James Stockdale, Perot Running Mate, Dead at 81

AP ^ | AP-ES-07-05-05 2002EDT

[ExcelJockey]

Agreed 100%. I'll never forget how shocked I was when Perot dragged a clearly ailing Adm. Stockdale into this charade. I saw the debate and found it nauseating, and I didn't know the whole story of his service as I do now. R.I.P.

[Valin]

Well Put!
BUT

Admiral James Stockdale on John McCain
http://www.miafacts.org/mccain_2.htm

This article is being written on November 26, 1999. As Senator John McCain gains in popularity and cuts into the lead of George W. Bush, Jr. -- the anointed candidate of the Republican power brokers -- the long knives are coming out and slicing at McCain. During the week of November 14, the Washington Times -- a newspaper in DC, owned by the Rev. Son Yung Moon, that has already proclaimed G. W. Jr. to be the next President -- published a two-day long hatchet job on McCain. The whispering against McCain is based on nonsense. His enemies are trying to picture him as (1) a coward who gave in to his captors in Vietnam, and (2) as mentally unstable. (Spit)

If you have not done so, read my earlier article the reveals the source of many of the attacks on McCain.

The following article by Admiral James Stockdale was shamelessly copied from the New York Times of November 26, 1999. You can read it for yourself at this URL: http://www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/oped/26stoc.html


November 26, 1999
John McCain in the Crucible

By JAMES B. STOCKDALE
CORONADO, Calif. -- I am not surprised by reports that Senator John McCain's political enemies have been spreading rumors that his famous temper is a sign of a broader "instability" caused by his imprisonment in Vietnam.

In fact, a few weeks ago I received a call from an old friend who is also close to the George W. Bush campaign soliciting comments on Mr. McCain's "weaknesses." As I told that caller, I think John McCain is solid as a rock.

And I consider it blasphemy to smudge the straight-arrow prisoner-of-war record of a man who was near death when he arrived at Hoa Loa prison 1967: both arms broken, left leg broken, left shoulder broken by a civilian with a rifle butt.

He was eventually taken to the same rat-infested hospital room I had occupied two years earlier, and, like me, he had surgery on his leg. By then the Vietnamese had discovered that his father was the ranking admiral in the Pacific Fleet, and he received an offer that, as far as I know, was made to no other American prisoner: immediate release, no strings attached. He refused, thereby sentencing himself to four more years in a cell.

There was a special cramped and hot privy-like structure in that Hanoi prison reserved for whichever American was causing the Vietnamese the most trouble. I was the first in the camp to be locked up in it, and I gave it the name Calcutta.

There was only room for one person at a time in the cage, and after a couple of months I was taken out and marched back to a regular cell. As I limped along, I sneaked a peek at my replacement: John McCain, hobbling along on his own bad leg.

As one of the few Americans who spent more than four years in solitary confinement during that war, I know that pride and self-respect lead to aggressiveness, and aggressiveness leads to a deep sense of joy when one is under pressure. This is hardly a character flaw.

The military psychiatrists who periodically examine former prisoners of war have found that the more resistant a man was to harsh treatment, the more emotionally stable he is likely to become later in life.

The troublemakers who endured long stretches in solitary, the men we called the tigers, are for the most part more in tune with themselves now than are those who chose the easier path of nonconfrontation, which made them "deserving" of cell mates. The psychiatrists tell us that many of those prisoners who chose a more docile existence missed out on the joy of "getting even" after release; some look back on their performances with regret.

The psychiatrists have it partly right, but the truth of imprisonment is best learned from the writings of men who have spent a lot of time in cells, like Dostoyevsky, Cervantes and Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. The last described his feeling of high-mindedness in his gulag writings:

"And it was only when I lay there on rotting prison straw that I sensed within myself the first stirrings of good. Gradually it was disclosed to me that the line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either -- but right through every human heart -- and through all human hearts. . . .

And that is why I turn back to the years of my imprisonment and say, sometimes to the astonishment of those about me: 'Bless you, prison!' "

I understand that, and so does John McCain.

James B. Stockdale, a retired Navy Vice Admiral, was the Reform Party vice-presidential candidate in 1992.


I STILL have no use for John McCain.

[Pure Country]

Jim, along with his cousin, Bobby Dunlap, were both Congressional Medal of Honor recipients. Jim admired his older cousin, Bobby. It is so very rare that two cousins would receive the Medal of Honor. They both grew up in West Central Illinois in a small town, Abingdon. The high school gymnasium is named after Bobby and the Auditorium is named after Jim. They are both members of our family and the loss will be greatly felt. There are few left of their generation still around our area. Great men, both.

[Tax-chick]

Thanks for sharing this information, and condolences to your family.

[Ditter]

I will never forgive Perot for what he inflicted on our country and on this fine man Stockdale. I think choosing Stockdale as his VP was just one more indication that he really didn't want to win the presidency, he just wanted enough votes to destroy George Bush.

[NormsRevenge]

'A true hero, intellectual and damn good pilot' BUMP

RIP Adm Stockdale

[Martin Tell]

He didn't really come across as the intelligent guy he most certainly was.

In addition to his sterling character and bravery, he was a world class scholar, specializing in the stoic philosophers.

The writer of the business strategy book "Good To Great" gives a stirring account of Stockdale.

[asp1]

That was possibly one of the funniest skits that I have ever seen.

May this good and brave man rest in peace.

[LonePalm]

I met VADM Stockdale while an officer candidate in 1978. I was in uniform at the Navy Exchange in Newport while he was head of the Naval War College. He was in civilian clothes and appeared to not be able to find something. I offered to help. I found what he wanted but don't remember what it was.

He asked me how I liked OCS. I said that it had its moments. He laughted and went on his way. Later a friend asked me if I knew who I had been taking to. I said some retired guy. My friend corrected me. Whoa, there were a lot of pay grades difference but he couldn't have been nicer.

'La bonne cuisine est la base du véritable bonheur.' - Auguste Escoffier
(Good food is the foundation of genuine happiness.)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

[Pure Country]

According to members of our family, Jim did it out of appreciation for what Perot did in helping release the prisoners in Nam. He gave Perot a lot of credit and was just on the ticket--never intending to actually run. I haven't seen Jim since Uncle Bob's funeral. He came in hobbling, obviously in pain, but never letting on. It was a very sad day for him. He admired Bobby so very much. They were very close.

[virgil]

I grew up in Galesburg. Adm Stockdale gave a speech after one of the parades (either labor day or memorial day.) I was 11 or 12 I think. Good man

[SunTzuWu]

CAPT ROBERT H. DUNLAP
Medal of Honor
1945 1/26/5
Iwo Jima

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to
CAPTAIN ROBERT H. DUNLAP UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE
for service as set forth in the following

CITATION:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Commanding Officer of Company C, First Battalion, Twenty-Sixth Marines, Fifth Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces during the seizure of Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands, on 20 and 21 February 1945.

Defying uninterrupted blasts of Japanese artillery, mortar, rifle and machine-gun fire, Captain Dunlap led his troops in a determined advance from low ground uphill toward the steep cliffs from which the enemy poured a devastating rain of shrapnel and bullets, steadily inching forward until the tremendous volume of enemy fire from the caves located high to his front temporarily halted his progress.

Determined not to yield, he crawled alone approximately 200 yards forward of his front lines, took observation at the base of the cliff 50 yards from Japanese lines, located the enemy gun position and returned to his own lines where he relayed the vital information to supporting artillery and naval gunfire units. Persistently disregarding his own personal safety, he placed himself in an exposed vantage point to direct more accurately the supporting fire and, working without respite for two days and two nights under constant enemy fire, skillfully directed a smashing bombardment against the almost impregnable Japanese positions despite numerous obstacles and heavy Marine casualties.

A brilliant leader, Captain Dunlap inspired his men to heroic efforts during this critical phase of the battle and by his cool decision, indomitable fighting spirit and daring tactics in the face of fanatic opposition greatly accelerated the final decisive defeat of Japanese countermeasures in his sector and materially furthered the continued advance of his company.

His great personal valor and gallant spirit of self-sacrifice throughout the bitter hostilities reflect the highest credit upon Captain Dunlap and the United States Naval Service.

HARRY S. TRUMAN

[Tax-chick]

My father was at War College that year. He's going to be really bummed about this!

[Ditter]

If you read my post you will see that I don't think Perot ever intended to win or even wanted to win, so his VP choice didn't matter. Stockdale was truly used.

[NormsRevenge]

Former vice presidential candidate Adm. James Stockdale speaks about his POW experience in the Vietnam War during the Vice Presidential debate in Atlanta, in this Oct. 13, 1992, file photo. Stockdale, a former prisoner of war, Medal of Honor recipient and Ross Perot's running mate in 1992, has died, the Navy announced Tuesday, July 5, 2005. He was 81. (AP Photo/Greg Gibson, File)

---

Retired Vice Adm. James Stockdale listens during a panel discussion in this, May 7, 1999, file photo at the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, Fla. Stockdale, a former prisoner of war, Medal of Honor recipient and Ross Perot's running mate in 1992, died, the Navy announced Tuesday, July 5, 2005. He was 81. (AP Photo/Pensacola News Journal, Tony Giberson, File)

[Pure Country]

Thanks for posting that. Uncle Bob was a great man. Hollywood made many offers to make his story into a movie. Uncle Bob refused. He said that everyone in the war contributed as much as he did and that he was nothing special. He said that his greatest honor was when they carried him out on a stretcher amid fire and his men stood up in the midst of it and saluted him.

I remember one time when we were younger and asked him to see his Medal of Honor. He said "Sure, if I can find it." Aunt Mary finally located it in the basement in the bottom drawer of a dresser under some table linens. He was pretty serious about not making a big deal over it. A very, very humble man. He taught math at Warren School for many years and coached also. Many of his years of coaching were from a wheelchair. He loved his sports.

He also took great delight in talking about his younger cousin, Jim, and what a great guy he was.

[dfwgator]

It was disgusting the way he was ridiculed during the '92 campaign.

I couldn't agree more, they owed it to Admiral Stockdale to at least look at the man's biography before spewing the idiocy. They were not worthy to lick the man's boots. RIP Admiral Stockdale, I would have voted you for POTUS in a heartbeat.

[Pure Country]

If you read my post you will see that I don't think Perot ever intended to win or even wanted to win, so his VP choice didn't matter. Stockdale was truly used.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you think that I thought you meant differently. I was just backing up what you were saying with info from what the family view was. Thanks

[Ditter]

I didn't mean to sound sharp. I don't have much patience when it comes to Perot. I see him as such self serving scum, and now I see how he used Stockdale and it makes me even madder.

[Central Scrutiniser]

Yep, took everyone a while.

Another political nobody.