CNN to Clark: How come Kerry's “physical courage” qualified him but McCain's doesn’t?

Hot Air ^ | 2:53 pm on July 2, 2008 | Allahpundit

[rocksblues]

One of the dumbest things about the Clark kerfuffle is that because there are so many elements of military service that people respect, the narrow critique he’s offering against McCain seems almost beside the point. I see service mainly as a testament to character and fortitude; others see it as evidence of good judgment, and others as an important lesson for a C-in-C to have (i.e. “experience”) before committing other men to war. So far as I know, McCain has never staked his own wartime ordeal to any one of these, preferring to let voters draw whatever they find most virtuous from his story. Clark, however, is acting like he has basically staked it to one — namely, “executive experience,” as though McCain’s claiming his beatings from the Vietcong somehow turned him into a strategic genius or, at a minimum, a Romneyesque managerial prodigy.

[rocksblues]

Stupid is as Stupid does! Must view video.

[Domandred]

It’s pretty obvious to me, it takes more courage to shoot ones self to get out with a purple heart then it does to fly an airplane over enemy territory. (/sarcasm of course).

[PhillyRepublican]

Physical courage? Must be thinking of Sen. “BOB” Kerry, not “I was in Cambodia (but not really)” John Kerry.
As for the Junior Senator from Massachusets’ courage, they should refer to the Swiftboat veterans’ accounts.

[Jeff Head]

Wesley Clark is a paid political hack and lackey who is so crosswise with his own pronouncements that he cannot untabngle himself from them.

He uses his own military career for purely political brown nosing purposes and has clerly staged this "attack" on McCain with the Obamanation to give Obama a chance to tout "patriotism" and take the high road while his surrogate trashes a man that neither one of them are worthy to so much as tie the bootlaces of when it comes to service to country and sacrifice for country.

Obama haas shown by his willful associations of long standing that he is a militant anti-American and abject Marxist. His is unworthy of the name patriot, and I will not soil it and disrespect and shame the reputation and honor of true patriots, who served and sacrificed greatly for this country out of their love for it, to call a charlatan like Obama patriot or patriotic.

BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA WILL CHANGE THE WORLD

THE AUDACITY OF TRUTH ABOUT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA

[Bobarian]

For that matter, why did losing his boat make JFK a hero? Wouldn’t most naval officers get keel hauled for that?

[driftdiver]

i dunno, that rice in the behind can be pretty darn painful.

[2ndDivisionVet]

General Clark on the video: "...he (McCain) doesn't understand the culture there.." (in Iraq). So he is admitting that Senator Barack Obama, coming from a Muslim background, would "understand the culture there" better than Senator McCain, since he was a Muslim in his formative years, had a Muslim father and stepfather and went to a Muslim Madrassa? Hmmm...I see, good point, General. Yes, I see your where you're going now, it's not so much about "executive experience" so much as it is about cultural affiliation, empathy, sympathy and leanings. Keep talking, keep talking...

[PhillyRepublican]

Read somewhere that Admiral Ernest King (chief of Naval Ops during WWII) considered courtmartialling JFK but back off because of Joe Kennedy’s political clout.

[driftdiver]

Cause he was a kennedy.

[tet68]

They needed LIVE heros in those days, they already had too many dead ones.

[2ndDivisionVet]

For dating a German spy or losing his PT boat?

[jimfree]

I retired as a very junior and undistinguished naval officer but I will openly call Wesley Clark a moron and one who dishonors the green uniform he once wore.

Jim Wass
LT, USN (Retired)
Failed selection to higher grade

[LukeL]

Also McCain has no “expierence” as he was a POW, unlike Kerry who fought bravely in many battles. (Not to mention nearly being killed by deadly dry rice shrapnel)

[Polybius]

For that matter, why did losing his boat make JFK a hero?

It didn't.

PT 109 got rammed by surprise while idling on one engine.

If PT 109 had been sunk while pressing home an attack against a heavily defended target, as was the case with McCain, then JFK would heve been a hero in that action in spite of the loss of his PT boat.

[Locomotive Breath]

He never should have been in command of PT-109 in the first place. He’d already damaged an earlier boat by hot-dogging and ramming the pier which, under normal circumstances, gets you sent to the bilges.

[2ndDivisionVet]

"Also McCain has no “expierence” as he was a POW, unlike Kerry who fought bravely in many battles. (Not to mention nearly being killed by deadly dry rice shrapnel)"

Was he attacked by Uncle Ho or Uncle Ben?

[Locomotive Breath]

Maybe I’m not understanding your post, but someone thought Kennedy was a hero ‘cause they gave him a MOH for losing his boat. Kinda’ like they gave one to McArthur for getting his butt kicked in the Philippines even WITH advance warning the Japanese were going to attack.

[rabidralph]

Our Navy’s loss, Shipmate!

[Squantos]

General Weasel Clark.........Slobodan Milosevic’s handler !

[bray]

Kerry begged McCain for weeks to be his VP simply because he had the real heroics that Kerry manufactured. It is so transparently phony.

Pray for W and Our Troops