McCAIN'S WAR SERVICE IN PERSPECTIVE
John S. McCain, III, is an American hero. Why detract from that? However, the punditry have been getting out of hand. Long before Steinem made her comments, I noticed this.
It's even gotten unfactual. It was Margaret Carlson, in an offhand comment on MSNBC, who gushed that McCain had endured all those years as a POW without ever having broken!
THE FACTS
I believe (subject to correction), that the POW medal is technically a service medal, not a medal for gallantry. "Hero" is only generally applicable. In fact, the POW medal was only created in 1986, under Reagan, even though it was made retroactive. Prior to that, I assume that the Army's considered being taken captive as part of the general hazard of soldiering, to coin a vernacular phrase.
McCain's highest valor, the Silver Star, is related to his extraordinary ordeal as a POW with a famous name. Grumbling and dicing attend this award, as does generalized grousing over just how many medals McCain did garner in his relatively few hours of combat flight as a navy pilot.
THE WINGNUTS ON THE RIGHT
This is why Clinton might well have included a call for Senator McCain to again repudiate the Swiftboat Veterans with her reported rejection of Steinem's remarks.
Why? On The View,
In short, Clinton's Washington-bound-perspective is out of touch with all of what is going on, yes? (I don't care if McCain has to do it once a week for the rest of the campaign).
She ignores just how much this language raises hackles, because some of us remember Kerry's campaign and this kind of shit, frankly [my emphasis and pardon my French]:
Anyone want to hazard a guess as to the signal she's sending?
To some, it's the POW hand signal for coercion. I was ready to send SAR when seeing that one.
Heh. Good for you, Specialist! Huah!!!
-Blackfive, 1/20/2005If you require further convincing, that we need a fighter for civility among the GOP and not Hillarycare on the issue, check out Michelle Malkin (pic-link):
No shred of remorse, no second guess. And just as importantly, not even about John Kerry, anymore. Swiftboating is about Democrats. Wow.
