Submitted by Rick, Mar 11, 2008 16:40

Uintaguy has it all wrong in stating that McCain's Viet Nam war conduct was not heroic, did not require good judgement or wisdon, and does not contribute to making him qualified to lead a country. McCain was not some garden variety POW swept up by the Nazi's and held in the warm and well fed confines of Stalig 17 for the duration of the war. Rather, he was shot down over North Viet Nam where he was starved and tortured incessently for many years. McGain was the son of a serving Navy Admiral during the time of his captivity and the North Vietnamese singled him out for the most horrible and outrageous tortures in an attempt to make him betray his country for propaganda purposes. McCain resisted his torturers almost to the point of death and set the standard for professional conduct and resistence for all other prisoners of war to live up to.

Later in the war, McCain was offered early repatrition as the North Viet Namese attempted to curry international favor by releasing some of their prisoners. Despite being gravely ill and seriously injured, McCain refused North Viet Namese attempts to release him early due to his celebrity status and for propaganda purposes. McCain insisted on remaining a POW until all other POW's who were more seriously ill or who had been a POW longer than him were released. Ultimately, he remained a prisoner until all prisoners were released in 1973 under the Paris Peace Accords.

McCain was permanently disabled as a result of his years long resistance to North Viet Namese torture and his insistence on setting the ultimate example for all other North Viet Namese captives to live up to.

While I don't want to minimize President Kennedy's heroic actions during WW2 they pale to insignificance when compared to McCain's. McCain had his arms tied behind his back and then a rope was tied to his hands and he was hoisted and hung from the ceiling so that his shoulders were torn from their sockets and dislocated. He was left hanging this way for days and beaten by his sadistic jailors until he became unconcious. When he woke up he was beaten again. When he reached the verge of death he was returned to his cell to recuperate and then, in a few weeks, he was brought back and tortured again, and again, and again, for years. During his years of horrible torture, McCain was cnstantly told by his sadistic captors that he had the ability to cause the torture to stop and that he would be sent home if he simply agreed to make some small propaganda statements. He refused.

It is beyond my understanding how somone could be subjected to this sadistic level of torture and still resist; yet McCain did resist because his resistance set an example for all other POW's to emulate. One must go much further back than Kennedy to find someone who has shown the strength of character that McCain has. In fact, I can think of only one good example and that is George Washington's example in fighting for the creation of the United States and, subsequently, emulating Cincinnatus by refusing opportunities to become the first King of the United States.

Uintaguy rightly points out that Kennedy had feet of clay and would be vilified today for his near constant sexual affairs and other forms of marital infidelity (a Kennedy family trait). In this respect as well McCain has surpassed Kennedy.

Uintaguy is correct that mere war service does not qualify one to become President. However, McCain's service is particularly germane in that he exhibited a strength of character and resolve that is superhuman by any standard of comparison or analysis. When combined with subsequent decades of military and Congressional service there can be no legitimate debate regarding McCain's qualifications to be President. He is qualified, End of story.

While there are certainly many similarities between Kennedy and McCain there are many contrasts as well. Perhaps the best contrast is that while both Kennedy and Obama are very high on idealism and "vision" they are extremely low on actual qualifications or realistic solutions. Wishing that the world were a better place is easy. Actually making the world become better is hard. Kennedy died before his lack of experience and bad judgement (Cuba and Viet Nam) came home to roost. His death created the mythology of Camelot that Obama hopes to use to cloak his own shortcomings. Had Kennedy survived to complete his first, or a second, term, his legacy today would be akin to that of President Johnson's; or perhaps that of Governor Spritzer.

Neither Kennedy, nor Obama, has exhibited any capability to turn flowery rhetoric and "dreams" into reality. McCain has. Oppose McCain on the issues if you must. But, please, don't try to put him in the same class with Kennedy or Obama.

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