Ex-Air Force leader stumps for Dean

Manchester Union Leader ^ | January 18, 2004 | SHAWNE K. WICKHAM

[billorites]

The former head of the U.S. Air Force was in New Hampshire yesterday to describe his political change of heart: from supporting George Bush in the 2000 Presidential campaign to stumping for former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean this time around.

Retired Gen. Merrill “Tony” McPeak of Oregon, who was the Air Force chief of staff during the Persian Gulf war, spoke with veterans at an American Legion post in Manchester and with a group of Dean volunteers in Salem.

In an interview yesterday, McPeak said the Dean campaign had contacted him about three months ago, and after traveling with the former governor for several days on a campaign swing through Washington and Idaho, he signed on as part of Dean’s national security team.

A self-described former “veteran for Bush,” McPeak said he was already so angry with the Bush administration’s foreign and domestic policy that he had changed his registration from Republican to independent. He said he had heard from long-time friends overseas who were concerned with the direction the American administration was heading.

“I had to agree this was a very clumsy kind of amateur hour act in Washington,” he said.

McPeak said he disagrees with Dean’s positions on some issues, notably free trade, but agrees with him on many issues such as fiscal restraint, civil rights and job creation.

“I believe strongly in responsibility at the federal level,” McPeak said. “I don’t believe in running up a huge tab and then handing it to our grandchildren to pay. And Howard Dean absolutely exemplifies that approach. We can do whatever we want, but we pay for it.”

And he said he has deep concern about the loss of civil liberties under the Bush administration. “You don’t lock people away and throw away the key and let the Supreme Court decide two years later it doesn’t make sense,” he said.

McPeak’s campaign stops here coincided with tracking polls that show Dean facing strong challenges from retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark and Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, a Vietnam veteran.

[billorites]

Dean has McPeaked.

[glockmeister40]

Dean is our best bet. We should support him. Here's why: I want him to take control of the 'rat party from the clintons. There's no doubt he'll drive it into the ground. What I don't want is Clark getting the nomination. He'll pick hillary as his vp. If he would win the presidency, he should expect to have an accident, Ft. Marcy Park style or a "plane crash", Ron Brown style.

Hillary knows that Rudy Gullani will beat her in the 2006 senate race - she has to make her move now.

Dean will take the party away from the klintons and get his ass kicked in nov 2004. Rudy then beats hillary in 2006 and the klintons disappear down the sewer from whence they came.

[CasearianDaoist]

No wonder we are in such trouble with flag officers like this. I wonder if the Republican could trot out Stormin' Norman? I probably would not do it - too bad.

[cynicom]

"I believe strongly in responsibility at the federal level,” McPeak said. “I don’t believe in running up a huge tab and then handing it to our grandchildren to pay"

McPoop is living proof that becoming a general takes more politics than brains. Who does the general think is paying for wars past???? Good or bad, future generations ALWAYS pay for past wars. Does he think that the democrats have a war fund to pay the wars they have gotten us into? What an idiot.

[Right_in_Virginia]

The former head of the U.S. Air Force

Anyone know when he left?

[Gunrunner2]

Air Force members loathed McPeak. He left shortly after Clinton departed. Was replaced by the best Chief of Staff ever---Fogleman.
McPeak caved on every Clinton initiative because he was pushing to be Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. He didn't get the job from Bush---THAT is why he is against Bush.
McPeak is, in my opinion, a bit on the weird side
--Fanatic about weight (stick thin, looks like an AIDS sufferer).
--Egomaniac (designed the "new" USAF uniform that was rejected by the troops, rightly so, was awful and removed the "US" insignia from the uniform).
--Imperial (went ahead anyway and imposed the uniform anyway, "I don't care what the survey's say!"--As reported by a friend of mine in the room at the time when it was discussed).
--A ranter and screamer (like Dean. I always thought ranters and screamers were unbalanced).
--Arrogant to the point that even fighter pilots couldn't stand him, let alone lifters and support personnel.
--A complete a$$.
http://www.af.mil/bios/bio_6434.shtml

[Right_in_Virginia]

So, McPeak served under Clinton. Expected to get the Chief of Staff job under Bush.

I guess McPeak couldn't write a book...so following O'Neill's lead isn't possible.

Now it makes sense.

Thanks for all the information.

[Clara Lou]

Good post. Thanks for the info. I knew there had to be a Clinton link in this guy's background. His removing "US" from the uniform, though, was all I really needed to know what he is.

[Thor_Hammar]

Do the lunatics of the world have some sort of self-admiration society? (Perhaps the American Academy of Protologists?) McPeak? I'm surprised old Stubbing isn't backing Weasley Cluck. After all, both's troops were happy at their departures.

[Gunrunner2]

Thanks.

[Cvengr]

Might explain Dean's lack of height.

[Cvengr]

I wonder which one was the upper half?


Of course, we might be in real trouble if he had been drawn and quartered, there might be two other pieces of the puzzle not yet revealed,.....the horror, ...the horror.

[John.Cooch]

Yep,

As a member of the USAF I can tell you that McPeak was NOT a leader that was liked by the troops. He did it his way, which went against every bit of advice he got. McPeaks leadership is still haunting the USAF. He and Clark are the same. Generals in rank only.

[razorback-bert]

What was he going to replace the "US" insignia with?

A greyhound?

[SkyPilot]

Retired Gen. Merrill “Tony” McPeak

McPeak?! LOL!!

The guy was THE MOST HATED Air Force General----ever! That is no exaggeration. They guy was a nut! From his changing to the uniform, to his weird fitness and diet routines, to his back-biting, and his penchant for re-organizing everything every 10 minutes---he was universally despised!

[Gunrunner2]

"OUCH!" Actually, nothing. . .as the uniform would have no insignia whatsoever, except for some Navy-type rank.
No name tag and he took away the pockets and reduced the number of buttons from 4 to 3. Made the darned thing look positively like a Greyhound bus driver uniform. . .oops!