Deconstructing the Daily Star’s John McCain Interview – Part 5

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

We conclude this series with the last subject matter Sen. John McCain Interview: Don't Ask Don't Tell:

STAR: I wanted to ask about "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and your perspective on that. And I know what you said several years ago and what you have said since. But I'm wondering if you've been approached by gay service members because you said that it's been working effectively, it's been working well. So I'm curious how do you come to that conclusion? Have you sought out gay service members, have you been approached by gay service members? How do you make that determination?

McCAIN: I make that determination by retention and recruitment is at an all-time high, the highest in the history of the all-volunteer force. I get that opinion because I visit with the troops all the time. I go to Iraq, I go to Afghanistan, I run into them everywhere. And of course I don't seek out someone who is gay. Why should I? These are all men and women who are serving. Why should I, that would be nuts. I go up to men and women and I say thanks for serving. I say thank you for serving, you are great Americans, God bless you.

McCain is making an apples to oranges comparison of no relevance to the question asked. Recruitment and retention are at an all-time high because we are in the worst economic recession since the Great Depression with the long-term unemployment rate at a depression level of 17% or more. If you have a job in the military you keep it and take your chances. It's better than your chances of finding work in this economy. How this has anything to do with the success of DADT is beyond me.

John McCain said in October of 2006 on “Hardball” on MSNBC that he would listen to our military leaders as to what to do on Don't Ask Don't Tell:

And I understand the opposition to it, and I‘ve had these debates and discussions, but the day that the leadership of the military comes to me and says, Senator, we ought to change the policy, then I think we ought to consider seriously changing it because those leaders in the military are the ones we give the responsibility to.

We reported McCain's flip-flop of his position on DADT here John McCain Flip-Flops, Rejects the Recommendation of the Pentagon on DADT, and Gen. Colin Powell calling him out for his flip-flop on DADT here. Gen. Colin Powell to John McCain: Repeal DADT

What is this crap about " I don't seek out someone who is gay, why should I? That would be nuts." Is he afraid the gay is going to rub off? If McCain really wants to know how DADT affects the lives and careers of gay military personnel serving in the U.S. Armed Forces, then he has to make the effort to speak to gay military personnel (on condition of confidentiality). His statement says he doesn't care about these military personnel.

STAR: But if there's a policy that could put that service in jeopardy for a number of service members, how do you judge whether it's working or not individually if you're not speaking with the people who are affected?

McCAIN: The policy is one that has worked by the opinion of their commanders. Now the military is an organization that is designed for one purpose and one purpose only, to fight and win wars. That's the only reason why we have a military. So by any objective view, our military is the most professional, best equipped, best trained, most highest quality that it's ever been. That means that its policies are working. And they get that from every commander from the sergeant to the second lieutenant all the way up to the service chiefs.

Now just yesterday, Gen. (George) Casey said he was very worried about an abrupt change without assessing the impact on the men and women in the military and our battle effectiveness. That's what he said.

The commandant of the Marine Corps said that he's against it. The head of the United States Marine Corps said that he's against it. And he said that they may have to change the living arrangements of the members of the United States Marine Corps.

Now these are people who are battle seasoned, they are people that are sergeants who have five tours in Iraq or Afghanistan.

The "only reason we have a military is to fight and win wars?" Spoken like a true Neoconservative warmonger. It's called the Department of Defense for a reason (the name was changed from the Department of War). The military exists to defend the security interests of the United States. It was never intended to be a conquering military force to occupy countries for a Pax Americana empire as his Neoconservative friends fantasize about.

STAR: You said that in your estimation …

McCAIN: It's not my estimation. Objectives of estimation. You can't change the numbers of recruitment and retention.

STAR: If those things are going well, could they be better if the policy was changed?

McCAIN: That's why we need to review the policy and find out what the effect is on the military and their battle effectiveness. That's why we need an extensive review and listen to the commandant of the Marine Corps who says it should not be repealed. Listen to the men and women in the field, listen to the families of those who are serving rather than fulfill a campaign promise.

Now the reason why the president declared this is because it was a campaign promise, not because our military is hurting, not because we're having difficulties in the military.

STAR: There are those in the military who think it's a terrible policy and unjust and should be changed. So I think there's …

McCAIN: Well, according to polls, I think that the overwhelming majority of members of the military support it. So I'm sure I can find people who don't like any policy that the military has. But the majority of the members of the military strongly support it, and they worry about battle effectiveness if they change the policy. That's why we have to have a thorough and complete review before we change the policy. And that's what I said two years ago and that's what I said two weeks ago and that's what I said yesterday and that's what I said today. We need a thorough and complete review before we change the policy and its impact on battle effectiveness and listen to the members of the military, not just because we are fulfilling a campaign promise by then-candidate Obama.

Sore loser McCain rears his ugly head again to assert that this is a rash move by president Obama for political reasons. It couldn't possibly be about civil rights, fairness and justice for gay military personnel proudly and honorably serving their country in the U.S. Armed Forces. An extensive review is simply an excuse for foot-dragging delay so that Republicans can beat the "gay issue" to death in the November election. "Go slow" is the same thing the segregationists said during the civil rights movement. How long is long enough?

As for polling, McCain is cherry-picking an older (and flawed) poll that supports his position while ignoring other polls that show a majority of Americans and military service personnel favor ending DADT. As we reported here previously:

Polls show that a majority of Americans support openly gay service — a majority did not in 1993 — but there have been no recent broad surveys of the 1.4 million active-duty personnel. In the most recent poll – conducted in May 2009 by Gallup – 69% favored allowing openly gay people to serve. Only 26% were opposed. Public Opinion Supports Repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” A December 2008 poll by The Military Times of predominantly Republican and largely older subscribers found that 58 percent opposed to efforts to repeal the policy. Military Times Poll Flawed | Palm Center

In 2006, a poll by Zogby International of 545 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans found that nearly three-quarters were comfortable around gay service members. Zogby International

* * *

STAR: What about Adm. (Mike) Mullen's position, though?

McCAIN: He said it was his personal opinion.

STAR: Well, he did. But he also appeared in uniform. And it's a little hard to parse when the joint chiefs appear in front of the United States Senate committee and says "It's my personal opinion that."

McCAIN: What about when the commandant of the Marine Corps said he is opposed to it? What about when the chief of staff of the Army said we've got to go slow on this? What about when the chief of staff of the Air Force said I'm very worried about an abrupt change in policy and that we have to have a thorough review? What about all of those people?

STAR: Well maybe that was just their personal opinion.

McCAIN: No, no. It wasn't their personal opinion. It was their professional opinion. It was Admiral Mullen's personal opinion. All these other guys I just mentioned, that was their professional opinion.

STAR: I'm just saying when he appears in his uniform to speak, I don't think most Americans get invited to give their personal opinions before the Armed Services Committee wearing their uniform and appearing as the head of the joint chiefs.

McCAIN: I guess all I can do is repeat myself. He said and emphasized that it was his personal opinion. Every other one of the service chiefs have said we need a thorough and complete review before we change the policy. And polls have shown that members of the military don't want to change a policy because they think it's working.

STAR: There's also been a generational shift, I think, too, in terms of what younger members say and what …

McCAIN: There may have been, there may not have been. But we need a thorough and complete review. I mean, how many times do I have to give you my opinion?

If you want to have a debate about this issue, I'll be glad to have a debate with you. I thought I came here to tell you my positions on the issues. I'm serious here. I would be glad to have an open and public debate with you on this issue. But I thought that I came here in order to tell you my positions on issues so that you can judge whether I should be re-elected or not or whatever opinions you may form.

STAR: I think a dialogue is good, too.

McCAIN: All right. Okay.

STAR: To make sure that I understand the nuances in your opinion and that I understand it thoroughly.

McCAIN: There are no nuances in my opinion. I think we need a thorough and complete review of the policy and its impact on battle effectiveness before we change the policy.

And there he is! Senator McNasty finally shows up and gets angry with this editor. "Just write down my answers like a good little stenographer. Don't you know who I am?"

For the record, Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee “No matter how I look at the issue, I cannot escape being troubled by the fact that we have in place a policy which forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens.” Admiral Mullen said it was his personal belief that “allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly would be the right thing to do.” “I have served with homosexuals since 1968,” Admiral Mullen told the committee. He added, “Everybody in the military has, and we understand that.”

* * *

McCAIN: Now, I would like to return to don't ask, don't tell with you and talk some more. Go ahead.

STAR: No.

McCAIN: Go ahead. I'm ready. I'm ready. I'm ready. I'm ready. I'm ready to continue our conversation on it. Okay. Seriously. Go ahead.

Well, well! Grampy crabbypants really wants to pick a fight with this editor. "C'mon ya young punk, let's see what you got!"

STAR: Well I guess I'm just wondering do you see it as some have put it as a civil rights issue?

McCAIN: No. No, I don't. As Colin Powell said when don't ask, don't tell was first inaugurated, there's a difference between sexual preference and the color of one's skin. That was General Powell's statement.

STAR: That was years ago.

McCAIN: He was in favor of it, and now he's come out … for the repeal. Yeah. I think what he said then still holds true today, that it is a different issue. I think Colin Powell wants to repeal don't ask, don't tell. I don't think he views it now as a civil rights issue, though.

McCain cannot conceive that institutionalized discrimination against gay military personnel is a civil rights issue. This speaks to his lack of character and judgment on an issue of great importance to a substantial number of personnel in the U.S. Armed Forces. And he doesn't care.

STAR: Why should we review it at all if it's working well?

McCAIN: Because the president wants to repeal the law. The president initiated this. I'm not opposed to reviewing it. It's fine to review it. I think every law ought to be reviewed.

STAR: Do you believe at the end of the day the review will show that it should stand?

McCAIN: I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I think it will, from my experiences and seeing polls in the military and all that. But if I was sure of the outcome, I wouldn't want a thorough review. I just think we've got to have a thorough review in many policies. Particularly one as emotional and as impactful as this should be reviewed.

STAR: So if at the end of the review the consensus of the report or whatever is brought forth is that it's not working, it's keeping qualified people out, that the military could be better if it was repealed, are you open to following through on that recommendation because that's what it shows?

McCAIN: Well, if the president finds out at the end of the day after the review that it's working and an important policy that can be maintained, that he would maintain the policy. I think that's fair.

STAR: You would only accept the review if you had assurances from Barack Obama that he will protect the review?

McCAIN: Well, isn't that kind of fair? Why wouldn't I expect him to accept the review if I expect to accept it.

STAR: It's fair to expect him to. But I heard you say you won't if he won't. [good catch!]

McCAIN: I'm not going to deal with hypotheticals as to what would come out. But the fact is that I want to review and then I will make a decision from there. I don't know what the review result will say, I don't know what they will be about. And I just have to tell you that I engage in a lot of hypotheticals. But I'm convinced that it is working and has worked well.

Do you want more? I mean, I'm serious. Until we exhaust this issue, I'd be glad to continue our conversation. I apologize for referring to it as being a debate when it was really an informative discussion.

Whoa! Grampy crabbypants is all "emotional" and still itching for a fight with this editor. Take a good look at this angry, closed-minded old man voters. Sen. McNasty is the real McCain. It's time for voters to retire him to the political dinosaur graveyard (a figurative illustration, of course). And the editors of the Arizona Daily Star should acknowledge that this man lacks the composure, character and judgment to continue serving in the U.S. Senate.

NB: I have to say that I am stunned that the editors of the Daily Star did not ask a single foreign policy question of McCain. Nothing about Afghanistan and Iraq. Perhaps they feared Sen. McNasty would filibuster his time as he did with this question about DADT.

I am also disappointed that the Daily Star felt no need to publish a "fact check" of their McCain interview. This man has been getting away with saying whatever pops into his head to his fawning McMedia "base" for years and he has never been held to account. That has to stop.