McCain's out front, and I'm pouring drinks...

[RadioFreeSeaLab]

His war hero status does not qualify him to be president.  I respect him for his actions on that front, it's his political record I have a problem with.  And his political record is what matters when I'm picking a president.

[Sawdust]

Hopefully people will start voting on actual issues, not on how likable a candidate is or how they look.

Right after pigs start flying.....

You beat me to it.
I realized we were truely doomed when there were polls after Komrade Klinton's election about how many soccer mom's voted for him because they wanted to play hide the cigar.  Nauseating.  We might as well start only nominating celebrities and get it over with.

See, everybody wants to be like California. 

Sawdust

[Finch]

Republicans are about to reap what the anti-war Right have sown.  That is, a split in the party.  Thanks, guys.   

You're welcome.

The Republican Party was once a party that didn't start/support useless, economy crushing wars. We are not Anti-war, we are Anti-stupid, unnecessary, useless, currency inflating, enemy making, wars. Of course we can totally hijack this thread getting into this again, and that is not what I intended to do. I just think that the Republican Party has left me. I became a Republican because of what the party once stood for. What we have now barely resembles that.

[MrRezister]

You're welcome.

The Republican Party was once a party that didn't start/support useless, economy crushing wars. We are not Anti-war, we are Anti-stupid, unnecessary, useless, currency inflating, enemy making, wars. Of course we can totally hijack this thread getting into this again, and that is not what I intended to do. I just think that the Republican Party has left me. I'm became a Republican because of what the party once stood for. What we have now barely resembles that.

Shush!
You're being all unpatriotic and crap.
You should know that it's always a good idea to blow up the countries where there might be people who look like bad guys.

[MechAg94]

http://www.thepeoplescube.com/red/viewtopic.php?t=1726

[Gewehr98]

i guess to be a real hero he needs to be on the front lines manning the barricades at the student union

Or he needs to *expletive deleted*che with patchouli, wear hemp, and handcuff himself to a Marine Recruiter's front door. 

[Tecumseh]

i guess to be a real hero he needs to be on the front lines manning the barricades at the student union

  He could be, he is as a leftist as any student I have ever met.  I am sure the GOP is so happy to have him.

[Perd Hapley]

Republicans are about to reap what the anti-war Right have sown.  That is, a split in the party.  Thanks, guys.   

  The majority of the GOP seems to believe that service to your country is what makes you worthy to be CIC....It seems that the majority of GOP members don't care and fall for the "I am a Veteran so vote for me," mantra that McCain spiels. 

   Because you know the GOP so well, huh?  Got any links-and-evidence to support this charge?  Did Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, Mark Levin and Sean Hannity suddenly leave the GOP and lose their whole audience?  Last I heard from them, they were slamming McCain pretty hard.  How about the fact that the majority of the GOP didn't vote for Kerry and Gore (Viet Nam veterans), but voted for George W. Bush, who "only" served in the Air National Guard?  Or all those Republicans who chose Perot over Dole?  Hmmm. 

 

Just as some fell for "I was in 9/11 so vote for me," type of speeches from Guiliani.  Hell some even fell for the "I am a Southern Gentleman so you should vote for me," campaign that Fred Thompson tried to pawn on us. 

Uh, you know they both bombed in the primaries, right? 

  They are some right wing pundits nothing more.

And that's the only response you could muster?

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

He could be, he is as a leftist as any student I have ever met.


got a very small circle of friends?  that a pretty funny line

[Paddy]

I thought a 'hero' was somebody who saved a lot of his buddies, or killed a bunch of the enemy in a courageous act.  McCain was captured and locked up for five years.  That's 'heroic'.......how?

[stevelyn]

Rome is about to burn.

[CAnnoneer]

I thought a 'hero' was somebody who saved a lot of his buddies, or killed a bunch of the enemy in a courageous act.  McCain was captured and locked up for five years.  That's 'heroic'.......how?

It is heroic in that he did not give in to the commies trying to make a propaganda coup out of him. Captured US personnel were generally tortured until they would make a public statement denouncing the US policy and involvement in Vietnam. He did not give them that, so he got tortured. In my book, that is heroic.

Let's not besmirch his war record just because as a politician he is a dirtbag pinko liberal liar. He has the right to draw on his war record, just as we have the right to bust him for his political record. "Thank you for your military service, but what have you done lately as a politician?"

[Bigjake]

Let's not besmirch his war record just because as a politician he is a dirtbag pinko liberal liar. He has the right to draw on his war record, just as we have the right to bust him for his political record. "Thank you for your military service, but what have you done lately as a politician?"

Exactly.  Audie Murphy could run for president, and if he had McCain's record, I'd vehemently oppose him as well, Medal of Honor and all.

[seeker_two]

I thought a 'hero' was somebody who saved a lot of his buddies, or killed a bunch of the enemy in a courageous act.  McCain was captured and locked up for five years.  That's 'heroic'.......how?

It is heroic in that he did not give in to the commies trying to make a propaganda coup out of him. 

....until he became a US Senator, that is.....

[Waitone]

Once McCain get the nomination we'll get some idea of what happened in North Vietnam.  From the time he was captive through to this day there were questions, stories, etc.  So no one has come out with definitive evidence of what happened. 

That said, this discussion demonstrates why I rely on what a candidate DID in the past in politics and WHO he gathers around him as he RUNS for office today.  Based on my criteria McCain is a clinker as a president.  No vote.

[Tecumseh]

I thought a 'hero' was somebody who saved a lot of his buddies, or killed a bunch of the enemy in a courageous act.  McCain was captured and locked up for five years.  That's 'heroic'.......how?

It is heroic in that he did not give in to the commies trying to make a propaganda coup out of him. Captured US personnel were generally tortured until they would make a public statement denouncing the US policy and involvement in Vietnam. He did not give them that, so he got tortured. In my book, that is heroic.

Let's not besmirch his war record just because as a politician he is a dirtbag pinko liberal liar. He has the right to draw on his war record, just as we have the right to bust him for his political record. "Thank you for your military service, but what have you done lately as a politician?"

  Its funny that you won't besmirch his record, but everyone was happy to besmirch John Kerry's record.

[El Tejon]

It's even worse than it seems--Riley is right!!!  Oh, no!

I'm cursing, throwing my briefcase and hitting my heavy bag more.

[MechAg94]

John Kerry dug his own grave by lying (mis-stating?) about his record first.  His record after he left Vietnam sort of went the opposite way.  I am not sure that is the same.

I have a lot of respect for McCain and what he went through while serving, but that doesn't change my opinion of him as Presidential material.  I do think "hero" is overused these days, at least in the media and politics.

[CAnnoneer]

Its funny that you won't besmirch his record, but everyone was happy to besmirch John Kerry's record.

War records are not born equal. McStain got captured and tortured and imprisoned for 5 years. Kerry showed up for 4 months just enough to collect a purple heart for a scratch, and ditched his unit under fire. Nice try though.

[Tecumseh]

Its funny that you won't besmirch his record, but everyone was happy to besmirch John Kerry's record.

War records are not born equal. McStain got captured and tortured and imprisoned for 5 years. Kerry showed up for 4 months just enough to collect a purple heart for a scratch, and ditched his unit under fire. Nice try though.

Keep thinking that.  Just because someone does not agree with you, does not mean they are wrong.

[Chris]

Let me say one thing, and abuse me if you like.  If McCain ends up in the Oval Office, his prior service, and his time as a POW may make for better decision making as the CIC.  Why?  I hope that someone who spent as much time as a POW as he did, and under those conditions, is less likely to make a decision to send troops int harms way on a whim, or for oil, or family revenge, etc.

[RadioFreeSeaLab]

Possibly, but McCain is also known for his terrible temper.  He apparently goes off the handle often.

[K Frame]

Keep thinking that.  Just because someone does not agree with you, does not mean they are wrong.

If that's all the better you can do, I suggest that you eject from this thread right now.

Kerry made an issue of his war record, or lack there of, and it came back to haunt the living hell out of him.

McCain's record is well documented, as are the activities he undertook that earned him the various medals he holds.

[MrRezister]

^ What Irwin said.  I've got all the respect in the world for McCain's service, but that doesn't mean I'm going to agree with his policies and stances on the issues I care about.  I had no problem with Kerry's service, but I had big problems with what he leveraged that service into, and I had more problems with his policies.  But fortunately, I've still got a chance to vote for a true Conservative in Mitt Rom.... what? 
You say he's out? 

Oh.

Darn.

[Finch]

Let me say one thing, and abuse me if you like.  If McCain ends up in the Oval Office, his prior service, and his time as a POW may make for better decision making as the CIC.  Why?  I hope that someone who spent as much time as a POW as he did, and under those conditions, is less likely to make a decision to send troops int harms way on a whim, or for oil, or family revenge, etc.

Yes, but the role of president encompasses much more. I have no doubt that he could make a decent military leader, but it doesn't mean the he will automatically be a decent president.