When Senator Kerry defended another Vietnam Vet from smear tactics.

Quote from Senator Kerry about Senator John McCain from a New Yorker article:

"I defended him in those hearings when some stupid-ass right-wing idiot accused him of being the Manchurian Candidate, that somehow the Vietnamese had brainwashed him. This is the most unbelievably callous, degrading, nonsensical piece of crap I've ever heard in my life, coming from some chicken hawk out there, to hurl at somebody who spent as long as he did being tortured and standing up for his country, and caring about it as much as he did. It's incredible that people would behave like that, absolutely stunning."


More from the same article:


Sometimes McCain was attacked by his fellow-senators and sometimes by witnesses. He was the lightning rod. I was told by a member of the committee staff that when Kerry and McCain were sitting near each other on the senators' dais, Kerry would, at such moments, unobtrusively move his hand over to McCain and place it on his arm and leave it there, a quiet gesture of what was becoming absolute mutual support. I asked McCain if he had been aware of Kerry's touch. "Yes," he replied. "He did that several times, and I'm glad he did. I'm grateful to him."

It goes on...

McCain is working hard to protect the Republican majority in the Senate, and he regards the liberalism of Democrats like Kerry as a danger to the nation's future. Nevertheless, when I asked McCain if he would be campaigning for Weld, he shook his head, an emphatic no. "I simply would not do such a thing. I couldn't do that. . . . I'm surprised you would ask. . . . Going to campaign against John Kerry is just something I wouldn't consider."

Et tu, Brute?


http://www.newyorker.com/archive/content/?041025fr_archive01

against Kerry. Kerry is a damn good man though. I'd give ANYTHING to have him leading this country right now.

It just breaks my heart to see someone betrayed that way. And Senator Kerry is a good man. Even after what McCain did, if McCain needed his support again, Kerry wouldn't turn his back.

I'd give anything to see Senator Kerry leading our country now too. Every time I look at John McCain I see the face of betrayal and I see the smirking face of George W. Bushit.

mcpain instead campaigned for bush, the same guy that smeared him.

mcpain sucks.

Yeah, he is an all time shithead in my book. And a huge flip-flopper.

Intelligent Design and pushing antigay amendments.

couldn't? Are they blackmailing him or is McCain just a FFAH?

I will never understand how he even looks Bush in the eye much less defend the man.There is a line you just don't cross when it comes to a man you respect.Bush crossed that line with McCain.Why McCain does what he does for him I just will never understand.ever.

Not since 2000.

when you're kissing their butt!

for that. And his lips are....

heheh

sold out this friendship with Kerry for politics. Somethings and some relationships should transcend politics- McCain doesn't seen to care about that. I think this proves he has no integrity.

where he says he'd never campaign against his friend makes it all the more puzzling. How could a man who cites Victor Frankl (Man's Search for Meaning) as a man of principle (ref: McCain's latest book), possibly sell his own principles for political reasons? Just goes to prove he is not someone you can trust.

I wonder when the term was first used? Did it start with Vietnam? For some reason I thought it was a recent invention.

That's a great article. Thanks for posting.

as early as WWII, but was revived in 1992, according to Wikipedia (you made me curious): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chickenhawk_%28politics%29#Origin

You're right, the term wasn't in common usage until 2000. Possibly "chickenhawk" was a term that was more familiar to those who had served in the military.

The calling operation in South Carolina is enough to never appear with Bush ever again.

I still thought it was important to support McCain in SC at the time to protest Bush's tactics.