Flashback: McCain Was Against Candidates Using Vietnam Experience Before He Was For It
A nice catch from Steve Benen: He reminds us that John McCain criticized John Kerry's use of his Vietnam experience for campaign purposes back in 2004. At the time, he said he was "sick and tired of re-fighting the Vietnam War," adding that Kerry's use of his war heroism in the campaign was nakedly political.
Now, though, McCain is happy to use his own Vietnam experience for campaign purposes, most recently sending out a new mailer he's dropped in New Hampshire recounting the Christmas inspiration he took solace from during his days as a war prisoner in Vietnam.
To be clear, McCain should of course talk as much as he wants about his past experiences. But he shouldn't have criticized Kerry for doing it.
Comments (12)
Richard L. Adlof wrote on December 21, 2007 5:34 PM:. . . But does it really count as a flip-flop if you are insane and haven't spoke to your mind in four years?
Greg wrote on December 21, 2007 5:38 PM:heh -- no, I suppose not.
LJ wrote on December 21, 2007 5:38 PM:I was really moved by the McCain mailing. I'd say it's the most effective advertising I've seen from any candidate.
Vicki Hampton wrote on December 21, 2007 6:30 PM:It just drives you all nuts that you ain't got nothing or can't find nothing on Senator McCain so you are reduced to studying old tape footage or old manuscripts or where ever it is that you pull up old has-been news.
DAN wrote on December 21, 2007 6:39 PM:This full roundup of today's 7 general election polls shows how much competitive McCain is in the general election than his fellow Republicans.
mageduley wrote on December 21, 2007 6:42 PM:Post by Vicki Hampton:
"It just drives you all nuts that you ain't got nothing or can't find nothing on Senator McCain "
Boy Vicky..what a decimation of the English language. I seriously loved the "you all" "ain't" and of course the wonderful double negative. I was just wondering..did you and GWB go to the same school?
The question at stake here is credibility. (Cred-a-bill-a-tee)
That means you cannot slam the actions of others in the present when you yourself have done it in the past.
I do wish that McCain hadn't criticized Kerry in '04.
But there is no question in mind that McCain is the only viable Republican candidate who has even a modicum of respectability. I think that a general election between McCain and any Democratic candidate other than Clinton would be one of the most genial, position-based campaigns we have seen in recent years. To quote Jon Stewart, "Stop hurting America. Nominate McCain."
Richard L. Adlof wrote on December 21, 2007 8:38 PM:Ms Hampton,
We gotta go back less than one short year to find Senator Wackadoodle:
1. Bragging about the safety of a walkabout Bagdad while surrounded by 100 armed folk and four helicopter gunships.
2. Endorsing Senator Joementum.
3. Being endorsed great and grand leader of the massively overwhelmingly party of one . . . Collectingacut for Lieberman.
4. Bragging about getting the vasiline covered reach across the aisle from Lieberman.
5. Endlessly ranting and rambling about how the homoerotically named escalation was going to give a hard-on to the American people for the unending occupation of a country who did nothing to us and couldn't have even thought about doing anything to us cuz their leader's arms dealers cut him off once they got swore in as Vice President and Secretary of Offense.
6. Claiming to hate torture while working tirelessly to insure that the leader of his Party could personally pull the wings off of tayer-er-ists and half drown others.
All that and we haven't started on the straight talk express being repo'd and a whole shit load of campaign gaffs.
INQUIRY: Did you spend padded room time with the addle-minded Senator?
john mccutchen wrote on December 21, 2007 9:13 PM:ONly Hanoi John can stop him now!
Anonymous wrote on December 21, 2007 9:13 PM:Deja vu all over again?
http://blogs.venturacountystar.com/vcs/dennert/archives/johnmccainpow2.jpg
Michael A wrote on December 22, 2007 9:38 AM:Thanks for the post. I forgot about that and that was only 4 years ago.
Imagine what people have forgotten about the clintons and the clinton years? It boggles the mind.
nogo war wrote on December 22, 2007 2:07 PM:The LGF wing of the Republican Party went bonkers over McCain and immigration last May.
Rove inc. has spent years formulating the keep out the Mexicans cause they look like the the Iraqi's who were responsible for 9/11..groundswell
Mitt will pulpify Johnnie Mac.. AND Huck and Rudi over this. Tancredo endorsed Mitt.
Immigration will be the fox with a lit torch on its tail running around the Republican Camp.
