Posted on 07/18/2015 10:33:05 PM PDT by Kazan
Donald Trump appears to have gotten under the skin of not only Democrats, but also fellow Republicans and the news media. Has that subjected Trump, a Republican presidential candidate, to unfair and/or inaccurate reporting?
An article in the Washington Post today is headlined, Trump slams McCain for being captured in Vietnam.
The articles lead sentence states, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump slammed Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), a decorated Vietnam War veteran, on Saturday by saying McCain was not a war hero because he was captured by the North Vietnamese [emphasis added].
Is this report accurate?
In fact, Trumps actual quote is the opposite of what is presented in the Posts first sentence.
Discussion
1. The Post did not provide context at the outset disclosing that McCain and Trump have been feuding, with McCain characterizing some Trump supporters as crazies and Trump stating that McCain graduated last in his class in Annapolis. The charged rhetoric continued at the conservative Family Leadership Summit in Ames, Iowa this weekend.
2. When a panelist characterized McCain as a war hero, the Post is accurate in reporting that Trump initially said McCain is not a war hero. But then, Trump immediately modified his statement saying four times that McCain is a war hero:
He is a war hero.
Hes a war hero because he was captured.
Hes a war hero, because he was captured.
I believe, perhaps, hes a war hero. But right now, hes said some very bad things about a lot of people.
3. Did Trump say McCain is not a war hero because he was captured? No, not in the exchanges represented in the Post.
4. Is the Posts characterization an accident? It would appear not, because it is repeated in the Posts caption of the video clip, which also states: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), a decorated Vietnam war veteran, was not a war hero because he was captured by the North Vietnamese [emphasis added].
Further, in the Posts second sentence, Trump is quoted as stating of McCain, Hes not a war hero Hes a war hero because he was captured, but the article selectively left out the phrase Trump had uttered in between: He is a war hero.
Conclusion (Two Little Devils: Factual errors, mischaracterization, misinterpretation)
Trump actually said the opposite of what the Post lead sentence and video caption claim. The Post might have been able to get away stating that Trump implied McCain was not a war hero because McCain was captured, but even that would have been a subjective interpretation since Trump had actually stated the opposite.
Its true that Trump stated one time that McCain is not a war hero. But Trump stated four times that McCain is a war heroand that was not accurately characterized in the article.
For interpreting and characterizing Trumps true quote in a way that is at best questionable, and for selectively using some quotes and leaving others out, the Post receives Two Little Devils. (Ratings scale at end of article.)
Obviously, all are free to draw conclusions about any candidate or politician. But the news media has a responsibility to do its best to report accurately and fairlyeven when reporters find a candidate and/or his positions to be personally distasteful.
I wasn't in during. Nam I went in a few years after it ended. But we lost pilots due to crashes. Some were landing on the flight deck some were taking off and the planes engines flamed out. The worst one was a Hoover {S-3} that caught the last arresting cable one night landing. Mans skull went into the side of the ship upon jetison. Such was the 1970's life on a carrier.
Some of us have a stricter definition of a hero and not willing to accept your definition of it. The Right also have their own sacred cows they protect against any truth telling. Not everyone who serve is a hero.
What I see here is the Right engaging in political correctness
And we were being so nice and lenient in regards to bad behavior.
Donald Trump, when criticizing the service of an American who was captured and tortured as a POW after flying 22 bombing missions in Vietnam, said, “He’s not a hero...I like people that weren’t captured.” The man Trump was talking about had earned a Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, Navy Commendation Medal and quite a few other awards.
Trump’s socialist supporters continue to spit on those who served their country out of fear that Governor Scott Walker will become president and cut the big government spending that goes into their salaries and pensions. Walker is the only candidate with a real record of cutting much big government spending in his own state.
McLame *earned* ?????? all those things ?!
The way I heard it, his daddy bought them for him ~
Is John Kerry a war hero?
He did serve in Nam and was awarded 3 Purple Hearts.
Donald Trump said in reference to POWs, “I like people that werent captured.”
Some of you fail to understand the importance of that, and I know why. Good public affairs is much more important than believed to be by many vain political class folks receiving incomes from big civilian government spending.
Why do the proprietors of the Hanoi Hilton refer to McCain as “Songbird”?
I think McCain has a point. John McCain is a war hero because he was captured. Compared with the late Adm. Jerimiah Denton, his feats of heroism in the POW camps were not apparent. This compared with Sen. Denton who when interviewed as a POW blinked out the word “torture” on tv. The North Vietnamese didn’t catch on.
Future reference.
I lost any admiration and confidence I had in McCain years ago.
McCain can be both a war hero AND a terrible politician. I thank him for his military service and sacrifice but wish he’d retire from politics.
McCain can be both a war hero AND a terrible politician. I thank him for his military service and sacrifice but wish he’d retire from politics.
“Donald Trump Attacks John McCain’s Vietnam War Service - Donald Trump Family Leadership Summit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlCIzW-i28E&feature=youtu.be&t=15s “
thanks
Correct, just as Benedict Arnold was a war hero for the battle of Saratoga and later became a traitor over a piece of tail.
Arnold was renowned for several actions over a period of time. His notable actions included the Capture of Fort Ticonderoga in 1775, defensive and delaying tactics despite losing the Battle of Valcour Island on Lake Champlain in 1776, the Battle of Ridgefield, Connecticut (after which he was promoted to major general), operations in relief of the Siege of Fort Stanwix, and key actions during the pivotal Battles of Saratoga in 1777.
BUT, with all of that, he will always be the iconic figure of a traitor because of his reversing sides.
To me, McCain’s time in the HH deserves the same footnotes as Arnold’s accomplishments, but his dereliction of duty as a public servant is far more damaging to this country. His latest is he used his power to secretly meet with our new enemy (ISIS) and tried to sell them to us as allies. The ironic thing is that they got their weapons to use against us through Obama and Hitlery through the illegal actions in Libya.
AMEN, to all of your examples given!
The point is they’re stalking all 15+ candidates for slip ups until only Jeb remains. This is the next 12 months of news.
Like the Bruce Jenner 'courage thing', admitting you voted Independent against the GOP (and for Obama), speaks volumes as to who you really are.
"I am not a fan of John McCain because he has done so little for our Veterans and he should know better than anybody what the Veterans need, especially in regards to the VA. He is yet another all talk, no action politician who spends too much time on television and not enough time doing his job and helping the Vets. He is also allowing our military to decrease substantially in size and strength, something which should never be allowed to happen.
Furthermore, he was extremely disrespectful to the thousands upon thousands of people, many of whom happen to be his constituents, that came to listen to me speak about illegal immigration in Phoenix last week by calling them "crazies".
These were not "crazies"---these were great American citizens.
I have great respect for all those who serve in our military including those that weren't captured and are also heroes.
I want to strengthen our military and take care of our Veterans. I want to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN especially for those that serve to protect our freedom. I am fighting for our Veterans....
Sharyl Attkisson with Robert W Brooks.
That's an insult to real war heroes. My father got drafted in WW2, dismissed for flat feet. War hero or good talker? What about those "war heroes" who because of connections served their time during Viet Nam at a recruiter's desk? War heroes or real sickos who would encourage others to fight in a war when they wouldn't?
McCain served, he might or might not have done some heroics during his service and capture, but he's no hero. Look at all the damage he's done to the US and globally since. I submit that McCain is a self-involved traitor who has done irreparable damage to the US, and perhaps all of civilization.
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