[Dan]

A little back story:

I haven't had time just yet to read this website. I don't know if it's full of BS, just someone spouting crap or an inside view on things. It could be a "liberal whacko" for all I know.

What I do know is that a lot of people who are in the military (older people in the military) knew it wasn't kosher to bad-mouth McCain and his POW story. You don't dog a war hero.

I also know that this is can be easily defeated, as an argument...as there's no proof that I know there is a lot of people...and that it doesn't happen. The military doesn't turn on it's own (cept when it's Democratic candidates like John Kerry).

Anyways, I'll leave it to those who want to read it (I'll read it tonight after work). I know that the "right" will say it's bunk and just a spin job, and the "left" will say it's even more proof McCain is a nutbar.

Earl Harper interview

There's also this page

[maxiep]

The interview is an interesting read, with some anecdotal evidence supporting the contentions made. We do know that Sen. McCain received, if not "special" treatment then certainly "different" treatment because of who his father was. That being said, he had the opportunity to be released and didn't take it. He suffered injuries in captivity that make him unable to lift his right arm above his head.

Did he give valuable information to the NVA? Perhaps. Was it given willingly or under duress? I have no idea. I will say that the overall charge of being a "traitor" I find a bit thin. It's akin to saying that Bob Kerrey had his leg blown off to further his political career.

I'm certain the Democrats or some "rogue" 527 will bring this issue up in the general campaign, especially because the accuser is to the right of McCain, not the left. It's probably worthy of some investigation, and my guess is the answer already lies somewhere in the bowels of the Pentagon. Of course, Sen. McCain has been elected to the House twice and the Senate four times, so one would expect if this were an issue with legs it would have been addressed by now.

[STOMP]

Originally Posted by maxiep

He suffered injuries in captivity that make him unable to lift his right arm above his head.

Did he give valuable information to the NVA? Perhaps. Was it given willingly or under duress? I have no idea.

do we absolutely know this injury occurred during him captivity as you're saying or might it have happened during his plane crash when he was shot down? This isn't a loaded question... I really don't know.

as far as him giving up info, if he was being tortured (which there seems to be some questions about) I wouldn't hold it against him... everyone cracks under torture and admits to all sorts of things. That he wasn't being promoted as the Vet claims is the norm does seem to raise some red flags that all wasn't kosher with his conduct in the eyes of the military though. His flip flop on whether the US should continue to torture raises many others.

I wouldn't agree with your assessment that he's been fully vetted as evidenced by his successful runs for Senate though. This is a much much bigger stage and the lights are much brighter. Dude will be asked some very pointed questions as well he should be... that comes with the territory.

STOMP

[maxiep]

Originally Posted by STOMP

Dude will be asked some very pointed questions as well he should be... that comes with the territory.

STOMP

It is my hope that all the candidates are asked the most pointed questions about their past and their belief systems and that they are continued to be asked these questions until we receive a satisfactory answer. That kind of examination is not the "old politics"; it's part of getting comfortable with the character of the person for whom you're voting.

[e_blazer1]

This election shows every sign of being one of the ugliest on record. I expect that the candidates will keep things pretty clean, but there's going to be plenty of swiftboating going on.

McCain is being interviewed tonight on O'Reilly. It will be interesting to see if this issue gets brought up.

[e_blazer1]

Here's a differing view:

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/05...le-conditions/

[HB]

Ya know on this board I have brought up associations and negatives that these candidates have, but I really wish things like this wont come up in the general. Let the candidates duke it out on policy issues and let the public decide who they think is better on those issues.

[barfo]

I kind of suspect this is the same crock of **** that the Kerry swiftboating was. It's not hard to find some grouchy old guy to say nasty things. It's what grouchy old guys are good for.

I'm no fan of McCain but unless someone produces actual evidence this should be ignored.

barfo

[maxiep]

Originally Posted by e_blazer1

Here's a differing view:

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/05...le-conditions/

Wow. I know I'll get a lot of heat for saying this, but I'll do it anyway: I would encourage anyone who thinks Guantanamo Bay is "World History's Worst Prison" (as I recently read in an article) to read the stories that man has. There's mental and emotional torture, and then there's physical torture. The Hanoi Hilton seemed to have it all.

[barfo]

Originally Posted by maxiep

Wow. I know I'll get a lot of heat for saying this, but I'll do it anyway: I would encourage anyone who thinks Guantanamo Bay is "World History's Worst Prison" (as I recently read in an article) to read the stories that man has. There's mental and emotional torture, and then there's physical torture. The Hanoi Hilton seemed to have it all.

I'm not sure what heat you should get for saying that. Anyone who thinks Guantanamo is the worst in world history knows very little about history.

Well, I guess to give you a little heat, such people should be advised to read a large variety of things, probably not starting with, or necessarily even including, some story about McCain's imprisonment.

Guantanamo is a very ugly stain on our national reputation, for sure. But not the worst in world history.

barfo

[maxiep]

Originally Posted by barfo

I'm not sure what heat you should get for saying that. Anyone who thinks Guantanamo is the worst in world history knows very little about history.

Well, I guess to give you a little heat, such people should be advised to read a large variety of things, probably not starting with, or necessarily even including, some story about McCain's imprisonment.

Guantanamo is a very ugly stain on our national reputation, for sure. But not the worst in world history.

barfo

It wasn't the stories about McCain, it was the stories his cellmate related about what they did to him personally.

[barfo]

Originally Posted by maxiep

It wasn't the stories about McCain, it was the stories his cellmate related about what they did to him personally.

Ah. Obviously, I did not read it myself.

barfo

[STOMP]

Originally Posted by maxiep

It wasn't the stories about McCain, it was the stories his cellmate related about what they did to him personally.

years back I saw a television show graphically detailing what this guy is describing... gruesome stuff to be sure. With that in mind it's sort of amazing that McCain flipped on the torture vote recently, but then again that may be the result of the sort of horse trading for votes that commonly goes on in Senate politics.

STOMP