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Trump’s Dismissal of McCain’s Heroism Shows Lack of Judgment and Decency, And Is Also Dead Wrong
REASON ^ | 07/19/2015 | Matt Welch

Posted on 07/19/2015 4:17:39 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

What has gone underplayed in today's widespread outrage over Donald Trump's dismissal of John McCain's war heroism is that the GOP national-poll front-runner's comments, besides demonstrating an idiocratic lack of basic human judgment and decency, are also dead wrong.

Because this is Donald Trump, and Donald Trump is a vulgar anti-intellect who cannot string a coherent paragraph together, his full statement contradicts itself several times within 57 short words. So let's just focus on the bolded part from his remarks:

He's not a war hero. He's a war hero because he was captured. I like people that weren't captured—OK, I hate to tell ya. He's a war hero because he was captured, OK? And I believe perhaps he is a war hero, but right now, he said some very bad things about a lot of people.

As someone who wrote a very critical book about the Arizona senator, titled McCain: The Myth of a Maverick, I am more familiar than most television entertainers with the weak points in John McCain's record. His experience as a POW is not one of them. Back in October 2008, the people making the McCain's-no-hero arguments were not Republican presidential contenders, but liberal journalists, such as those who work for Rolling Stone. As I responded to their findings back then in the L.A. Times,

[T]he most pertinent part of McCain's heroism [is that by] all accounts, his noisy resistance to everyday humiliations, and his profane outburst at a made-for-propaganda Christmas service in 1968, gave great strength to his fellow POWs. McCain was an inveterate communicator in Hanoi, tapping code like mad to keep his comrades' spirits up and even acting as chaplain when conditions in the prisons started to improve.


(Excerpt) Read more at reason.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: forrestal; heroism; keating5; mccain; mccain4isis; primarymccain; trump; vietnam
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To: Texas Eagle

Are you not aware that 5 servicemen were killed?


21 posted on 07/19/2015 4:41:12 PM PDT by GIdget2004
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To: SandwicheGuy

My motive is simple — TO ENCOURAGE THE TRUTH TO BE POSTED.


22 posted on 07/19/2015 4:42:03 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: GIdget2004

Thank you for the correction. I did indeed forget that another Marine died a couple of days later.


23 posted on 07/19/2015 4:42:23 PM PDT by Texas Eagle (If it wasn't for double-standards, Liberals would have no standards at all -- Texas Eagle)
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To: ckilmer

Well being a POW is an activity not an accomplishment and he did fail his mission that was to go and bomb the enemy come back to the ship with your aircraft ready to go again I get that part.

Trump lets the clutch out on his mouth before his brain is engaged he spoke very sloppy of Mc Cain service imo I am not a fan of Mc Cain but he should have retired long ago the founding fathers should have planned for term limits or these fools you go do your service 2 to 6 years and then you go back home to make widgets sell auto insurance put the side covers on chain saws

Have a good evening we are under a flash flood warning no going to go out and loose the last of my gun collection and ammo


24 posted on 07/19/2015 4:42:50 PM PDT by al baby (Hi Mom)
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To: ckilmer

He called Trump supporters crazies. He did it because they agree with Trump on immigration.
If he can attack normal Americans freely and personally, then I think he deserves the same.

Its a bitch to get treated the way you treat others.

I won’t even worry here about his giving the finger to TEA, his treason in Syria by supporting iSIS, abandoning the wife who stood by him while he was captive, taking Keating bribes, acting like Hillary by grabbing an open seat in a state he never lived in before, all the senate “gangs” he has joined in on, endorsing Barak, his treatment of Sarah ,,,, etc.

A first class low life and ill be damned if I call him a hero.


25 posted on 07/19/2015 4:43:02 PM PDT by DesertRhino (I was standing with a rifle, waiting for soviet paratroopers, but communists just ran for office)
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To: Texas Eagle

That’s just it, he was not beaten, he sang like a songbird and was given special treatment. Even gained weight... Other POWs looked like skeletons when then were released. Hmmm?


26 posted on 07/19/2015 4:44:37 PM PDT by SandwicheGuy (*The butter acts as a lubricant and speeds up the CPU*ou)
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To: SeekAndFind
I'd bet Matt that trump was right McCain collaborated and screwed other POW’s and MIA’s, but he'd Welch when I won.
27 posted on 07/19/2015 4:45:49 PM PDT by Navy Patriot (America, a Rule of Mob nation)
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To: SeekAndFind

so obama voters rejected a war hero! and Dem voters rejected another war hero Bob Dole...


28 posted on 07/19/2015 4:46:13 PM PDT by RginTN
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To: DoughtyOne

http://lasteelshow.org/main/?p=888


29 posted on 07/19/2015 4:46:19 PM PDT by hosepipe (This propaganda has been edited (specifically) to include some fully orbed hyperbole..)
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To: SeekAndFind

If Reason wasn’t so HELL-BENT with turning our freeways into toll roads, I might take them seriously when they try to come to the defense of the most anti-American Republican to ever step foot into the US Senate.

But since they won’t leave me alone when I drive, I won’t bother believing a damn thing they say.


30 posted on 07/19/2015 4:48:03 PM PDT by BobL (REPUBLICANS - Fight for the WHITE VOTE...and you will win (see my 'about' page))
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To: SeekAndFind

Maybe he got beat up, I don’t know and neither do these people. What we do know is that he ignored veterans who were being abused an neglected. He’s supported Obama in every single effort to undermine the American people. And with his Keating 5 history, he totals up to a total scumbag.

So I don’t care what happened to him in Vietnam either way, whether he cooperated with the enemy or acted like a hero, it doesn’t make up for the almost 60 years of abuse by this man. All the years that vets were mistreated while McCain lived it up in rich hotels, vacations, anything he wanted from his money guys.

In fact, even if he was considered a hero then, he’s sure the hell not now.


31 posted on 07/19/2015 4:48:15 PM PDT by Kenny
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To: TigersEye

Then why didn’t Trump correct it instead of doubling down?


32 posted on 07/19/2015 4:48:23 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: SeekAndFind

With all due respect, I don’t agree.


33 posted on 07/19/2015 4:48:29 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: SandwicheGuy
McCain even rats on his own kids.

North Vietnamese video of John McCain.

34 posted on 07/19/2015 4:49:40 PM PDT by Karl Spooner
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To: SandwicheGuy
Well, therein lies the dilemma. According to some, McCainez was subject to daily beatings when it was learned he was the son of an Admiral.

According to others, he was given special favors after it was learned he was the son of an Admiral.

I wasn't there. I don't know which to believe. Both scenarios sound plausible to me.

35 posted on 07/19/2015 4:50:08 PM PDT by Texas Eagle (If it wasn't for double-standards, Liberals would have no standards at all -- Texas Eagle)
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To: al baby

McCain called citizens who agree with Trump “crazies”.
Trump was explaining why that was wrong.
Lutz kept negating everything Trump said by repeating, “But McCain is a hero”
again and again,,, so Trump shut him off.

If Trump is wrong and we have to simply accept everything McCain says because he’s a big hero, then why don’t we just go ahead and make it where nobody is ever allowed to agree with McLame?
How can you discuss -any- McCain stupidity if you can’t question him, because he’s a hero?


36 posted on 07/19/2015 4:50:15 PM PDT by DesertRhino (I was standing with a rifle, waiting for soviet paratroopers, but communists just ran for office)
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To: nickcarraway
McCain is a traitor to his base. Until McCain apologizes to his base for calling us
Wacko Birds, Crazies, Hobbits, etc. I will not demand an apology from Trump. McCain deserves worse.
37 posted on 07/19/2015 4:52:20 PM PDT by Chgogal (Obama "hung the SEALs out to dry, basically exposed them like a set of dog balls..." CMH)
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To: skeeter

Has anybody realized Trump ensured McCain will be re-elected? Trump has totally changed the conversation from McCain’s failed policies to McCain’s service record. Big win for McCain. Trump is a reality TV- person he knows how this works He just did a major solid for McCain. I wonder what favor McCain is doing for Trump in return?


38 posted on 07/19/2015 4:52:38 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: Gunslingr3

Trump didn’t trash your precious McCain. What he said was, being captured doesn’t make you a war hero. And tell me, how many other POWs got war hero status?

Then he said he likes people who weren’t captured. He should have added “too” because as he’s explained 6,000 times, he meant that he likes people who weren’t captured too, not just those who were.

He may not have served but he has been the only one out there pushing for the veterans. Others talk about improving the military but Trump is probably the most passionate about restoring our military to greatness.


39 posted on 07/19/2015 4:54:24 PM PDT by Kenny
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To: ROCKLOBSTER

it’s how he comported himself under circumstances more trying than 99.9% of us could imagine, let alone endure.

Or so he says.
‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’
EXACTLY. He let people believe that photo of him with his arms in casts was because he was beaten and tortured. It happened when he bailed out of his plane. I’ve always found it highly unusual that his fellow inmates in the POW camp DO NOT ASSOCIATE with MCCAIN.Ummmmmmmmmmm What about all that Band of Brothers feeling that didn’t exist in the Hanoi Hilton. Wonder Why.


40 posted on 07/19/2015 4:54:34 PM PDT by Mollypitcher1 (I have not yet begun to fight....John Paul Jones)
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