Sen. John Warner Knocks Obama’s “Experience”
Continuing on the McCain conference call, the typically reticent Sen. John Warner, R-Virginia, took issue with Gen. Clark’s comments that John McCain’s service on the Armed Services Committee in no way prepared him for the job of commander-in-chief.
“I made a rough calculation this morning that I was in the Oval Office with five presidents where matters of national security were discussed. John McCain was with me on one or two of those occasions. John has experience that Senator Obama simply does not have. John knows how to assess risk. Many, many times he has assessed risk.”
Warner specifically noted McCain “telling President Bush he needed to put more forces into the Iraq situation based on his assessment of the risk. On that, he turned out to be right.”
Swindle also said the “Truth Squad” is necessary because, according to his estimate, half of the country either wasn’t alive or has no real memory of the Vietnam War. He said McCain’s record must be conveyed to those who don’t know much about the war or McCain’s service in it, adding that Clark’s comments were a “horrible thing to do” and Obama — by not denouncing the remarks — is not running a “civil campaign.”
And in remarks sure to aggravate the situation, Swindle and Day both said Clark’s comments were way out of bounds but questions raised by the “Swift Boat Veterans for Truth” during the 2004 campaign against John Kerry were not.
Day said the criticisms of Kerry’s war record were factual while Clark’s assessment of McCain was inaccurate. Swindle said Kerry’s Vietnam record was a relevant issue in 2004 and the Swift Boat veterans poked legitimate holes in Kerry’s war-hero biography. The Kerry campaign regarded nearly all of the Swift Boat attacks as groundless lies and the perception that his campaign failed to adequately refute them has led Obama over and over to pledge that he will not be “Swift Boated” during this campaign.
Swindle – what an appropriate name.
Typical FOXNews reporting…why would we expect anything unbiased from the GOP’s mouthpiece?
John McCain war “Experience” was limited to being a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War.
Sen. Warner is right on to show actual national security experience for McCain.
An additional point is that the nation has only two choices right now for Pres
and McCain, whatever he may be lacking in overall experience is eminently ahead
of Obama in all departments. One might question why General Clark has any
credentials of his own to even speak on this matter.
Does John Warner mean that McCain’s mindless cheer leading of the invasion of Iraq and the continuing support of this horror as his “good ability to assess risks?” Please, this is the kind of judgment and assessment our country can no longer afford, financially or morally.
End this fuzzy thinking, please!! We need change.
June Davis
Arcata, CA
Wesley Clark has become a political hack who has joined the gang that, rather than engage in discussions about specific issues affecting the nation, engages in and resorts to ad hominem attacks on Sen McCain”s military service. It’s so obvious as to why Wesley Clark, and those to whom hew is sucking up , are doing this. Barack Hussein Obama is an EMPTY SHIRT. There is NOTHING there, but a lot of fancy rhetoric, and NO substance.
Clark’s remarks are reprehensible and insulting and are beneath the dignity of a combat veteran let alone that of a Flag Officer, especially one who was relieved of his command of NATO forces five months early, for cause. Clark has certainly sold himself, quite cheaply. As a retired USMC officer and a combat Viet Nam vet, my respect for Clark is now zilch.
Semper Fi
The GOP have proven to be COMPETE FAILURES to their country -
And they would have us REWARD THIS ? !!!
Not This Time !
President Obama should not condemn what General Clark said because General Clark was telling the truth. General Clerk has more experienced in the military than McSame.
McSame has never commanded a battalion or made any decisions on war and field operations. How many sorties did he do – 3 before being shot down. Many men died and flew more sorties than McSame. Yes, what did McSame do for this country after doing propoaganda for the enemy? I will tell you what he did – he voted for the unnecessary war in Iraq in which over 4,000 military lives have been lost.
This Navy wife will never support McSame because he has no morals – just ask his first wife.
I am ashamed of our country for making this man a general. He is and has been a fraud.
Calling bombs is not all those in charge, peacetime, or wartime do. What Clark did is namecall and denegrate EVERY American military leader that is not on a battlefront as worthless idiots.
So thier advanced degrees – which most military managers have, can’t produce and hold budgets in the mega M’s, allocate personnel and resources or produce presentations.
Clark is a disgrace, Obama is a fraud. We are in trouble if anyone gives them credence.
You really should have added that there has been for some time a million dollar offer to anyone that can disprove the Swiftboat ads and so far no takers
Thanks
Paul
I have been part of the military family my whole life. My Dad spent 24 years in the Air Force and was in Vietnam where he was awarded 2 Bronze Stars. My husband spent almost 30 years in the Air National Guard. Up until today I had not made up my mind who I was voting for, I was going to listen to the issues and vote for who I felt had the best plan if they were elected (a must was pro-military). The remarks I have heard coming from the Obama campaign recently has deeply offended me regarding McCain’s Military Service.
I also spoke out about the remarks made about Kerry’s military service at the time. Our young men and women have been and are still being sent to war in unimaginable situations. I could not imagine being tortured for years and held in those conditions, then have my honor, service and loyalty to my county questioned and belittled. This country has lost many men and women to wars and on a daily basis is still continuing. There are thousands of family members in this country who saw how their loved ones were being treated during Vietnam, there are thousands of family members during this war who are determined to not let that happen again.
Regardless of how Obama feels Military personnel and families ALSO VOTE and will not let anyone demean our loved ones service. It saddens me that this comes from a person who was in the military and that he feels this way. I wonder how he or Obama would handle being locked up and have daily torture sessions for years?
My mind was made up today.
General Clark’s remarks concerning Senator McCain’s ability to act as Commander-In-Chief has made me question General Clark’s OWN capacity to access a situation. His inability to realize that in and of itself his war experience will not prepare Sen. McCain for the Presidency, but that it IS a contribution to make him a better qualified candidate has caused me to lose respect for the General. John McCain has taken what he has learned from the Vietnam War and applied it in any number of situations where such insight is called for.
What I fail to understand is what makes Sen. Obama qualified in any way, shape or form. His ability to foresee that the name Barack Obama would be more marketable than his birthname of Barry Sotero? Does General Clark feel that is a Presidential move? Well, it’s not enough to convince me.
Senator Warner is right!!! Obama has barely two years experience in the Senate, and no
military experience. Obama has limited exposure to actual national security issues. We are not electing Obama’s associates, Clark and others, who may have more experience. All other things being equal, and they are not, Sen. McCain has considerable first hand personal military experience, extensive Senatorial national experience, and has dealt with national affairs for decades and other campaign related issues , and has a record of participation in other Pres. campaigning. McCain’s long historic record proves experience, not the “change with the wind (Polls)”, indecisive “flop flopping” exhibited by Obama, who follows (not leads) the direction of his adviser’s and speech writers and who continues to make “misstatements”. This election has a clear choice of experience as a candidate – Sen. John McCain. Lets keep the ultra liberal, tax and spend/spend and tax, anti big business, anti oil, anti American leadership in foreign affairs Democrats from ruining our economy and pursuing the wrong direction. Vote McCain!!!
Monty Ousley Weddell Dallas, TX
The comments that Gen. Clark made illustrates the depths to which the political process has fallen.
Let’s be perfectly up front and honest about any candidates capacity to become POUS. NO ONE regardless of their previous experience has ever had, or will ever have had, the experience one needs. Whether we wish to admit it or not, it requires on the job training with the assistance of, hopefully, a wise and dedicated staff.
A. Lincoln was an Illinois Senator with no national exposure yet had to conduct the most brutal war this nation has ever been involved in after he was elected. There are those who feel he is one of this nation’s greatest presidents.
FDR was the Governor of NY – never was in the military and had no national experience yet he was CIC the entire duration of WWII. He was also the president who kept us mired in the worst depression this nation has ever experienced and the only thing that pulled us out of it was WWII. We mobilized industry and agriculture as a result and have sustained that capability ever since.
JFK was a Senator from MA – a military man of valor but he got us into Viet Nam and couldn’t solve the problem leaving it to LBJ who also had a ’sketchy’ military background as a Navy man. He had years of elected service as a Senator from Texas but that experiece did not help his judgement and it finally drove him from office in disgrace if you believe his memoirs.
In short there is no absolute training to become POUS. You are elected and learn on the job. You make good judgements and some poor ones but the poor ones affect millions of people but you do so in concert with the Congress.
Having said all of this the POUS is at the mercy of the Congress. Congress runs the nation, not the President and we have these ‘do nothing’ Congresses of the past few years to thank for ALL the turmoil which now exists in this nation. There are 535 elected officials, along with the ‘appointed’
Supreme Court who rule this nation.
Truly, it makes little difference who becomes President, Congress is going to ultimately screw it up.
“Clark is a disgrace, Obama is a fraud. We are in trouble if anyone gives them credence.”
Could not have said it better.
I pray this Country will never be an “OBAMA NATION”
Obama supporters respect McCain’’s honorable service to our country.
But when John McCain says that he sees victory in Iraq in 5 years if he is President by continuing the Bush/Cheney policy on Iraq that is anther story. We already have over 29,978 US wounded, anther over 2000 UK wounded. Over 4178 US Military deaths, over 176 UK. You never see it in the media but their is anther 40,000 of our veterans and troops with Post Traumatic Stress.
Now McCain says its all about the US causalities. Because of modern medical advancements more of our troops are surviving and returning home wounded.
Obama will work with our allies and listen to the people that count so this mess is cleaned up and our troops can come home safely and a war like this can”t happen again in our lifetime perhaps our grand kids lifetime.
This is going to be anther very close election. We all have hopes for Obama in Nov. But hes going to need all the help he can get. That Republican attack machine is getting really nasty.
Come Nov We can wake up to a beautiful morning with Barack Obama in the White House and the McCain/Bush/Cheney nightmare over. America deserves this.
Response to To Comment by Carrie Elias
June 30th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
As much as I want to belive that you actually made your decision after due diligence, it is clear that you have proven that you are either an incompetent voter or, even worse, an ignorant. Show me a quote that BHO has actually demean Sen. McCain’s military service? He always has says that he honors his service to our country! Gen. Clark does not speak for BHO or his campaign, he spoke for himself and as much as some of it were true his delivery was utterly ridiculous. But please, don’t sit there and try to give as bs about making a decision to vote for McCain because of what another person’s critique/rants about him and associate those statements to BHO. You are one of those folks who try to hide behind their ignorance and jump at any stupid reason to make themselves feel better for whatever ill-advised decision they make. And this has nothing to do with whether you are a repub or democ!!!
I’ll always call it as it is.
Comment by JG
June 30th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Typical FOXNews reporting…why would we expect anything unbiased from the GOP’s mouthpiece?
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TRY MSNBC JG. YOU WON’T BE DISAPPOINTED.
THEY HAVE JUST THE KIND OF BIAS YOU CRAVE.
WHERE, WERE YOU ALL REPUG. CRY BABIES WHEN JOHN KERRY WAS BEEN SWIFT BOATED?
Let me see, so If someone goes to jail for 5 years,
that makes him more quailified to be President of the United States.
What kind of Presidential skills does one aquire as prisoner?
Fox news is such a joke, just like the Bush crime family.
If George Bush is an example of what an “experienced” president is, then I do not see where Obama’s so-called “inexperenice” is a problem. It seems to me we need to look at more that one’s experience. We need to know if our president has the interests of the country in mind and not the interests of their political party.
Comment by Michael in Atlanta
July 1st, 2008 at 8:32 am
If George Bush is an example of what an “experienced” president is, then I do not see where Obama’s so-called “inexperenice” is a problem. It seems to me we need to look at more that one’s experience. We need to know if our president has the interests of the country in mind and not the interests of their political party.
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Michael, You bash Bush more than anyone on here and when Obama is just as inexperienced
you give him a pass. You are goofy Michael. You wade deep into the muck. You are twisted.
Comment by Obamas failures piling up fast
July 1st, 2008 at 10:47 am
Comment by Michael in Atlanta
July 1st, 2008 at 8:32 am
If George Bush is an example of what an “experienced” president is, then I do not see where Obama’s so-called “inexperenice” is a problem. It seems to me we need to look at more that one’s experience. We need to know if our president has the interests of the country in mind and not the interests of their political party.
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Michael, You bash Bush more than anyone on here and when Obama is just as inexperienced
you give him a pass. You are goofy Michael. You wade deep into the muck. You are twisted.
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With all the Obama Bashing here, I think some BUSH/McCain bashing would give some balance to all the postings. It is Fox that claims to be fair and BALANCED. So, why are you complaining?
If there was not so much Obama bashing going on, there would be no need for Bush/McCain bashing.
For dharper- a reply to his blog
You say President Franklin Roosevelt never was in the military. Better check your history. President Roosevelt did serve in the military as Assistant Secretary of the Navy from 1913 to 1920.
You say he was the president who “kept us mired in the worst depression this nation ever experienced”. The depression was a WORLDWIDE economic crisis. Roosevelt succeeded President Hoover, who truly believed in laissez-faire approaches to the depression and essentially did almost nothing to help our country in its economic struggle. Roosevelt created the New Deal to provide relief for the unemployed, recovery of the economy and reform of ther economic & banking systems.
Although recovery of the economy was incomplete till almost 1940, he initiated many programs (i.e. Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., Tennessee Valley Authority, U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission) which continue to have instrumental roles in the nation’s commerce. One of his most important legacies is the Social Security system.
Friends don’t let friends vote democratic.
Comment by Michael in Atlanta
July 1st, 2008 at 1:24 pm
If there was not so much Obama bashing going on, there would be no need for Bush/McCain bashing.
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Wrong again Michael. Everyone knows there is never enough Obama bashing and McCain is a
war hero and so is Bush and you are a terrorist and so is Obama.
Comment by Michael is a gonad
July 1st, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Comment by Michael in Atlanta
July 1st, 2008 at 1:24 pm
If there was not so much Obama bashing going on, there would be no need for Bush/McCain bashing.
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Wrong again Michael. Everyone knows there is never enough Obama bashing and McCain is a
war hero and so is Bush and you are a terrorist and so is Obama.
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Bush a war hero?????? You must get your “BAD” intelligence from the same place as Donald Rumsfeld.
Fox News is without question right wing ideologically. But superior objectivity vis-a-vis all the other news organizations in this particular case is because of either one of two things. Assuming the establishment media is liberal (and it is more liberal than Fox News), because Fox News is not, it has escaped the blindness induced by the Obama personality cult. Members of the establishment media are infatuated with Obama. The men want to be him and the women want to do him. Fox News’ ideological bias acts like a vaccine against such infatuation. (And since McCain is not Bush, Fox News escapes infatuation with the Republican nominee.) The other possibility is that, because of its connections to corporations directly involved in imperialism and warmaking, the establishment media has determined that shilling for the Obama campaign advances their material interests either by keeping Clinton from being president (the more likely) or by electing a black man (who is trying his damndest to convince corporate leaders he’s no left-liberal). We will have the answer to this after the convention, but the main point to make here is that, since Fox News is a media corporation rather than the mouthpiece of the military-industrial complex their reporting, their take is more objective on this subject than usual. My own view is that the latter explanation conforms to demonstrable facts. You may recall that the establishment media was overwhelmingly in Bush’s camp in both 2000 and 2004 (especially 2000), so it seems far more likely that liberal bias is something the establishment media uses when it benefits the military-industrial complex. Lots of other examples support this thesis.
LOL!! Can’t swift boat something no one has..Obama has no records to speak of, so it is not relevant. What Obama does have is an “opinion” about the war. He has never even been close to the war, has never seen or experienced it up close and personal, never looked into the face of a solder in Iraq, has no idea about what is going on…prefers the air chair quarter back method from the safety of his campaign office. Hasn’t talked to one foreign country or leader. Heck, the guy doesn’t even go to safe Canada. Talks the talk..but can’t walk the walk…He is a fake!
Who does John Warner think he is? He is an idoit as far as I am concerned. He wants to lower the speed limit to 55mph, for everyone except him. We know how important politicans are, rules are for everyone but them. Hey John, what about the millions of hours stolen and wasted out of Americans livies, while we crawal along the highways of America?
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