Hearing the details of John McCain's tragic Hanoi story made me feel very proud of the man. Pride in humanity, our armed forces; proud that McCain is American. I first heard the tale in 1999 (or 2000 I forget) and instantly I knew that I would prefer John McCain over George Bush any day.
McCain was hungry, tortured, in ill health, and offered a chance at freedom and he decided to stay in that hell hole. What an amazing story! Would that I had the courage to willingly choose prolonging agony because of principle.
This experience of McCain's, however, becomes lessened when the man himself continuously brags over it. It cheapens what is a great American story.
Let me be clear that I believe he deserves accolades over his term in a POW camp. However, he deserves utter repudiation for using that experience to somehow shape the decision of the upcoming election.
What is the argument here? McCain was shot down over Hanoi and stayed imprisoned for a number of years. The choice to stay was heroic but otherwise his experience in no way prepared him to become president.
If you were to say, "but it shows his character" I would simply reply that it showed what his character was at the time. What shows his character today is the fact that he uses his ordeal to further his ambitions. This is an ugly thing to do and tarnishes both his name and the act itself.
If he had any sort of shame at all he would at least let some surrogates weasel their way onto the MSM and keep his mouth shut about it unless directly asked. Yet, much like Guiliani regarding 9/11, McCain mentions his Vietnam experience at every chance he gets.
McCain's stump speech: Petreus, victory, surge, Hanoi Hilton, Vietnam, Vietnam, Vietnam.
Much like Guiliani, McCain knows he offers the people nothing but the failed domestic and foreign policy of George Bush and thus must rely heavily on his background. Much like Guiliani, people will see what a hollow shell John McCain truly has become. Whatever character the courageous young McCain held in Vietnam has long since expired. 20+ years in the U.S. Senate will do that to anyone.