Posted on 04/05/2008 2:37:35 PM PDT by charles m
One evening last July, Senator John McCain of Arizona arrived at the New Hampshire home of Erin Flanagan for sandwiches, chocolate-chip cookies and heartfelt talk about Iraq. They had met at a presidential debate, when she asked the candidates what they would do to bring home American soldiers — soldiers like her brother, who had been killed in action a few months earlier.
Mr. McCain did not bring cameras or a retinue. Instead, he brought his youngest son, James McCain, 19, then a private first class in the Marine Corps about to leave for Iraq. Father and son sat down to hear more about Ms. Flanagan’s brother Michael Cleary, a 24-year-old Army first lieutenant killed by an ambush and roadside bomb.
No one mentioned the obvious: in just days, Jimmy McCain could face similar perils. “I can’t imagine what it must have been like for them as they were coming to meet with a family that ...” Ms. Flanagan recalled, choking up. “We lost a dear one,” she finished.
Mr. McCain, now the presumptive Republican nominee, has staked his candidacy on the promise that American troops can bring stability to Iraq. What he almost never says is that one of them is his own son, who spent seven months patrolling Anbar Province and learned of his father’s New Hampshire victory in January while he was digging a stuck military vehicle out of the mud.
His son’s departure for Iraq brought him the same worry that every military parent feels, friends say, while the young marine’s experiences there have given him a sustained grunt’s-eye view of the action and private confirmation for his argument that United States strategy in Iraq is working.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
The McCains declined to be interviewed for this article, which the campaign requested not be published. “The McCain campaign objects strongly to this intrusion into the privacy of Senator McCain’s son,” Steve Schmidt, a campaign spokesman, said in a statement. “The children of presidential candidates in this election cycle should be afforded the same respect for their privacy that the children of President Bush and President and Senator Clinton have been afforded.” (To protect Lance Corporal McCain in case he is again deployed to a war zone, The New York Times is not publishing recent photographs of him and has withheld some details of his service).
Where are the armchair McCain bashers?
What a difference from that creepy new Senator from Virginia who carried his son’s boots to his campaign appearances, all while bashing the war effort. I am glad that there are some things that I can admire about McCain.
Because of this reason and this reason only I will be voting for John McCain this November. As a fellow parent of a daughter that has just returned from Iraq, a daughter who is fully convinced that we are doing great things over there, I will not see her efforts abandon to the party of retreat and defeat.
I’ve noticed in my local paper, the Ventura County Star, that none of the libs who write frequent letters to the opinion section have used the term “Chicken Hawk” (which was frequently used against Bush and Cheny) when referring to Sen. McCain.
Good for him.
For that reason, I will join you. For your daughter, may God bless her, and all those like her to whom we owe so much. McCain won't intentionally do them harm. The other two would.
Another harmful story in the Times does not make me forget my values and pant at the slightest mention of McCain.
Don’t be concerned. The McCain Deranged will arrive soon.
I’m an armchair basher. The man though is honorable despite my policy differences. His son is in Iraq and the man is traveling w/o Secret Service and is strong on life.
He has my vote.
Ol John had a son in his 50’s that ol dog.
NYT scumbags...
Liberals have no integrity, nor comprehension. The only people who say "chickenhawk" are "chickenshits".
Still here, boss.
Having a son in the service does not entitle anyone to the Presidency.
If it did, you might be calling Cindy Sheehan "Madame President".
Anything in particular you objected to in this article?
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