Military credentials
The older, military veteran audience - in McCain's home state, no less - seemed a good match for the older, Vietnam-veteran McCain. Time and again, when asked their thoughts on the presidential race Tuesday, American Legion members pointed to McCain's military credentials, wondered about Obama's experience, and openly questioned the Democratic nominee's patriotism.
"Obama's not a veteran. He's not a veteran. Why should I trust him?" asked Ed Rocha, 68, a Democrat and Navy veteran from Williams.
Donna Ray, 63, a Republican from Cincinnati, called McCain "an idol," and said the patriotism factor looms large in her presidential choice. She noted Obama's reluctance to wear an American flag lapel pin on the campaign stump earlier this year. When told that he regularly appears with the flag pin now, she was dubious: "Why? Because he's running for president."
If elected, McCain pledged to fight for better health care for service members and improved Veterans Affairs programs. He called poor living conditions uncovered at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in 2007 "a disgrace unworthy of this nation" and vowed to ensure that "nothing like it is ever repeated."
McCain also said his administration would create a Veterans Care Access Card to improve health services for veterans who are eligible for care but unable to receive it due to their distance from VA facilities, lengthy wait times or the absence of needed specialty services. Use of the card would be voluntary, and participating veterans would pay no additional fees.
Said McCain, "My reform will improve care, reduce risks and broaden access all at the same time."
Promises to veterans during campaign season are nothing new, noted WWII veteran C.R. Stephens, 81. But the Republican from Cedar Falls, Iowa, said he has more faith in McCain delivering than Obama.
"Look at him," Stephens said of Obama. "What's he know? A one-term senator. Not a veteran."
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http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2008/08/27/20080827mccain-legion0827.html
Is McCain a veteran? Yes. Was he a POW? Yes. Both put him on equal ground with every other veteran and POW. Neither raises him above any of the others and it's time for some honesty from all the veterans, POW's and their families. It's time to stop regarding what he had to do to survive what he went through as an excuse for what he's done against veterans. Some are giving him a free pass at their own expense. The service organizations giving McCain failing grades when it comes to taking care of veterans should not be taken lightly by any voters regarding any politician. To dismiss his deplorable record just because he's one of us, is stupid. The assumption that he'll take care of any of us is not proven by what he's done since he got back from Vietnam. This is evidence of what McCain thinks of veterans at the same time he wants to use being one in order to do what it takes to get to where he wants to be and the veterans, well, they and their families are just a stepping stone to get there.
August 2001: McCain voted against increasing the amount available for medical care for veterans by $650,000,000. To his credit, he also voted against the 2001 Bush tax cuts, which he now supports making permanent, despite the dire financial condition this country is in, and despite the fact that he indicated in 2001 that these tax cuts unfairly benefited the very wealthy at the expense of the middle class.
April 2003: McCain urged other Senate members to table a vote (which never passed) to provide more than $1 billion for National Guard and Reserve equipment in Iraq related to a shortage of helmets, tents, bullet-proof inserts, and tactical vests.
October 2003: McCain voted to table an amendment by Senator Dodd that called for an additional $322,000,000 for safety equipment for United States forces in Iraq and to reduce the amount provided for reconstruction in Iraq by $322,000,000.
March 2004: McCain once again voted for abusive tax loopholes over veterans when he voted against creating a reserve fund to allow for an increase in Veterans' medical care by $1.8 billion by eliminating abusive tax loopholes. Jeez, McCain really loves those tax loopholes for corporations, since he voted for them over our veterans' needs.
March 2006: McCain voted against increasing Veterans medical services funding by $1.5 billion in FY 2007 to be paid for by closing corporate tax loopholes.
April 2006: McCain was one of only 13 Senators to vote against $430,000,000 for the Department of Veteran Affairs for Medical Services for outpatient care and treatment for veterans.
May 2006: McCain voted against an amendment that would provide $20 million to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for health care facilities.
September 2007: McCain voted against the Webb amendment calling for adequate troop rest between deployments. At the time, nearly 65% of people polled in a CNN poll indicted that "things are going either moderately badly or very badly in Iraq.go here for more
I could overlook the fact that his character core is one of a husband that returns to his wife after she waited for him all the years he was gone, all the years she had to worry about him being alive or dead, all the years of praying for his return, only to be dumped because she was in an accident for Cindy. I could overlook the fact that after 2000 when Bush destroyed him politically in their primary campaign for the nomination, McCain changed and then sucked up to Bush voting with him 95% of the time. I could overlook the fact that McCain can't even remember how many homes he has at the same time he wants to continue the process that cost the rest of us our homes with the Graham ploy that let the banks do what they wanted and sucked in so many looking for the American dream. I could overlook the part that McCain wants to continue to do what has cost this nation the blood of our troops when evidence proves there was no need to invade Iraq and jeopardized the operation in Afghanistan, began the obliteration of the National Guard forces needed to respond to national emergencies along with the rest of what the operations in Iraq have cost this nation.
There is a lot I could overlook, because he's a veteran after all but the maverick title he was anointed with by the media became a lap dog after the hell he was put through by Bush, but I cannot overlook the way he regards veterans. In his eyes, we are just not worth fighting for. In his eyes, there are too many things that are just too good for us instead of the obligation this nation has to us.
McCain can rant all he wants about the fact he's a veteran. He can point out that Obama isn't. But what he can't do is put his votes up against Obama. The service organizations give Obama high marks on his support of them. That's what really counts. It's time for the veterans in this country to take a good look at what McCain has done since Vietnam against veterans when he should have been held to a higher standard as one of us voting against us. By the way, the flag pin thing, well anyone can stick a pin to their jacket but it's what they have inside of them that really matters. If McCain gets elected, we'll all be stuck with the suffering of veterans and their families who need someone fighting for us instead of using us.
Senior Chaplain Kathie Costos
Namguardianangel@aol.com
http://www.namguardianangel.org/
http://www.woundedtimes.blogspot.com/
"The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive veterans of early wars were treated and appreciated by our nation." - George Washington
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