Clinton Surrogate Steinem Attacks McCain's War Record (1 Viewer)

champ76

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"The New York Observer reports that in Austin, Texas, over the weekend, feminist icon Gloria Steinem belittled Sen. John McCain's five-and-a-half years as a POW and said the media would treat that war record differently if it were a woman veteran's record.

"Suppose John McCain had been Joan McCain and Joan McCain had got captured, shot down and been a POW for eight years?" Steinem asked, suggesting the media would ask "'What did you do wrong to get captured? What terrible things did you do while you were there as a captive for eight years?" ...

Referring to his time in captivity, Steinem said, with bewilderment, "I mean, hello? This is supposed to be a qualification to be president? I don’t think so.""
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/03/clinton-surroga.html

Well, whataya think?
 
Just wait until the "Hanoi Hilton-ers For Truth" ads start running next fall.
 
Not touching it...

Sabine and Saintlady are wandering around here somewhere.

Obama should leave this alone as well.
 
1 I think she is an idiot.

2 I think if either Democratic candidate decides to attack McCains war record as a means to sway voters then it is an instant fail and a huge mistake.

3 I think this womans opinion about John McCain is about irrelevant as it gets considering she is a Clinton backer and Obama is going to be the one facing McCain anyway.
 
Are you going to tell us your primary mission?

I'll tell! I'll tell! I'll sing like a canary! My daddys an Admiral ya know!
 
Not touching it...

Sabine and Saintlady are wandering around here somewhere.

Obama should leave this alone as well.

He should absolutely touch it.

Condemn it outright and praise McCain's military service. Talk about how much he respects him blah blah blah but that he's the wrong man to be President right now.

Obama has to continue to appear above the fray. That requires denouncing these types of attacks.

Don't change what got you here.
 
Since Hillary is going to lose the nomination anyway, Obama will have to get his own surrogates to attack McCain's service record.
 
Are you going to tell us your primary mission?

I'll tell! I'll tell! I'll sing like a canary! My daddys an Admiral ya know!

I would just LOVE to hear what you are getting at here.
 
I would just LOVE to hear what you are getting at here.

He's probably talking about the stories flying around that McCain got preferential treatment as a POW. Which is sort of the same thing I was talking about re: "Hanoi Hilton-ers For Truth". There are all sorts of stories flying around about things some of the guys he was in there with are prepared to say (in exchange for $, no doubt).
 
He's probably talking about the stories flying around that McCain got preferential treatment as a POW. Which is sort of the same thing I was talking about re: "Hanoi Hilton-ers For Truth". There are all sorts of stories flying around about things some of the guys he was in there with are prepared to say (in exchange for $, no doubt).

Well, I hope the 'swiftboaters' stay away from this election. We have had enough of that in American politics.

SBTB, I would think that Obama would be above the fray to not respond at all. You feel differently? Like, not responding may be an agreement of sorts? Just curious.
 
Yes, I think it's important for him to send the message "I don't do things like that". McCain did it by making a fuss over the use of Obama's middle name. Staying quiet will be perceived as agreement, he needs to condemn.
 
Well, I hope the 'swiftboaters' stay away from this election. We have had enough of that in American politics.

I agree, but it will come down to who wins the Dem nomination. If Obama wins, he won't go there and will roast any group that does so on his behalf. If Clinton wins, well, get ready for the worst of the worst.
 
"The New York Observer reports that in Austin, Texas, over the weekend, feminist icon Gloria Steinem belittled Sen. John McCain's five-and-a-half years as a POW and said the media would treat that war record differently if it were a woman veteran's record.

"Suppose John McCain had been Joan McCain and Joan McCain had got captured, shot down and been a POW for eight years?" Steinem asked, suggesting the media would ask "'What did you do wrong to get captured? What terrible things did you do while you were there as a captive for eight years?" ...

Referring to his time in captivity, Steinem said, with bewilderment, "I mean, hello? This is supposed to be a qualification to be president? I don’t think so.""
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/03/clinton-surroga.html

Well, whataya think?

Gloria is a brassy one, no doubt about it. How about some context (not provided by ABC):

AUSTIN, Texas—Feminist icon Gloria Steinem took to the stump on Hillary Clinton’s behalf here last night and quickly proved that she has lost none of her taste for provocation.
From the stage, the 73-year-old seemed to denigrate the importance of John McCain’s time as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. In an interview with The Observer afterward, she suggested that Barack Obama benefits—and Clinton suffers—because Americans view racism more seriously than sexism.
Steinem also told the crowd that one reason to back Clinton was because “she actually enjoys conflict.”
And she claimed that if Clinton’s experience as first lady were taken seriously in relation to her White House bid, people might “finally admit that, say, being a secretary is the best way to learn your boss’s job and take it over.”
Steinem raised McCain’s Vietnam imprisonment as she sought to highlight an alleged gender-based media bias against Clinton.
“Suppose John McCain had been Joan McCain and Joan McCain had got captured, shot down and been a POW for eight years. [The media would ask], ‘What did you do wrong to get captured? What terrible things did you do while you were there as a captive for eight years?’” Steinem said, to laughter from the audience.
McCain was, in fact, a prisoner of war for around five and a half years, during which time he was tortured repeatedly. Referring to his time in captivity, Steinem said with bewilderment, “I mean, hello? This is supposed to be a qualification to be president? I don’t think so.”
Steinem’s broader argument was that the media and the political world are too admiring of militarism in all its guises.
“I am so grateful that she [Clinton] hasn’t been trained to kill anybody. And she probably didn’t even play war games as a kid. It’s a great relief from Bush in his jump suit and from Kerry saluting.”
To The Observer, Steinem insisted that “from George Washington to Jack Kennedy and PT-109 we have behaved as if killing people is a qualification for ruling people.”
FYI Re the above:

The Clinton campaign sends over the following statement from Howard Wolfson: "Senator Clinton has repeatedly praised Senator McCain's courage and service to our country. These comments certainly do not represent her thinking in any way. Senator Clinton intends to have a respectful debate with Senator McCain on the issues."
http://www.observer.com/2008/stumping-clinton-steinem-says-mccains-p-o-w-cred-overrated
 

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