Of Course They support the Military

[ILOVEDNY]

A Democratic candidate running against Jack Kingston in Georgia who supports Barack Obama ridiculed John McCain’s military service in a campaign appearance yesterday. Bill Gillespie called McCain a “self-promoter” who came from “Navy royalty” who didn’t earn his way through his military career:
A prominent local Barack Obama backer bashed John McCain’s military record

Monday, calling the Republican presidential candidate a “self-promoter.”
In a nearly-half hour speech, Democratic congressional candidate Bill Gillespie praised Obama, his party’s leading White House hopeful. But he devoted most of his remarks to criticisms of McCain, an Arizona senator who has wrapped up the GOP nomination and was in Savannah for a fundraiser. …
He said his “heart grieves” for McCain’s suffering as a POW. “After that,” Gillespie said, “he was somewhat of a celebrity and it went to his head. … I think he was a self-promoter for the last four years (in the Navy.)
Asked to cite specific examples, Gillespie responded, “I don’t have one right now.”
Shorter Gillespie: “I don’t know what I’m talking about.”

Now we have at least three Democrats and Obama supporters on the record as attacking McCain’s 24 years of service in the Navy: Gillespie, Jay Rockefeller, and Tom Harkin, as well as unnamed “colleagues” in the Matt Bai hit piece in the New York Times. The criticisms sound remarkably similar; all of them question the quality of his service, claiming that he grew up as a child of privilege and had his career handed to him, in a role where he didn’t know what combat was really like. He had a “silver spoon”, was “Navy royalty”, and so on.

[run4it]

Well, he was the navy liaison to the Senate for his last 4 years. He himself has termed it the beginning of the second part (read: elected representative) part of his public service.

Senate liaison (and admitted training as a politician) isn't exactly heat of the battle service.

That being said, questioning his military service is about like questioning Kerry's service: neither should be done. But Gillespie never said that what McCain did do before the final years of his service wasn't meritorious and heroic.

Oh, and ILoved, you forgot to mention that Gillespie himself was an Army Ranger. I think he's entitle to have his say on at least the traditions and perceived protocols of armed forces, agree with them or not.

[Riven37]

Well, he was the navy liaison to the Senate for his last 4 years. He himself has termed it the beginning of the second part (read: elected representative) part of his public service.

Senate liaison (and admitted training as a politician) isn't exactly heat of the battle service.

That being said, questioning his military service is about like questioning Kerry's service: neither should be done. But Gillespie never said that what McCain did do before the final years of his service wasn't meritorious and heroic.

Oh, and ILoved, you forgot to mention that Gillespie himself was an Army Ranger. I think he's entitle to have his say on at least the traditions and perceived protocols of armed forces, agree with them or not.

Kerry's service needs to be questioned. I was in tour 13 months, and Kerry gets 3 PH, and 2 BS I don't think so ! All in 3 months of his 3 month tour of duty while I swif boats I don't think so !

AS for McCain, he spent 9 months in combat theater, and was on three different types of air to ground operations. His decorations he earned them all unlike Kerry who signed off on his own decorations meaning he gave himself those metals. McCain was shot down by a SAM missile within his 9 months of combat. What I don't like about McCain is he always votes against Veterans Bills.