What was Schieffer talking about yesterday.. about denigrating McCain's military service?

[Wetzelbill]

Did I catch that right? In his little comment thing that he sometimes does at the end of the show, didn't he say something lamenting how both sides are going dirty, and I think he said something about how Dems are attacking McCain's military service?

He has to be referring in part to what Wes Clark said on his show.

If that's what Scheef was getting at, what a tool.

Here is the thing about McCain's service. He survived as a POW, that means he's pretty tough and has a certain amount of will. Good for him, I admire that. But that doesn't necessarily mean it makes him an expert in anything either. In terms of character, knowing a guy can get through that in a heroic fashion is great. He should be proud of it and use it as an example of who he is as a person.

Good for him.

But that doesn't mean he should get a pass on everything. And it's not denigrating McCain's service to state the obvious and say because McCain is a decorated POW, that doesn't mean he knows anything about how to actually run a country. He doesn't. He's embarassingly ignorant and intellectually lazy about even the most elemental policy basics. Both in foreign and domestic policy.

So just because we don't bow down and worship St. McCain for all of his vast knowledge and expertise in all areas of governing, doesn't mean anybody is denigrating his military service. Sometimes you just have to point out that the emperor has no clothes, even if guys like Bob Schieffer don't have the guts to do it. I once heard McCain flat out lie to Scheef about not knowing yet if Saddam had anything to do with 9/11. This was in the fall of 2004, when we conclusively knew that he didn't for several years. McCain said "We don't know yet." Bob nodded dumbly like a fool and asked another question.

So I'd like to know just where has Schieffer seen Democrats or Obama specifically denigrating John McCain's military service? Evidence, Bob?

Because I don't think he could legitimately cite anything.

[ljm2002]

1. No one has denigrated his service...

...but if anyone makes even the mildest of statements, such as "that doesn't qualify him to be President", then all the talking heads start clucking and saying that person has denigrated his service.

It's the talking points, and they are like vultures waiting to pounce.

That is why I advocate an upfront attack ad, on McCain's votes against the troops on body armor, medical care, education, and his abhorrent change of position on torture. All of this can be done without ever talking about McCain's own service -- and getting the message out there, that the troops don't need friends like this.

[kurtboss]

2. I heard it too

It's another case of faux journalism the right depends on. I saw a similar case on CNN Friday I think it was.


McCain just ran the most dishonest, least substantial, most negative week in the history of Presidential politics and somehow the "campaigns" are going negative.


This is just dishonesty and cowardice posing for integrity.

[pdxmom]

3. Interesting. Brokaw brought this up on MTP yesterday, as well. An issue

that I thought was over and done suddenly appears on two separate Sunday talk shows on different networks? I don't buy the coincidence.

[Supersedeas]

8. almost like they are reading from the same script--even if the script is full of lies

[Wetzelbill]

9. I didn't catch that on MTP

I watched I just must have missed it. Thanks for bringing that up. Yeah that must be the chattering class thing, they all reiterate each other's ideas and rehash them like they are being original.

[pdxmom]

20. Brokaw tried to get Kerry to defend what Clark had said, and Kerry

refused to be baited into it. It stuck out to me, because it seemed like a total non-sequitor.

[speedoo]

4. Maybe Schieffer thinks he has a shot at perkyKatie's gig.

And he figures he needs to impress his corprate bosses by trashing Obama.

I actually once thought he was a journalist... i was obviously wrong.

[BonnieJW]

5. The man

graduated at the bottom of his class at the Naval Academy and crashed 5 planes. He may have been brave and tough, but he was never the sharpest arrow in the quiver.

[eleny]

7. Imo, there's a big difference between being smart and being cunning

We've seen an example of this for the past 7 1/2 years.

[Wetzelbill]

10. I know

And he gets away with murder. OMG, if Obama said the "Iraq-Pakistan border" thing we'd hear about it nonstop. Or if Obama said that the Shia and Sunni have no history of violence, good lord, he'd be crucified.

[eShirl]

6. maybe Schieffer's starting to lose it, too

he's been alive a long time

[Wetzelbill]

11. He should join David Broder and Cokie Roberts out in the pasture nt

[Arkansas Granny]

14. Some people start losing it at a young age and some people hang onto it

till the day they die. Age alone is no indicator of judgment or mental acuity.

[Supersedeas]

12. More ironic still: didn't the original QUESTION of McCain's service as a qualification for Pres

originate with Schiffer.

Now, a straight-forward response to a question that he himself asked is evidence of dirty politics from Obama!!!!????!!!!

Shieffer has been guzzling the Koolaid.

[Arkansas Granny]

13. I don't know what Schieffer was referring to, but have you seen this website

or heard about these people?

http://www.vietnamveteransagainstjohnmccain.com/

I've also seen posts here on DU that have specifically denigrated McCain's military service and the time he spent as a POW. It's one thing to point out that neither of those circumstances makes a person qualified to lead the country and quite another to call the man a traitor.

[Wetzelbill]

15. yeah those guys have been around since the 2000 primaries

And I don't think Schieffer is referring to a couple DU posters. He sounded like he was saying Obama and his campaign or the Democratic Party was doing it.

[Arkansas Granny]

17. I didn't see the show yesterday, but I just found the transcript of Schieffer's remarks.

"And yet it has come to this: Obama's people trying to denigrate the war hero's military service; McCain's people comparing Obama to a couple of frivolous tarts."

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/08/03/ftn/main4317519.shtml

I don't know what he was referring to as far as "Obama's people". Other than Gen. Clark's comments, which I agree with, I haven't heard any mention of McCain's military service by the Obama campaign other than Obama stating that he respected McCain for his service. It would be interesting to know what Schieffer was referring to.

[Wetzelbill]

19. Right thanks for that

Yeah that's what I was getting at, I remembered him at least making it sound as if the Obama campaign et al were saying something. I think he made it up. That he just thinks they did, especially stemming from the General Clark stuff, and said it. Honestly, it's a ridiculous assertion to just make out of the blue like that. I'd like to see some proof too.

[Disturbed]

16. Having been a bomber pilot & POW doesn't qualify a person

to be Pres. of the US. Isn't that a fact? Wes Clark was correct. The RWing Corp Media twisted those comments for their own purpose. They were successful in creating a controversy over Wes Clark responding to a statement from Scheifer. McNasty has been the US Media Corp's celeb for many years & they don't want him tarnished, even though that statement wasn't degrading their Hero's Miltiary Service.

[Arkansas Granny]

18. I think you may have misread my comment. Wes Clark was right in stating

that McCain's military service doesn't give him any qualifications for the office of President. I don't feel that General Clark's comment in any way degraded McCain's military service.