Florida GOP Senate candidate ducks military questions

[NNN0LHI]

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/senate-races/177681-fla-gop-senate-candidate-ducks-military-questions

By Cameron Joseph - 08/22/11 08:40 AM ET

Former Army Col. Mike McCalister, a Republican running for Florida's Senate seat, is facing accusations he has exaggerated and misrepresented his accomplishments in the military. And his handling of those questions Saturday has added to speculation he's not ready for prime time.

After a GOP Senate debate Saturday, McCalister told a Miami Herald reporter that he never said he had testified before Congress. When the reporter quoted him saying that he had, McCalister refused to to answer any more questions, while a staffer repeatedly tried to cut off the reporter.

[Ineeda]

1. He also says he was 'special ops'

but in reality, he was a pencil pusher.

[atreides1]

2. It figures

Another Repuke padding his "military service"!

[BR_Parkway]

7. True, but he does get a few points for serving - look how many never do

or used their parents/position/influence/money to get the assignments like Shrub did

[City Lights]

3. Exaggerating or misrepresenting military accomplishsment must be in the GOP

instruction manual. I wonder what chapter it's in and how many pages are devoted to it.

[trumad]

4. Read the whole piece...

dude lies about everything.

[lpbk2713]

5. That being the case ...

someone ought to get a pic of him in uniform and confirm whether all the decorations he wears were actually earned.
Candidates running on their military background have been known to "exaggerate" before.

[sarge43]

6. Even medals and other doodads don't prove much.

I was assigned to a recon tech group with the outstanding unit awards as part of my fruit salad. That doesn't mean I flew U2s

Let him release his DD Form 214. Put up or shut up.