by David Safier First, this didn’t happen in Arizona. Second, it’s a single incident, so it’s unfair to make it into something larger than that. That being said, this AP item in the Kansas City Star deserves a wider audience: Wife of founder of Ozarks Minutemen pleads guilty to fake rape claim The wife of … Read more

Posted by AZBlueMeanie: Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary defines "demagogue" as "a person, esp. an orator or political leader, who gains power and popularity by arousing the emotions, passions, and prejudices of the people." Or as H.L. Mencken said, "A demagogue is one who will preach doctrines he knows to be untrue to men he knows … Read more

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Senator John McCain should not take for granted that veterans will support him in November.  His legislative record shows that he has not been a champion for military families and veterans.

Last week, McCain was one of only three senators to miss a vote on a defense appropriation bill that included the Webb-Hagel "G.I. Bill" amendment which provides enhanced education benefits.  Had McCain bothered to show up to vote, he would have voted against the Webb-Hagel G.I. Bill which was opposed by the Pentagon on the grounds it was "too expensive" and may encourage service members not to reenlist. President Bush has threatened to veto the bill. 

The Senate approved the bill by a veto proof margin of 75-22 (25 Republicans joined every Democrat in voting for the bill).  McCain said he supported a watered-down alternative version of the bill.

In opposing the bill, McCain went against virtually every veterans organization, from the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion to the more partisan VoteVets.org.  Senate Passes $165 Billion Measure to Pay for Wars – washingtonpost.com

Former Secretary of the Navy and retiring Senator John Warner (R-VA), a co-sponsor of the bill, was quoted as saying "I have spent many days in the United States Senate, and I don’t know of any days I will cherish more than this one."

During Senate debate on the bill, Senator Barack Obama commented that:

"I respect Senator John McCain’s service to our country.  He is one of those heroes of which I speak.  But I can’t understand why he would line up behind the president in opposition to this G.I. Bill. I can’t believe why he believes it is too generous to our veterans.  I could not disagree with him and the president more on this issue.  There are many issues that lend themselves to partisan posturing, but giving our veterans the chance to go to college should not be one of them."

McCain, who has written that his nickname was "McNasty" when he was in school because of his quick temper and tendency to be a schoolyard bully, demonstrated that he has not matured with his advanced age.  Rather than answer Obama’s rhetorical question, he quickly fired back – from his more important campaign fund raising event in California – with a vitriolic ad hominem attack press release:

"It is typical, but no less offensive that Senator Obama uses the Senate floor to take cheap shots at an opponent and easy advantage of an issue he has less than zero understanding of.  Let me say first in response to Senator Obama, running for President is different than serving as President. The office comes with responsibilities so serious that the occupant can’t always take the politically easy route without hurting the country he is sworn to defend.  Unlike Senator Obama, my admiration, respect and deep gratitude for America’s veterans is something more than a convenient campaign pledge.

* * *

I take a backseat to no one in my affection, respect and devotion to veterans. And I will not accept from Senator Obama, who did not feel it was his responsibility to serve our country in uniform, any lectures on my regard for those who did.

* * *

Perhaps, if Senator Obama would take the time and trouble to understand this issue he would learn to debate an honest disagreement respectfully. But, as he always does, he prefers impugning the motives of his opponent, and exploiting a thoughtful difference of opinion to advance his own ambitions."

Obama later responded to McCain’s ad hominem attack:

"I am proud to stand with Senator Webb and a bipartisan coalition to give our veterans the support and opportunity they deserve. It’s disappointing that Senator McCain and his campaign used this issue to launch yet another lengthy personal, political attack instead of debating an honest policy difference. He should know that this is not about John McCain or Barack Obama — it’s about giving our veterans a real chance to afford four years of college without harming retention. Senator Webb’s bipartisan bill will do this, and the bill that John McCain supports would not. These endless diatribes and schoolyard taunts from the McCain campaign do nothing to advance the debate about what matters to the American people."

McCain’s ad hominem attack exposes a disturbing feature of his character.  Whenever his self-righteous sense of honor or integrity or ethics is questioned (if only in his own mind) he responds out of anger, to which many of his Senate colleagues can attest.  He falls back on his comfortable tendency to be a schoolyard bully.  And whenever his actions are challenged, McCain will pull out his ordeal as a POW like a talisman to ward off any critical or uncomfortable questions that he does not want to answer.  It is meant to intimidate anyone who would challenge him into acquiescence or silence.  McCain has become far too comfortable with the sycophant news media who fawn over him and who never ask him the critical or uncomfortable question. 

"Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel"-Samuel Johnson "It is unpleasing to represent our affairs to our own disadvantage; yet it is necessary to shew the evils which we desire to be removed."-Samuel Johnson Men who disdained military service themselves asked American soldiers to die for a mission that shifts like the sand, but … Read more

by Jeff Latas My life has changed over that last ten months and the meaning of Memorial Day changed with it. There have been some comments on one of the later post here on BFA about politicizing Memorial Day, what is fair and what is objectionable when a political point of view references our troops, … Read more