Another Obama Supporter Insults McCain

Obama backer, West Virginia Democratic Senator Jay Rockefeller, joined the Obama Democrats war on truth chorus and insulted Senator McCain:

Rockefeller believes McCain has become insensitive to many human issues. "McCain was a fighter pilot, who dropped laser-guided missiles from 35,000 feet. He was long gone when they hit.

"What happened when they [the missiles] get to the ground? He doesn't know. You have to care about the lives of people. McCain never gets into those issues."

Lt. Col. Orson Swindle, USMC (Ret.), who shared a cell with McCain in the Hanoi Hilton, demanded that Barack Obama denounce Senator Jay Rockefeller's smear against John McCain and the men and women of our military:

Senator Rockefeller's statement is an insult to all the men and women who are serving or have served in America's military. Had Senator Rockefeller served himself, he would appreciate and understand that most who have been to war emerge with a much deeper concern for humanity than they otherwise might. If he knew what he was talking about, he would know that John McCain wasn't dropping laser-guided missiles at 35,000 feet in 1967.

Barack Obama has a responsibility to denounce Senator Rockefeller's smear against John McCain's character and military record.

So what is it with Obama and his supporters? Instead of joining in Senator McCain's call for a civil discussion, they insist upon campaigning with insults and "'Distortion,' 'Rank Falsehood,' 'Seriously Misleading' and 'Outright Lying'"

Obama promised better. Obama should apologize to McCain, and the nation, for Rockefeller's smear against McCain's character and military record.

Why doesn't Obama have the courage to stand up for the principles of 'new politics' he outlined in his book, "The Audacity of Hope?"

Image: A mob pulling John McCain from his plane after it was hit by a missile plunged into a lake.

Comments

[David P. Kronmiller]

Let's move on can we? It is insulting for anyone to think that any American would have disdain for the troops. To use the troops as a political toothpick is beneath the spirit of the American society. It is not the troops that Democrats dislike, it is not the troops that anti-war activists dislike. It is those who sent them to die for reason that are not fully explained. That is the problem. We are all accountable. Every single living soul in this country is responsible for what is happening any given day in this country. We live in a representative democracy. The actions of our goverment are our actions - and when they falter - it is we who have strayed.

Stop point fingers and trying to be right for the sake of being right. Too many lives are stake for pride to be the ink in the pen.

www.avocadojungle.com

[fouse, gary c]

No matter how much the Democrats state that they love our troops, periodically, one of them comes out with some statement that demonstrates that many of them (not all) actually have disdain for the institution of the American military. In recent times, we have seen Democratic members of Congress compare our military to Nazis, Soviets, and Genghis Khan in their conduct of the war in Iraq. Names? Ted Kennedy, John Murtha, Dick Durbin, John Kerry and Ted Kennedy. (Murtha and Kerry are combat veterans themselves, which must be pointed out.)

The latest is West Virginia Senator Jay Rockefeller. This is what he stated this week about John McCain:

"McCain was a fighter pilot who dropped laser-guided missiles from 35,000 feet. He was long gone when they hit. What happened when they (the missiles) get to the ground? He doesn't know. You have to care about the lives of people. McCain never gets into those issues".

Here is the response from the McCain side:

"Senator Rockefeller's statement is an insult to all the men and women who are serving or have served in America's military. Had Senator Rockefeller served himself, he would appreciate and understand that most who have been to war emerge with a much deeper concern for humanity than they otherwise might. If he knew what he was talking about, he would know that John McCain wasn't dropping laser-guided missiles at 35,000 feet in 1967."

Today, Rockefeller issued a statement saying, "I have deep respect for John McCain's honorable and noble service to our country. I made an inaccurate and wrong analogy and I have extended my sincere apology to him.

While we differ a great deal on policy issues, I profoundly respect and appreciate his dedication to our country, and I regret my very poor choice of words."

So, Senator Rockefeller, what was your innacurate and wrong analogy, plus your very poor choice of words? Was it the fact that laser-guided bombs were not used until after McCain was a POW? Was it the fact that he was shot down at 4,500 feet, an altitude used in order to decrease collateral damage? Was it the fact that on the last occasion, McCain was not "long gone", rather was shot down and taken prisoner? Or was it, perhaps that you condemned McCain for merely carrying out his duty as a pilot?

As has been pointed out, Rockefeller, who is almost the same age as McCain, did not serve in the military during that era-nor any other era. (He was in the Peace Corps.) Yet, he joins oher prominent hypocrites like Michael Moore, Bill Maher and Howard Dean, none of whom ever served in the military, yet had the gumption to call President Bush words, like "draftdodger", "deserter" and "AWOL" because of his National Guard service.

It is fine that Rockefeller apologized, but is this what he really feels about military pilots? Why did he say this to begin with? I hope the voters of West Virginia remember this statement the next time Rockefeller runs for re-election.

posted by Gary Fouse @ 8:24 P
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