Senator McCain, you have made no qualms about using your military background for political gain. This is both expected and understandable. Your military experience speaks to your character and the many sacrifices you’ve made for this country. Any politician would be foolish not to milk it for everything it’s worth.
Unfortunately, Senator McCain, you assume that this experience gives you the right to exploit all members of the military, past and in present. This assumption is clearly misguided.
In the first presidential debate, you told a little story (that I heard you use once again today on the campaign trail) about a bracelet. Here are your words:
"And I'll tell you, I had a town hall meeting in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, and a woman stood up and she said, "Senator McCain, I want you to do me the honor of wearing a bracelet with my son's name on it."
"He was 22 years old and he was killed in combat outside of Baghdad, Matthew Stanley, before Christmas last year. This was last August, a year ago. And I said, "I will -- I will wear his bracelet with honor."
"And this was August, a year ago. And then she said, "But, Senator McCain, I want you to do everything -- promise me one thing, that you'll do everything in your power to make sure that my son's death was not in vain."
"That means that that mission succeeds...just like the mother I met at the airport the other day whose son was killed. And they all say to me that we don't want defeat."
You have a bracelet; good for you Senator. Guess who else has a bracelet... "that one". And fortunately, Senator Obama was able to remind us that one veteran’s mother doesn’t speak for them all. Shall I be accusing Obama of exploitation as well? Perhaps. Undoubtedly, he’s had his guilty moments. However, his offenses have been minimal. Comparing his guilt to yours is like comparing a jaywalker to a bank robber.
Of the egregious statements you’ve made, the one described above is relatively low on the list. Certainly the family members of those who’ve made the ultimate sacrifice have every right to voice their opinion. Your desire to exploit that opinion to make a political point is where you’ve failed miserably.
Here’s yet another ridiculous statement you made at that very same debate:
"General Petraeus invited Senator Lindsey Graham and me to attend a ceremony where 688 brave young Americans, whose enlistment had expired, were reenlisting to stay and fight for Iraqi freedom and American freedom.
I was honored to be there. I was honored to speak to those troops. And you know, afterwards, we spent a lot of time with them. And you know what they said to us? They said, let us win. They said, let us win. We don't want our kids coming back here."
This is a huge mistake. Don’t generalize. You speak of war like it’s a football game. I didn’t see any scoreboards at Camp Victory. Pulling out now doesn’t mean that we lose. Sure, some service members agree with your position on Iraq, and some agree with Senator Obama’s. You don’t speak for all of them. I volunteered to serve in Iraq, and extended my contract to do so. I can tell you Senator, I didn’t do it to win.
And now for your most reprehensible statement thus far:
"I know the veterans. I know them well. And I know that they know that I'll take care of them. And I've been proud of their support and their recognition of my service to the veterans.
And I love them. And I'll take care of them. And they know that I'll take care of them. And that's going to be my job."
This infuriates me Senator. You’re proud of my support? You don’t have my support. I don’t "know" that you’ll take care of me. Remember the GI Bill? Don’t think your opposition went unnoticed within the veteran community. As a veteran who’s currently attending college, I can tell that I followed that legislation very closely and was well aware of your compliance with the views of the Bush administration.
Several veterans support you. Several veterans support Senator Obama as well. Don’t assume that you have my support just because you’re a veteran.
"Character is Destiny". It’s the title of a book I own by none other than Senator John McCain. I once respected you sir. In the past few weeks, you’ve eroded that respect entirely. That book, along with an out-dated phone book, is now propping up my newly carved Jackolantern in the window sill.