That whole “military ethos” thing? Dangerous stuff:
Republican presidential candidate John McCain’s family background as the son and grandson of admirals has given him a worldview shaped by the military, “and he has a hard time thinking beyond that,” Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Ia., said Friday.
“I think he’s trapped in that,” Harkin said in a conference call with Iowa reporters. “Everything is looked at from his life experiences, from always having been in the military, and I think that can be pretty dangerous.”
Being a politician? Takes a whole different skill set:
Harkin said of his service as a Navy pilot: “One year was in Vietnam. I was flying F-4s and F-8s on combat air patrols and photo-reconnaissance support missions”. These comments were later published in a 1981 book by David Broder. After subsequent inquiries by Barry Goldwater and The Wall Street Journal, Harkin clarified that that he had been stationed in Japan and sometimes flew recently repaired aircraft on test missions over Vietnam. His service flying F-4s and F-8s was later, while he was stationed in Cuba.
When will they ever learn: embellishment only leads to a lonely night at the desk in the den, staring at a pretty snub-nosed 38 and wondering how it could have all gone so wrong.
You earned the wings, you carqual’d, that puts you right up there in the world of the ‘been there, done that’ crowd. Besides that, self deprecation buys a lot of respect. Go buy a nice red ‘vette if you must, Geesh!
Them Dems… they surely do have a hard time with telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth!
Two examples you cite here, Lex: Obama and his Detroit “clap”, Indy “non-clap” story and now Harkin with missions over Vietnam. Hillary and her now famous “sniper fire” in Bosnia is another example… and the beat goes on.
Stretching is not only done first thing in the morning, but all day long it would seem. Let’s hope the voters can sift through it all or that we’re given an alternative in the form of someone who doesn’t feel the need to expound and exaggerate!
Heh. I was wondering what you would have to say about this.
Obviously one of those times where a few terse lines speak volumes…
If the American public vote bald faced liars such as this to office, then they deserve what is coming. I can only hope the Republic will survive.
Hmmmm…..Really strange. Funny how those on the left that criticize our military the most, also seek to benefit from their own military service…either real or false. John (Genghis Khan) Kerry also comes to mind. Even the “wimmin ” folk seek to enhance their resume by claiming exposure to combat. Next thing you know, Harry Reid will claim to have been on Doolittle’s raid.
Guy
You forget that Sen Reid learned to swim the hard way, in a brothel pool.
Cheers
It appears Harkin makes a fine Jackass…
Why is it that a full-time professional politician (is there any other kind) with Lib/Prog affiliations feel the need to ‘expand and revise’ his or her resume? From my perspective, there are only two (2) current or former members from the current crop of the World’s Largest Deliberative Body that deserve any form of respect – former POW John McCain and Medal of Honor Recipient Bob Kerrey. The rest should remember the euphemism about people living in glass houses.
Oh, would I vote for either worthy? Not unless they put a gun to my head.
Maybe not even then.
One of the first things burned into my grey matter in the process of becoming a soldier and an officer is that integrity was paramount. Either you have it or you don’t. Truth is not a flexible commodity. It snaps when stretched.
In reality, that lesson actually began for me growing up the son of a NCO. It is about trust. Obviously, Harkin and many, many others that are in public life cannot be trusted.
It’s time to vote some of these guys out. I hope veterans groups get the word out.
Has he lost his bearings?
“Has he lost his bearings?”
Only a few have maintained proper course and speed since they left military service. Behold the conduct of Rep. Murtha who has re-defined the low altitude record for military support. Jenjiss John is right behind Murtha.
Most of the yousta-bees are a whole lot richer than when they wore the cloth of our country, maybe that has something to do with the change of heart.
From the Des Moines Register article:
It’s like Harkin is saying…Um, golly gee people, I sorta kinda think that maybe our President should be a civilian, with military experience, but maybe not too much that they look more military than civilian.
Perfect illustration of why I fear for the future of this republic.
And btw, where exactly does it say in the Constitution that the President needs to be a civilian? Doesn’t that automatically mean that George Washington was unfit to be elected???
Damn – ran out of time to edit. Found the following:
I am intrigued by the idea that the President has to be a civilian. The Constitution does not seem to specify that the President can’t be a man with a military background. If that were true, then George Washington could never have been President #1. Sheesh.