John McCain (Photo)
Jay Rockefeller took a swing at John McCain on behalf of the Obama campaign over the weekend. It turned out badly for Rockefeller, but they got it out there. You know how it works. They get propaganda out there for public consumption and then come back and say, ‘Opps, my bad’. Actually, they generally say they ‘misspoke’ which is code for ‘I don’t have the guts to stand behind what I say’. You know, kinda like throwing a rock and then hiding your hand behind your back and looking at the guy next to you as if he’s the one that threw it.
Here’s what the uber Obama supporter Rockefeller said on Sunday:
Rockefeller believes McCain has become insensitive to many human issues. “McCain was a fighter pilot, who dropped laser-guided missiles from 35,000 feet. He was long gone when they hit.
“What happened when they [the missiles] get to the ground? He doesn’t know. You have to care about the lives of people. McCain never gets into those issues.”
Ouch!
Actually, I doubt that it hurt Rockefeller at all. He was doing the biding of those who like him to do those things. It doesn’t even matter that what he said was completely inaccurate and showed his ignorance of the military. The kind of bombs he describes weren’t used by the military until 1968 - after John McCain was already in the Hanoi Hilton. Also, those kinds of bombs actually reduce civilian casualties because they are much more accurate making it easier to hit only what is being targeted. None of that matters, of course, because most people don’t pay that close attention and just hear the words ‘John McCain is insensitive and killed innocent men, women and children from an airplane high up in the air and never saw the damage he did’. And THAT is the point of a political hit man.
People took exception to him calling an American fighter pilot and former POW a low down dirty dawg so he issued the requisite apology when the sh*t hit the fan.
I have deep respect for John McCain’s honorable and noble service to our country. I made an inaccurate and wrong analogy and I have extended my sincere apology to him. While we differ a great deal on policy issues, I profoundly respect and appreciate his dedication to our country, and I regret my very poor choice of words,” Rockefeller said.
That apology is code for ‘I don’t really respect his service to the country at all, but I do respect his political power and I’m scared shitless of him so I’m saying I’m sorry cause I’ve never even been in a playground fight and I don’t want him to beat me to a bloody pulp.’
Jay Rockefeller needs to take his foot out of his mouth and put the silver spoon back down his throat. Being well-born is, after all, what he knows best how to do.
UPDATE: Hot Air points out how this show Jay Rockefeller’s disdain for the men and women in our military and our military in general.
To be honest, I think the apology needed to be directed to our current and former military aviators more than John McCain. McCain’s used to political hacks making stupid statements, but Rockefeller’s statement insulted the honor of every pilot who ever flew a war mission for the US.
Matt Lewis can’t believe that Obama’s surrogates insist on inferring that fighter pilots are cowards. That IS unbelievable.
April 8th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
well to be fair to rockefeller, did mccain drop bombs on targets that had civilians?
April 8th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
Not to my knowledge, but I don’t know what targets he was bombing. That wasn’t the point Rocky was trying to make anyway. His point was to undermine the image of anyone who fights for this country.
What’s your point lisab?
April 8th, 2008 at 9:56 pm
my point is that the question, “did he bomb civilian targets”, while a rough question, is not one that a military career should protect you from being asked.
you are new here Beth, so you do not know that i am, and have long been one of the primary supporters of our military
but i also do not think service of your country should exempt you from being asked such a question.
you can argue that a military target built next to a civilian target is fair game, or that mistakes are made and civilians might have been harmed or killed by accident, or that it is morally acceptable to bomb civilian targets … as was done in dresden for example or in many japanese cities.
curtis lemay himself stated that he would have been tried as a war criminal had the usa lost the war against japan … (he was responsible for the fire bombing raids against japan).
soooo, again i think that it is an acceptable question, EVEN if you think that bombing civilian targets is acceptable — which he may or may not have done.
i find hiding behind a uniform just as bad as those that refuse to acknowledge that sadaam was murdering his own people or that most likely hundreds of thousands would die if we pull out of iraq
(not that i am saying mccain is hiding behind his uniform, only that i find those who say they can’t be questioned because they served their country are wrong)
April 8th, 2008 at 11:38 pm
See this link for a conservative view of the disastrous foreign policy blunders of John McCain:
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?pageId=61016
As military man, McCain was raised in a culture that understood that COLOSSAL SCREW-UPS MUST BE PUNISHED. Therefore, it is a disgrace that he has not resigned from public office and retired from political life.
God help us if the the radicals and fanatics maintain control of our foreign policy into the next administration. Pray for an Obama victory for America’s sake!
April 9th, 2008 at 10:15 am
So Lisa, do you think Rockefeller knows something about McCain’s missions and there was some validity to what he said? If there was, why did he “kinda” apologize? I completely agree with Beth on this one. He said it because it puts the unsubstantiated thought out there (and those who want to believe such a thing don’t need validity of his comment to repeat it). I also think it is a drive-by attack on those who have performed difficult missions during their service to our country.
While I have no problem questioning military strategy and missions, let us remember that John McCain did not create his own missions. He carried them out. However, Rockefeller was not engaging this kind of dialog. He was spouting off inaccurate, unfounded garbage. -not at all the same thing as you are describing here. (in my humble opinion)
April 9th, 2008 at 10:26 am
“let us remember that John McCain did not create his own missions. He carried them out.”
that is not a valid argument. just following orders is not sufficient.
but no, i do not know if mccain ever intentionally targeted a civilian target. i am not suggesting that.
i am suggesting that it is acceptable to ask and question a soldier’s behavior. john mccain has faced much worse enemies than rockerfeller, and could and should directly answer rockerfeller’s charge.
to simply say through surrogates “that the question is beneath answering because john mccain is a war hero” is a very very scary development. every soldier knows that their actions are subject to the uniform code of conduct at ALL times.
April 9th, 2008 at 10:29 am
and, btw, if mccain slapped down rockerfeller in the process, that is fine with me.
but when people say you cannot question a soldier because they served their country, makes me very nervous.
which is also btw why i thought it was perfectly appropriate for john kerry to be questioned. just because you served does not make your record secret or beyond question.
April 9th, 2008 at 10:31 am
“-not at all the same thing as you are describing here. (in my humble opinion)”
i would agree rockerfeller was trying to score points with his followers and probably has contempt for those in service
nevertheless, i submit that it is a fair if rough question.
April 9th, 2008 at 10:38 am
well, i have to go back to my job now. but i will answer you back later if you respond.
April 9th, 2008 at 10:51 am
I’m not saying you can’t question a soldier. However, interrogating soldiers on their every movement during service makes me very nervous.
Are you suggesting holding individual soldiers accountable for following orders, or are you speaking of asking questions for information? -and I am not talking about actions that are against the uniform code of conduct.
Finally, I come back to the article at hand. This isn’t about a conversation with McCain about his service to his country. It is about a comment which implies that McCain doesn’t care about the consequences of war. (Which McCain has responded to many times)
April 9th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
JAY ROCKEFELLER? SUPPORTRING MCCAIN? WHAT A SURPRISE, HES RICH!
This could POSSIBLY BE one of the WORST presidential candidate pools ever. See what America’s Youth is saying about each of the candidates, what they have done for the campaigns and for OUR future.
April 9th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
“Are you suggesting holding individual soldiers accountable for following orders, or are you speaking of asking questions for information?”
both. soldiers are accountable for following orders, as hugh thompson would prove at my lai.
“-and I am not talking about actions that are against the uniform code of conduct.”
any non-top secret information should be open to the public — and it is.
“Finally, I come back to the article at hand. This isn’t about a conversation with McCain about his service to his country. It is about a comment which implies that McCain doesn’t care about the consequences of war.”
soooo, then mccain should answer the comment honestly and succintly, and if he wants he can then tell john d to f-off. however, he and all military people should be accountable for their actions if asked.
now, as far as what mccain did or did not do, i have no idea. but somehow implying that he cannot be questioned by john d, because he is a “hero” or hero, is a terrible precedent.
such arguments have been made by tim on the hedgehogreport.com as to why kerry should not be questioned or why only veterans are qualified to have an opinion about iraq.
no! veterans or current soldiers have no special immunity for their actions and are not supercitizens with greater rights than others.
April 9th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
oh and btw i do appreciate your opinion about rockerfeller just causing trouble for political reasons … i do.
however, rather than thinking mccain should not have to answer the charge, because it is beneath him, i think he should directly answer the charge. and if he slaps down rockerfeller in the process fine with me.
April 10th, 2008 at 11:40 am
This is the perfect opportunity for McCain to contrast his experience with Obamas. I would turn this around to my advantage if I were McCain.