Let’s not make harsh jokes about how McCain, who is 73, might soon join this list of deceased military veterans, but the letter the senator cites — and held up during Senate testimony last month — as reason for his continued support of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell includes the names of dead officers, and the living have an average age of 74; the oldest weighing in on troops in their twenties waging war abroad is 98. And of the 200 (of 1,100 total) names investigated by Servicemembers United, many say the letter to which their names are attached doesn’t represent their current views on gays in the military. More than one says they were never consulted about being included on the letter and now request their names be removed.
“At least one signer, Gen. Louis Menetrey, was deceased when the letter was published and didn’t sign the document himself,” reports DC Agenda. A”ccording to a footnote on the letter, his wife signed the document for him after his death using power of attorney — six years after Alzheimer’s disease robbed him of the ability to communicate.”
And then there are the at least seven officers whose military careers are anything but stellar, including Rear Adm. Riley Mixson, who “in 1993 received a career-ending letter of censure from then-Navy Secretary John Dalton for involvement in the 1991 Tailhook scandal, during which he failed to take action against allegations of sexual misconduct.”
Isn’t this the guy who said he’d rely on the judgment of military leaders to shape his views on DADT? Yup.
How about we take this to the next level?
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Cam
But McCain isn’t used to anybody actually CALLING him on anything. Remember, this is the guy who told Tim Russert “I never said that! Where do you get your information?!” When it turns out that he had said the comment he was denying to Russert himself. Additionally he was CONSTANTLY busted on Youtube denying saying something only to have the video pop back to him actually saying it not that long ago. So why would McCain bother to verify that all the people on that letter had ACTUALLY signed that letter. He was just thinking about the 5 min in front of the camera and needed a prop. Asking him to actually verify that what was on it was true is asking too much of somebody whose only interest is in maintaining their cushy job.
B
No. 1 · Cam wrote, regarding McCain, “Additionally he was CONSTANTLY busted on Youtube denying saying something only to have the video pop back to him actually saying it not that long ago.”
I wouldn’t hold that against him, as there is an obvious explanation (see the hilarious video of Jon Stewart on the following web page):
http://www.towleroad.com/2010/02/jon-stewart-time-for-senate-old-people-ban.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+towleroad%2Ffeed+(Towleroad+Daily++%23gay+news)
Brian En Guarde
What a miserable fool McCain is. What a slide down into hysterical disgrace.
Michael @ LeonardMatlovich.com
Bravo to Alex Nicholson at SU following up so aggressively on the holes in the letter’s credibility that I pointed out to him and others at our DADT protest/memorial in DC last October. Mine was based on a preliminary investigation the “PBS News Hour” had done last summer.
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http://leonardmatlovich.com/oct10thdcmemorial.html
McShame is picking up the disgraceful mantle left by Sam Nunn when he retired from the Senate. And the obvious motivations for both are very similar.
Nunn was the far more consistent homophobe when he was in the Senate, having supported the Presidential aspirations of John Glenn who was overtly antigay, and fired two gay legal advisors to the Senate Armed Services Committee he then headed with the phony justification that the committee dealt with issues of national security and they might be blackmailed.
But the primary nexus is in their similarly thwarted political ambitions. Nunn would undoubtedly opposed Clinton’s effort to lift the ban in any case, but blue dog became rabid dog after Clinton stole Nunn’s dream of being the next President from the South and then gave the second prize Nunn coveted, Secretary of Defense, to somone else. Hell hath no fury like a cracker scorned.
If anyone has forgotten, or is unaware, of the dog and pony show Nunn produced in Senate chambers and on military bases, see the video below. He even repeatedly stacked the deck of those allowed to testify about lifting the ban, revoking the invitation to Barry Goldwater who was not just a conservative icon but Nunn’s predecessor as chair of the committee when he found out Goldwater was going to testify in favor of lifting the ban.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PMEXfSqm5k
McShame’s bitter desire for vengeance underriding his natural homophobia is as fresh as this morning’s coffee grounds. Wise Old Longterm Senator and Military Hero Unloved By His Own Party Beaten By Young Freshman Senator ‘Rock Star’ With No Military Experience.
We can only hope that the combination of times having become more gay-friendly [even in 1992 a majority of Americans supported lifting the ban until Nunn & Powell & the Antigay Industry launched their homohating offensive] and McShame’s basic incompetence [along with his NOT being the SASC Chair] prevents him from successfully defeating lifting the ban this time.
delurker
He is a terrible human being, but 30% of the gay community voted for him, the highest ever for a Republican presidential candidate.
SugNight
McCain relies on dead men because they are his only peers. That old fossil has been dead for five years, but no one has the guts to tell him. What a waste of space he is.
alicia banks
who knew this racist sexist geezer could done one more title…medium?
shame!
Taylor Siluwé
No. 6 · SugNight
McCain always relies on other geezers. Remember during the campaign when all sensible people began to support Obama, even Colin Powell, McCain whipped out his own supporter – Eagleberger (who’s like 200 yrs old).