Posted on 02/07/2008 9:27:03 PM PST by PhilDragoo
Ever since John McCain won the South Carolina and Florida Republican primaries, the Internet has been awash (ablaze is probably a better word) with assertions, arguments, and proof that he is not a conservative. See, for example, Straight Talk About The Straight-Talker.
In the last few days, however, a few commentators have revived long-standing speculation about whether McCain’s non-conservative positions and conduct are rooted in something much darker than mere opportunism or closet liberalism. Some have even characterized McCain as a Vietnam War “Manchurian Candidate”—after the title of the famous 1959 novel by Richard Condon, and the subsequent movie of the same name.
In essence, The Manchurian Candidate tells of an American POW from the Korean War who is brainwashed by the Chinese communists. When, back in the United States, he is flashed the Queen of Diamonds, he becomes a lethal killing machine in service of his mother’s and her husband’s political ambitions.
The term “Manchurian Candidate” has found its way into the American lexicon to mean someone whose mind has been tinkered with, so as to make him do the bidding of the forces that brainwashed him.
Although it is absurd to think that John McCain was brainwashed by the communists into becoming a Manchurian Candidate during his five-plus years of captivity in North Vietnam, there is some circumstantial evidence to suggest that something may have occurred there that the now-presumptive Republican presidential nominee may not want disclosed.
And if that is true, there is a dagger aimed at the heart of his potential candidacy, and thus at our nation, by the ascendancy of Hillary Clinton.
At the threshold, it needs to be said that for every critical question about McCain’s conduct in North Vietnam, and afterwards, there is an arguably benign answer.
Soon after being shot down on October 26, 1967 in the middle of Hanoi, McCain asked for medical attention and promptly received it at a North Vietnamese military hospital. Was it because he quickly told his captors who his father was, as his detractors claim? Was it because he was so badly injured, as his supporters contend? Or for some other reason(s)?
Even though no returning POW reported that he had been interrogated by non-Vietnamese communist intelligence or security agents who identified themselves as such, there is considerable circumstantial evidence, and at least three pieces of direct evidence, that some had been. Indeed, McCain himself has admitted that he was interviewed by at least one “French” reporter, that he had a discussion with “ a famous North Vietnamese writer” about Ernest Hemingway, that unspecified “others came to find out about life in the United States” that one of them “was Gen. Vo Nguyen Giap, the hero [!] of Dienbienphu,” and that indeed, “[m]any [unspecified] visitors came to talk to me”
During those interviews, literary discussions, cultural conversations, and military dialogues, did McCain disclose information that he should not have, as his detractors claim? Or did he not, as his supporters contend? (For the record, neither McCain nor any other POW should be criticized for whatever information, however sensitive, they may have given up under torture.)
As a United States Senator, McCain joined with colleague John Kerry to choke off an official inquiry into the fate of American MIAs. Was it because McCain had something personal to hide and/or like Kerry was trying to facilitate restoration of normal relations with the communists, as his detractors claim? Or because he honestly believed the Vietnamese had not withheld any American servicemen, as his supporters contend? Or for some other reason(s)?
McCain was instrumental in having Congress seal the debriefings of all returned prisoners of war. Was it because of legitimate privacy concerns? Or did his and others’ debriefings inculpate him because of his conduct in captivity.
One can speculate about how many people know the answer to such questions.
But one thing is certain.
John McCain knows the answers.
Putting aside that morally the American people have a right to know those answers right now—during the Republican primaries for the presidency of the United States—there is a crucially important practical reason as well.
It is likely that the Clintons are laying in wait for McCain to become the Republican candidate. If they possess damaging answers to these and related questions, the Clinton Machine will use them to destroy John McCain, not as a primary candidate, but, if he is nominated, as the anointed Republican standard bearer in November.
We need to ask only two questions: If damaging information does exist about McCain, could the Clintons have it and, if they do, will they use it?
It is not widely known that when Bill Clinton’s last term as Arkansas governor was ending, consideration was given to Hillary succeeding him. For strategic reasons, she passed.
Can anyone doubt that the Clinton’s game plan, from the beginning of Bill’s quest for the White House, was that Hillary would follow his presidency with one of her own?
Accordingly, the Clintons being the Clintons, it can be assumed that at least from their first days in the White House they began to amass intelligence about Hillary’s potential rivals years down the line. Certainly, John McCain had to have been on that list.
The Vietnamese, with whom President Clinton normalized relations, had McCain’s POW files.
The government, of which Clinton was the Chief Executive, had the Vietnam POW debriefing files.
Perhaps the President could have obtained the Vietnamese files. Certainly the debriefing files were only a phone call or email away.
Remember that nearly a thousand FBI files, mostly about Republicans, somehow wound up in the White House, with some flunky personnel director taking the fall for the Clintons.
If the Clinton Machine has damaging information about McCain’s time as a POW, and about his conduct in POW/MIA affairs during his tenure in Congress, will they use it?
To ask the question is to answer it.
Remember how the Clintons dealt with Monica Lewinsky and Bill’s other women (as well as Linda Tripp)? Remember how just two weeks ago they used Obama’s self-admitted drug use and legal representation of a slumlord? Remember the Clintons’ attacks on the reputations of others who were threats to them?
While McCain is immune to the Queen of Diamonds—whatever he is, John McCain is no Manchurian Candidate!—still, he is not immune to the slash-and-burn tactics of Bill and Hillary Clinton.
As much as John McCain has been injured before, Bill and Hillary Clinton—those pustules on the American body politic—may be poised to teach him another painful lesson.
Unless, that is, he makes a preemptive strike by releasing heretofore sealed records, exercises as much damage control as he can, and thus avoids being sandbagged during the post-primary election campaign.
The Clintons are out there, aiming for John McCain just as surely as was the SAM missile that brought him down into Hanoi’s Western Lake.
Henry Mark Holzer, professor emeritus at Brooklyn Law School, is a constitutional and appellate lawyer. His most recent book 'The Supreme Court Opinions of Clarence Thomas (1991-2006)' has just been published. He maintains a website at www.henrymarkholzer.com
I am thinking about it myself !!
A real LOSE-LOSE situation! :(
Depends who you think shot the elephant, and who the elephant is. I think McCain shot the GOP base, who does not want to reward him.
btrl
Huckabee’s chances are nil. He’s been shilling for the VP spot for a month now and is a bigger liberal than McCain on everything except the Fair Tax stance. Even Romney would have had to get 83% of the rest of the delegates to beat McCain to capture the convention. Enjoy the rest of the ride, but don’t kid yourself.
I just really don't want to have to vote for McCain. (In fact, I don't think I can vote for him)- So Huckabee scoring a miraculous win would be much better.
Too bad Huckabee and Romney couldn't find a way to put aside their differences and take on McCain together for the sake of our nation, as well as the Republican party.
This author raises some interesting points and we all know the Clinton War Room is working overtime gleening whatever from the FBI Files and likely the sealed POW files.
McCain, no stranger to attacking his opponents, does hold a card up his sleeve... The Barrett Report. Who knows what danger lurks in those redacted pages? Any sitting legislator is allowed to view and release that info.
It was suggested recently that the Barrett Report could be a factor in Kennedy, Kerry et al endorsing Osama (oops!) Obama. I wouldn’t doubt any of these scumbags were above blackmailing their “dear friends”.
This, IMHO, is gonna be the dirtiest campaign season this country has ever seen. And given all the crap that has taken place these past few years, maybe some eyes will finally be opened to all the shenanigans from both political camps.
Another point, there seems to be an unusually large number of Congresscritters pulling the plug and calling it quits. Just maybe the excrement is about to hit the fan and they all know it and don’t want any part of it.
My guess, based on his lurch leftward for some time, is that he has already been blackmailed to be the Dims opponent. That is probably enough, ya know? He will explode, as is his nature, all on his own. If Romney is the VP, it would erode his future legitimacy as well.
Just to add one more curious coincidence to this article: McCain’s downing in Vietnam happened on Hillary Clinton’s 20th birthday (October 26, 1967). These two were somehow fated for this election, I’m afraid. Our country is going to be the loser, one way or the other.
This is already way beyond ugly; IMO McNutz was always vulnerable to this kind of attack because it hit him where he is most well known: his POW Hero status.......turn your opponents assets into liabilities.
The fact that John Dole was a member of the Keating Five in one of our last banking meltdowns has been forgotten for the time being by the media just like Ted Kennedy's driving record.
McCain is long accustomed, and tempermentally well suited, to mean, ugly, high sticking, late hitting, inside politics. While the opposition may well have stuff on him that would take down most candidates, he'll hit right back.
But as you say, he's also long accustomed to playing to the national left leaning media. I'm not sure he's ready for the day, about a month out, when his fawning press suddenly turns on him like a pack of rabid hyenas.
I believe that's what the MSM is banking on. In reality, the MSM created the "maverick image" for Johnny boy and he loved it. So much so he would do whatever it took to perpetuate that image.
IMHO, they've been setting him up for "the fall" for a long time and still are. Just take a look at the recent cover of Time magazine.
They are all too well aware of his temper and when they turn on him, he'll feel "cheated" and get nasty about it.
All on prime time television. The MSM is banking on it.
And Johnny boy and the GOP will come across looking like total idiots.
Up against his temper tantrums Hitlery and/or Obama will look like saints. Voilà, the liberal media will have what they want. A "black eye" the GOP will possibly take years to over come.
bump to all that!
Yep! When McCain is CEMENTED as the nominee, the Media
and ALL the Liberals will trash McLame like last week’s pizza!
BET on it !!
yep!
bump !!
Not just Time but Newsweek also had a fawning McCain cover just in time for Super Tuesday with a old picture of him looking dashing in his Navy uniform and a recent photoshopped one of him looking presidential. Both Time and Newsweek were all but screaming, “Vote for this guy, useful Republican idiots!” Anybody who doesn’t think the MSM has the goods on McCain, big time, is dreaming.
Imagine the covers of Time and Newsweek in a couple months. Something tells me they won’t bother to photoshop.
They won't have to photoshop anything. Just let his big, foul mouth take care of everything for them.
When they drop him like an worn out old shoe his foul mouth will take care of the rest.
Then they'll get what the want.
I always felt that Craig Livingstone was brushed under the rug much too quickly, dismissed as just a former bouncer who somehow became Hillary's gofer in the WH. I would bet there is more to that guy than was revealed. One doesn't get that close to the Clintons by accident.
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