Posted on 05/08/2008 4:40:33 PM PDT by mnehring
John McCain rarely speaks about his experiences as a POW in Vietnam, but one of his cell mates at the Hanoi Hilton on Thursday described some of the conditions and character traits that earned McCain the commendations he received for his war service.
Col. George “Bud” Day, 83, is the most decorated service man since Gen. Douglas MacArthur, with more than 70 medals. A living legend, Day was blown out of the sky two months to the day before the North Vietnamese shot down a propaganda prize, whose father and grandfather were renowned American admirals.
(Excerpt) Read more at elections.foxnews.com ...
I don’t think McCain would want you to vote for him just because he suffered as a POW. That also is part of his character.
I watched Colonel Day speak so proudly about his fellow prisoner of war,John McCain.For ‘longtermmemory’to begin his reply about John McCain’s military service as”very moving but irrelevant made me feel not very proud to be associated with Free Republic.Perhaps elections make people say some very harsh things.
My tagline is my comment.
Good one.
Remember, you are as much of a part as she (longtermmemory) is, so be the balance to things that don't make you proud. Yin and Yang.
It is the form not the substance.
The medium is the message.
It is the IDENTICAL PLAYBOOK.
McCain could easily walk up to the Podium to accept the nomination and do the same BS “John McCain reporting for duty.”
BOTH men used (using) the same methodology to conceal liberal leanings. Just because it is McCain was shot down and a POW vs Kerry finegeling purple hearts does not change the fact it is the same play. Do we forgive the thief because their victim is a scoundral?
I don't know, who stole from you?
Your statement proves the point. McCain is irrelevant in this race.
It is not about McCain vs Obama. It is about anybody but Obama.
McCain has no coat tails, McCain has no fundraising gravitas. I would submit McCain has ANTI-fundraising gravitas. To hear McCain is to cause one to close the checkbook.
This race is only about keeping the commies out.
If there is anything I can absolutely give him props on it is his service to country.
Hell the man can not even raise his arms above his shoulders because of what they did to him.
Really I did not know until todays release from the Navy, the medals that McCain was awarded.
As to McCain being famous because he was shot down. NO that is not why, it is because he was given an out, one that even Bud Day said he could have taken, but refused the chance to come home early.
You really think Kerry would have refused that offer.
BTW he was tortured because he refused to take their offer. Bud Day confirmed that in the interview.
BTTT!
You realize that there was an official Code of Conduct for the release of POWs, don't you? They got released in the order of capture. To have accepted the release offered by the VC would have been a direct violation of ORDERS. McCain followed orders--as did hundreds of others.
Especially when he was being compared to Kerry who while they were being tortured and earning real purple hearts, was in Paris negotiation with North Vietnam.
No, not irrelevant. It's relevant. But it's not as relevant as his voting record or his statements regarding political ideology. It's ok to dislike the man. I don't care for him much either. But give the man credit where he earns it.
I owe it all to El Rushbo!
You said he was famous for it--as if it was something beyond the call of duty and something others did not do, which simply was not the case. Your post:
"As to McCain being famous because he was shot down. NO that is not why, it is because he was given an out, one that even Bud Day said he could have taken, but refused the chance to come home early."He followed orders.
As to John Kerry, I don't hold him as a standard. But I think McCain singing to the communists, giving them military secrets, and making two dozen propaganda tapes for our enemy, probably trumps the Paris talks.
McCain served... he was shot down... he survived. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. But his record couldn't hold a candle to that of Bud Day.
You must be kidding me right???? Just what did they do to Kerry to make him go to Paris, "wearing military fatigues btw".
For reference by the forum:
American Patriot: The Life and Wars of Colonel Bud Day
by Robert Coram
http://www.amazon.com/American-Patriot-Life-Wars-Colonel/dp/0316758477/ref=ed_oe_h
BookTV (C-Span2 weekends) page on “American Patriot”
http://www.booktv.org/program.aspx?ProgramId=8286&SectionName=Public%20Lives&PlayMedia=No
My (VOA’s) comment:
I read “American Patriot” after seeing the segment on it on Book TV
(C-Span 2 weekends).
My own impression of Col. Bud Day’s take on John McCain during their
stay at The Hanoi Hilton was: McCain was a mixed bag in Day’s appraisal.
The Positives on McCain: Bulldog tough, didn’t take advantage of
offers from the North Vietnamese, and hanged tough when the going was rough.
The Negatives: a womanizer, and usually “playing to the crowd”, and
also “MIA” following the war as concerned veteran reunions, etc.
Those are just my inexpert impressions.
And I have to admit that having been mildly suprised to see Col. Bud
Day on a podium with Senator McCain during the Iowa primary, (both
in fighter pilot jackets)...I think I made the same calculation that
Col. Day made:
McCain isn’t perfect.
McCain has flaws.
But his positives exceed his negatives.
AND
McCain’s positives FAR exceed Hillary!/Obama’s.
McCain’s negatives are less than Hillary!/Obama’s.
I know I’m being VERY presumptuous to assume why Col. Day has turned
out as a real supporter of McCain.
But, given the flawed world we live in and the limitations of the
process for selecting our candidates...
I’ll just have to follow two guiding principles for the November Election:
1. Trust Col. Day’s judgement
2. Hold my nose in voting for McCain despite his negatives.
It’s a pretty unpalatable situation.
But that’s my personal approach to the situation.
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