On Bragging War Heroes

On Bragging War Heroes
By M.J. Rosenberg - September 5, 2008, 9:14AM
You would never know it from the media coverage but John McCain is not one of America's greatest war heroes. He is a former POW who survived, heroically. He deserves to be honored for that heroism.

But one thing distinguishes McCain from other war heroes, the kind whose heroism changes history rather than their life stories.

America's two greatest war heroes were Ulysses Grant and Dwight Eisenhower. Grant saved the union. And Ike saved civilization.

And neither one ever bragged about their experience. (Can you imagine Ike smacking down Adlai Stevenson by saying that while Adlai ran a nice medium-sized state, he was the Supreme Allied Commander who ran D-Day, defeated Hitler, and liberated Europe?).

Impossible. Like Grant, Eisenhower did not brag.

Actually, modesty about military accomplishments is typical of war heroes and not just here. In Israel, it is unheard of for great military leaders to brag about their service.

Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak was the most decorated soldier in Israel's history (he was a commando who, among other amazing feats, dressed as a woman -- with a handful of soldiers -- invaded a terrorist stronghold in Beirut, killed the terrorists, and then fled to a waiting dinghy and headed home). Yitzhak Rabin led the IDF in its Six Day War victory. Ariel Sharon saved Israel from destruction in 1973 when he snuck up behind the Egyptian army and encircled them in the Sinai.

None of these guys talked about it. McCain does. Continuously. His lack of modesty -- about something war heroes tend to be modest about -- does not become him.

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/09/05/on_bragging_war_heroes/

Did you see his mother at the RNC? Sheeeesh!

He didn't do ONE heroic thing his entire Naval career. He SURVIVED being a POW and he FOLLOWED ORDERS by not taking early release-- and that was about the ONLY time in his whole Navy career that he DID follow orders. He was a DISGRACE to the Naval Academy and a DISGRACE to the Navy when he returned from Vietnam.

John McCain is SCUM.

actually died from the torture. McCain broke down after the torture and co-operated with the enemy. Didn't he make videos for them? I think Bush actually used that against him in the 2000 primaries, then he hugs him and kisses his ass for the last 7 years. Look what the Republican'ts did with Kerry's and Max Cleland's records and they were heroes.

1) It is wrong - remember how it felt when it was Kerry
2) It is a political disaster. It is not 2004, Kerry was a Democrat and the media condoned the character assassination. They like McCain and any comments like this will backfire.

Blatant LIES were told about Kerry and I have yet to see any backlash to the Republicans for it. They wore cute little Purple Heart Band-aids and mocked wounded soldiers by doing so and yet they wrap themselves in the flag and say what mighty warriors they are. The fact is we don't need to LIE about McCain's Service. He wrecked virtually every plane he was charged with flying. He bombed civilian targets in North Vietnam and now wants to say he was a great War Hero. He wasn't. It is no crime to mention these facts..There will only be "backlash" from GOP cry babies...

I wish that every Democratic leader (other than Kerry) would spoken out LOUDLY on the first day of the convention - breaking tradition of saying quiet. They should have enlisted whichever veterans organizations they could to demand respect be shown for the medal. (This would not be endorsing a candidate) At least Bobby Mueller's VVA likely would have. Pull in every authority figure they could get - Walter Cronkite?, clergy, writers etc to express outrage.

The reason I think there would be a backlash is that the media WILL defend McCain - as they didn't defend Kerry. It wasn't merit, as Kerry had the clearer war story, the cleaner political career, and was a far more reputable person in his private life. But all the need to look at is how they treated Clark. Or, more tellingly, look how Scheiffer responded to Kerry listing issues McCain changed on - asking if Kerry was questioning McCain's integrity.

As to McCain - people like John Kerry, who saw where McCain was held and knew more than we do, have respect for how he withstood that experience.

what is being attacked is his constant, non-stop- 24-7 parading around of his military history. He could have single handedly saved the planet, and if he harped on that as much as he has on his military 'service' I'd still be as disgusted and dubious about his real qualifications to be POTUS, a job which is FAR more than 'commander in chief'- despite what mr.McCain and his advertisments would have you think.


:shrug:


(spelling edit)

I didn't write the piece. 2nd, I didn't nor will I ever attack his service. But I think he's just about squeezed all the juice out of that orange.

would have done in his situation. They tortured him and he broke, hell I would have done that. The actual heroes are the ones that didn't break.