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October 8, 2008
TAKING ON MCCAIN ON VETERANS' ISSUES.... In the first presidential debate a couple of weeks ago, John McCain boasted that he's always been a champion for veterans. I'll take care of them," he said. "And they know I'll take care of them." Unfortunately for McCain, facts keep getting in the way of the claim. In recent years, McCain's ratings from veterans' groups have been less than impressive. The Vietnam Veterans of America, for example, recently compiled a list of key votes, and found McCain voted against the group's position 15 times and with the group eight times. (Obama, in contrast, voted with the VVA 12 times, and against it only once.) What's more, the non-partisan Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) yesterday issued a new congressional report card. While Obama and Biden both earned B grades, McCain got a D -- one of only four senators to receive a D or below. (McCain also got a D on the IAVA ratings for the 109th Congress, too.) Coinciding with the release of the IAVA grades, VoteVets has unveiled a new television ad, featuring Iraq-war veteran Jason Bensley slamming McCain for skipping the vote on the expanded G.I. Bill. (For the record, I like the ad, but it neglects to mention that McCain also opposed the bill.) If you watch the spot, and I hope you will, pay particular attention to the reference to McCain's houses. I don't doubt that McCain will have an edge with a lot of veterans come November, by virtue of his service during the Vietnam war. But for those who actually look at the two candidates' Senate votes -- on the G.I. Bill, V.A. benefits, mental health care, etc. -- it's Obama who's demonstrated a more impressive legislative record on veterans' issues. —Steve Benen 2:25 PM Permalink | Trackbacks | Comments (23)Comments
It's great that this ad is being shown. McCan has gotten a free ride for far too long. McCain also tried to take credit for the bill once it passed. I am sure Jim Webb is thrilled about that. Posted by: Joe Klein's conscience on October 8, 2008 at 2:36 PM | PERMALINKI am a Vietnam veteran. Brown Water Navy. That guy sounds like he must have some terrorist friends someplace in his neighborhood. Better investigate. Posted by: tomeck on October 8, 2008 at 2:43 PM | PERMALINKWhere is the ad being aired? Is it in battleground states or is it just an on-line ad? Posted by: Lori on October 8, 2008 at 2:43 PM | PERMALINKHey: News Flash--Rachel Maddow is actually on MSNBC now on morning Joe!! Posted by: on October 8, 2008 at 2:44 PM | PERMALINKWhat a terrific ad! I had hoped during the first debate that when McCain said he supported vets, Obama would have brought up his voting record on vet issues. Posted by: SuzyF on October 8, 2008 at 2:45 PM | PERMALINKClearly - this vet is a traitor. If he wasn't; he would have re-signed up, and re-signed up, and re-signed up... SNARK. I hope he doesn't get some hate email\calls (the vet), yet - we know in today's wondrous "PALINATE" climate, he will get deluged. Posted by: sduffys on October 8, 2008 at 2:46 PM | PERMALINKDamn. How is that country first? This ad is good. Posted by: doubtful on October 8, 2008 at 2:48 PM | PERMALINKI don't doubt that McCain will have an edge with a lot of veterans come November, by virtue of his service during the Vietnam war. —Steve Benen Actually, if you look into the details of his service just prior to and during the Vietnam War I think a lot of "grunts," his POW status notwithstanding, would find little if anything in common with McCain. In fact, everything I've read says that McCain has no one but himself to blame for being shot down. Like a wrote before, he's just like Bush - a mediocrity that failed upward. Posted by: Jeff II on October 8, 2008 at 2:50 PM | PERMALINKMcCain got a D -- one of only four senators to receive a D or below. There are 100 Senators, so this placement is remarkably similar to McCain's ranking in the US Naval Academy. The guy's consistent, you have to give him that. McCain got a D -- one of only four senators to receive a D or below. There are 100 Senators, so this placement is remarkably similar to McCain's ranking in the US Naval Academy. The guy's consistent, you have to give him that. Of course, those aren't real veterans. Only the beer-bellied fucks at the Legion or VFW halls are real veterans. Just ask them. Posted by: thersites on October 8, 2008 at 2:56 PM | PERMALINKI will not vote for McCain. His hypocrisy in not supporting our Iraq and Afghanistan veterans while beating his breast about how the surge is working is disgusting to me. McCain is the only person I've ever seen who managed to void his own membership in The Brotherhood of Them What's Been Shot At. The whole active military-veteran-current GOP nexus has always been a mystery to me. Just how dumb are too many of these guys that Bush and "5 Deferment" Cheney got away making speeches to veterans groups without getting booed down? Just what is the matter with Kansas (and women, and veterans, and minorities, and . . .)? Posted by: Jeff II on October 8, 2008 at 2:57 PM | PERMALINKWow--great ad--Why isn't Obama using this stance more? It's so pertinent to who his opponent claims to be. Posted by: on October 8, 2008 at 2:59 PM | PERMALINKLORI: per Josh, it's being run mostly in Virginia. There's also this from TPM: VoteVets is also up with another spot attacking McCain over care for veterans, and the group says it's spending $350,000 to run its ads in Virginia, another $40,000 to run them in New Mexico, and another $700,000 on direct mail hitting McCain on this front. Looking at it from the other side, I always thought that Obama had a much better record on veterans' issues than anyone gave him credit for. Posted by: Allan Snyder on October 8, 2008 at 3:29 PM | PERMALINKRemember the guy at the Republican convention who held a big sign reading "McCain Votes Against Vets"? The TV cameras got a clear shot of him. Now when you consider how tight the security was at that convention, the fact that even one protester got through with a sign attacking McCain's record is impressive. He must have been powerfully motivated. Posted by: T-Rex on October 8, 2008 at 3:32 PM | PERMALINKMaybe some day, when America grows up, we will stop worshipping the military and do away with a standing army and only conscript soldiers and sailors in times of "real" wars, like WWII. Not wars of aggression to make the world safe for multi-national corporations. Posted by: The Conservative Deflator on October 8, 2008 at 4:06 PM | PERMALINKI belong the the Air Force Association. No, we are MSGT Ron Axley I looked at that IAVA release yesterday. McCain actually only voted against them once (on the updated GI Bill). He got a low grade because he no-showed on most of the other votes. Obama missed a few; he would have had an A or A+ otherwise. I find the IAVA claims a bit deceptive on those grounds. Posted by: Tim H on October 8, 2008 at 4:29 PM | PERMALINKThis Navy veteran ain't voting for McCain. I know Navy fighter pilots, I still work with them as a civilian, and the majority of them are sexist, racist, hotheaded, and can't stand to be wrong even when they're proven so. The military intelligence folks I know are largely Obama supporters. A survey of 4300 Military Times (Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marines) showed overwhelming support for McCain. Not sure I buy that given that the fundraising numbers indicate donations from active duty favor Obama over McCain 3 to 1. But here's an excerpt and link to the story anyhow. http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/10/military_poll_100508w/ Sen. John McCain enjoys overwhelming support from the military’s professional core, a Military Times survey of nearly 4,300 readers, indicates, though career-oriented black service members strongly favored the Democratic Party candidate. McCain, R-Ariz., handily defeated Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., 68 percent to 23 percent in a voluntary survey of 4,293 active-duty, National Guard and reserve subscribers and former subscribers to Army Times, Navy Times, Marine Corps Times and Air Force Times. ... McCain’s majority wanes among women and disappears altogether among black respondents. Posted by: Keori on October 8, 2008 at 5:12 PM | PERMALINKBoy, this one rocks McCain' socks! Bumbling,old fool that he is! Posted by: The Galloping Trollop on October 8, 2008 at 5:17 PM | PERMALINKThis Navy veteran ain't voting for McCain. I know Navy fighter pilots, I still work with them as a civilian, and the majority of them are sexist, racist, hotheaded, and can't stand to be wrong even when they're proven so. Posted by: Keori A friend who is a commercial pilot would second this. The airlines are lousy with ex-military pilots. Posted by: Jeff II on October 8, 2008 at 6:09 PM | PERMALINK
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