George McGovern Says McCain's War Experience Not a Qualification for the White House

The Boston Globe ^ | July 8, 2008 | Susan Milligan

[2ndDivisionVet]

He was a fighter pilot in World War II, bombing targets in Europe to stop Hitler. But former Senator and 1972 Democratic presidential nominee George McGovern says that didn't qualify him to run the country--and the same goes for GOP presumptive nominee John McCain.

``I don't have any regrets about that,'' the antiwar Democratic stalwart said in a brief interview yesterday on Capitol Hill. ``While bombing is a terrible thing, we smashed Hitler's oil refineries all over Europe.''

``But I don't recall ever saying that experience as a bomber pilot equipped me to be very strong on how to run a war, how to command the armed forces,'' said McGovern, who will turn 86 on July 18.

Retired General Wesley Clark, a onetime candidate for president himself, raised ire when he said recently that McCain's experience in Vietnam--while laudable--did not qualify him to be commander-in-chief. While noting that he honored McCain's service -- including his years as a prisoner-of-war--Clark said late last month that McCain has not held ``executive responsibility,'' and added, ``I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president.''

The remarks on CBS's ``Face the Nation'' were immediately derided by McCain's supporters. But McGovern said Clark had it right.

``I think General Clark was misunderstood,'' McGovern said Tuesday evening as he visited the House chamber where he once served. ``He wasn't belittling [McCain] at all.''

McGovern, who remains a fervent anti-hunger_activist, was in town to present an award to Representative Jim McGovern [no relation to the former senator] for the Worcester Democrat's own contributions to fighting hunger. The_younger McGovern last year lived a week on $3 worth of food_a_day--approximately the amount allowed to individuals receiving food stamps -- to underscore the struggle hungry Americans face daily.

[2ndDivisionVet]

The reporter doesn't know the difference between a fighter aircraft and a bomber (see first sentence) but somehow SHE is qualified to write news articles in a major metropolitan newspaper. Have they no editors? We can expect every democrat that ever wore a military uniform to pile on and agree with General Wesley Clark in the next few weeks, which confirms for me that Team Obama put him up to his statement. IMO, they've miscalculated and this will hurt them amongst "bitter clingers", Reagan democrats and the GOP base. How do you see it?

[geo40xyz]

Absolutely nothing qualifies George McGovern to ever be President...

[FlingWingFlyer]

I thought McGovern was dead? Who the hell is channeling this guy anyway?

[bray]

Go easy on him, after all he won 1 state.

Pray for W and Our Troops

[EagleUSA]

McGovern cannot stand the FACT that his candidate is a total loser when it comes to the military, national defense, foreign policy, or the ability to MAKE ANY HARD QUALIFIED DECISIONS about the use of our military, how it works, or ANYTHING about it.

Choke on it McGovern. Support your pathetic commie nobody of a candidate.

[monkeycard]

Nothing qualifies nobama.

[doc1019]

Have they no editors?

Doesn’t matter, as long as she is pushing the party line.

[texson66]

“The reporter doesn’t know the difference between a fighter aircraft and a bomber (see first sentence)”

Lots of fighter planes bombed tactical targets in WWII and later, but McG was a bomber pilot of a B-17

[PaleoBob]

People who are in favor of McCain winning in November should welcome this seemingly unending attack on his war and military record. If McCain is perceived as a heroic military figure (rather than as the pandering politician he has often been) he is likely to get a lot of the “undecideds” who vote on emotion rather than reason or even thought-out self-interest. I don’t understand why the Rats keep reminding everyone of McCain’s heroic service. Self-defeating personality disorder must run rampant among the unhinged.

[xrmusn]

McGovern DID prove that being a combat pilot was NOT a sure ticket to the White House.

[Bahbah]

How do you see it?

McCain isn't basing his run for the presidency solely on the fact that he flew attack planes and survived the Hanoi Hilton. He's basing it on his idea of service, and while some of that service post-military ticks me off, I think this line of attack by Obama will not help and is more likely to hurt him.

[Gay State Conservative]

Refesh our memories,Georgie....was it 14 electoral votes back in ‘72?

[Army Air Corps]

McGovern is still alive? I thought that he crossed the Stygian waters long ago.

[sphinx]

Wassa matter? You never saw B-17’s dogfighting before?

[TRY ONE]

“Nothing qualifies nobama.”

To Libs, speaking (i.e. BS flinging) is what qualifies one to be President. That's reason # 34 why they hate Bush -— since he can't talk properly in their eyes.

Yep, to elitist Libs, speaking high brow BS is the key to everything!

[tips up]

Did he say the same about the haughty John Kerry “reporting for duty” at the Dim convention?

[2ndDivisionVet]

That’s what I meant: I know that fighter-bombers had a big part in the war, but a B-17 Flying Fortress isn’t a fighter-bomber.

[doc1019]

He did, but no one has bothered to tell him. ;-)

[fkabuckeyesrule]

Well all I can say is we should remember what these dems are saying trashing McCain’s military service. They are saying that service does not qualify him for political office. Because we know that in future years the dems will run Iraq/Afghanistan War vets so we can thank Harkin, Clark, Rangel and McGovern for informing us that being in the military is absolutely no qualification at all for public office.

[don-o]

George McGovern?

I read somewhere he had been turned into a zombie.

[Lakeshark]

It's a simple calculation for Obama. He doesn't have one thing that anyone can say qualifies him to seek the Presidency. This is why they are claiming McCain has no qualifications, they think if they say that McCain isn't qualified enough times then their most glaring weakness won't be noticed.

Very Clintonian.

[eyedigress]

Community Organizer is the new litmus test for the left.

[IronJack]

George McGovern Says McCain's War Experience Not a Qualification for the White House

Begs a few questions ...

1) What credibility could George "Worst Defeat in Presidential History" McGovern possibly have regarding fitness for the Chief Executive?

2) If McCain's EXPERIENCE does not qualify him for the presidency, how does Nobama's INEXPERIENCE qualify HIM?

3) How does serving honorably in the armed forces and making extreme sacrifices for one's country NOT serve as an indication of patriotism and integrity, which, while not recommendations for the White House per se, certainly bespeak a high moral integrity?

[boop]

"Did he say the same about the haughty John Kerry “reporting for duty” at the Dim convention?"

No. Serving in the military as a requirement for higher office depends on which party's nominee has done so. 1988-GHWB's service not an issue. Dukakis "speaking five languages" makes him qualified. 1992-GHWB's service not an issue. Clinton's non-service and anti-military loathing not an issue. 1996-Dole's service not an issue, plus he's "too old" 2000-Gore being in Vietnam as a reporter makes him a war hero. GWB-"avoided service" while in TANG 2004-Kerry's shooting a 14 year old VC in the back makes him a war hero, therefore qualified. GWB- AWOL while in TANG per the Killian forgeries. 2008-McCain serving honorably and 5 years in the Hanoi Hilton, with 25 years in congress= not qualified. B.Hussein 3 months in the US Senate before deciding to run for president= presidential material.

[2ndDivisionVet]

"McGovern DID prove that being a combat pilot was NOT a sure ticket to the White House."

The difference in 1972 was that President Nixon was also a wartime veteran (Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Navy 1942-45) so the veteran issue didn't differentiate between the two men, only their policies did.

[Sooth2222]

McGovern flew a B24 Liberator. His bomber was named "Dakota Queen", something one probably wouldn't name a bomber today.

I respect his service, but McGovern lost his marbles years ago.

[zencat]

Strictly speaking, being a fighter pilot isn’t automatic qualification. Most people realize this.

However, one must be a US military officer to be a pilot, requiring leadership and service to country, which is a damn good start.

[Retired Chemist]

American voters thought McGovern wasn’t qualified to be President. Case closed.

[BatGuano]

McGovern's service is his to be proud of and for all of us to be thankful for. That said, he is showing more signs of losing more of his faculties every time he makes a statement like this. I was a B-52 pilot and, although I did not fly any combat missions, I was qualified to command an airplane whether it be on a training mission, an airborne alert mission, or on a mission of nuclear war. Thankfully the latter did not happen or you would have read about it. John McCain flew a single seat, single engine fighter in combat. He “hung his a$$ out”, risked his life, was captured and showed more character during captivity than Wesley Clark has ever shown or Barack Hussein Obama will ever show in their lifetimes. “Team Obama” is barking up the wrong tree if they think that this tactic will be successful. I submit that flying an airplane is more qualifying for ANYTHING than organizing a community program!

[Jaguarmike]

I don’t care what the polls say, Americans simply do not trust Democrats on national security. Mc Govern, of all people, should understand this, since his 1972 landslide defeat marked the official beginning of that era.

[FFranco]

Was McGovern a real warrior, or a phony warrior like Kerry? It’s hard to believe any liberals actually have the warrior gene.

[tflabo]

Excuse me Mr. Loser McG but didn’t your DemRat party in 2004 nominate JF’n Kerry because of his “military experience’.... ‘reporting for duty’ canard he spoke at the DNC convention? So now McCain (a true war hero) is not qualified by military experience? Which twisted side of the Lib mind will it be then?

[Doctor Raoul]

SOme a-hole Democrat was slamming McCain because he "dropped bombs from high altitude and didn't see who they hit".

Dipstick Dems don't realize that is an accurate description for McGovern. B-24 were "precison high altitude daylight bombers". Only they weren't as precise as McCain's A-4 Skyjawk and McCain went in at much lower altitude.

Ignorance and arrogance, the twin hallmarks of a liberal Democrat.

[BatGuano]

How true, how true. After active duty, I flew F-84s for the Ohio ANG. The media (Dan Blather) made a big deal about GW Bush missing drills etc. which was really a non issue for those who have been involved in Guard duty. One can miss drills as long as they are made up at a later date and all the squares are filled for training and annual flying requirements are met. The Democrat/liberals hate the military so much that they cannot open their eyes or ears to see or listen to basic facts of how we operate. I usually say “Screw Em, they are not worth the bother”, but so many people, who are not aware or informed, take the media's and left-winger’s crap for gospel and we must change that!

I almost threw up when I heard about the “Reporting for Duty” line at the DEM convention. Sure did backfire on him.

[tips up]

Well said!

[pfflier]

He flew B-24s

[hinckley buzzard]

The reporter doesn't know the difference between a fighter aircraft and a bomber (see first sentence) but somehow SHE is qualified to write news articles in a major metropolitan newspaper

That immediately jumped out at me too, idiot eastcoast slut.

My father was a 50 mission B-17 pilot over Germany and he wouldn't have bothered to stop to spit on George McGovern.

[ken21]

the wesley clark attack failed,

so the democrat operatives

decided to have mcgovern present the same message again.

both messages hide al obama’s no experience. none. nada.

[Locomotive Breath]

he was a fighter pilot in World War II, bombing targets in Europe to stop Hitler.

Well someone who flew the P-47 was a fighter pilot who also dropped bombs in the ground attack role. So that sentence could be true for the P-47. Problem is, George McGovern flew the B-24 which is strictly a bomber so the reporter is full of crap.

[GunnyB]

McG was a bomber pilot of a B-17

He was actually a B-24 Pilot.

[hinckley buzzard]

Go easy on him, after all he won 1 state.

Good point. The senile dork is clearly an expert on the qualifications to be president.

[keepitreal]

“I’m Barack Obama and I approve this message....until I don’t.”

[Dahoser]

If Weasley simply said, "Being a fighter pilot or being in the military is not a qualification to be president," no one would have said very much about it. However, he said, "I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president." That's nasty and insulting.

[BARLF]

``But I don't recall ever saying that experience as a bomber pilot equipped me to be very strong on how to run a war, how to command the armed forces,'' said McGovern

Has McCain said his experience as a bomber pilot equiped him to be president?

[Fudd Fan]

Another babbling obammy shill.

[Interesting Times]

The automatic reply should be: “And what experience does Obama have?”

[oust the louse]

Bringing out the deadwood. I gotta believe they gave him his talking points to which he replied...”Hey I never got these when I was employed in Washington”.

[Let's Roll]

Well, military experience was certainly important when the perfumed prince weasley was running though, wasn’t it?

[yldstrk]

who cares?

[Graybeard58]

Clark said late last month that McCain has not held ``executive responsibility,

As opposed to Obama's vast experience.