John McCain is not being swiftboated, he is being called out for lying

ORLANDO, Florida (CNN) -- Sen. John McCain questioned his Democratic opponent's ability to be commander in chief in an address before a national veterans convention Monday.

McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, said Sen. Barack Obama's opposition to President Bush's "surge" strategy, which increased troop levels in Iraq in 2007, and his response to the recent crisis in Georgia raised questions about the Illinois Democrat's judgment.

"Behind all of these claims and positions by Sen. Obama lies the ambition to be president. What's less apparent is the judgment to be commander in chief," McCain told the national Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in Orlando.

"And in matters of national security, good judgment will be at a premium in the term of the next president -- as we were all reminded 10 days ago by events in the nation of Georgia."

People often ask if I was a Prisoner of War with John McCain. My answer is always "No - John McCain was a POW with me." The reason is I was there for 8 years and John got there 2 ½ years later, so he was a POW for 5 ½ years. And we have our own seniority system, based on time as a POW.

John's treatment as a POW:

1) Was he tortured for 5 years? No. He was subjected to torture and maltreatment during his first 2 years...

That commentary does not constitute swiftboating. It's not an orchestrated malicious effort, funded by partisan billionaires, to lie about McCain's service. It's one person's opinion, and he specifically states that McCain was a POW for 5 1/2 years and was tortured. The entire statement highlights McCain honorable service, but questions why it should afford him preferential treatment as a candididate for President.