't think he lasts a month.

There is nothing new under the sun. Remember how many entertaining clowns led the GOP in 2012 until the media got sick of them?

Mr. 999 even had his fortnight of glory!

America, one nation ruled by the media.

Until he either (choose your metaphor) crashes and burns or blows over.

The man is too full of himself to admit that he could be wrong about anything

regardless of what one thinks of McCain, Senators, Republicans or Veterans, if you're really going the distance you don't blow political capital that carelessly

a lot of people run for president, and don't have the oval office as their endgame

(Huckabee, and Santorum, for instance, just maintaining their hanger-on status in political media circuses (sorry, meant 'circles')

People like him have no ability to examine themselves in that way. He has some kind of serious issue, and I'm not just making a joke.