Retired General Wesley Clark, speaking to Face the Nation on Lieberman's quote that McCain is much more ready to be Commander in Chief......
"He was untested and untried." "I certainly honor his service as a prisoner of war. He was a hero to me and to hundreds of thousands and millions of others in the armed forces as a prisoner of war."
That was where Clark should have zipped his lips. But, as if he couldn't hold back some raging impulse, he went on:
"He hasn't held executive responsibility. … I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president."
In a sense, of course, Clark is right. There's nothing about flying a plane—or, for that matter, driving a tank or shooting a rifle—that indicates a talent for high office. Nor does being a Prisoner of War. Although we certainly get somewhat of a picture and testament of McCain's inner qualities, this, in and of itself, doesn't necessarily make him the ultimate candidate for the position of Commander of Chief. There were well over 19oo soldiers who were either POWs or MIAs. No one could argue that all 1900 would make a slam dunk candidate to run our entire military forces.
That was where Clark should have zipped his lips. But, as if he couldn't hold back some raging impulse, he went on:
"He hasn't held executive responsibility. … I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president."
In a sense, of course, Clark is right. There's nothing about flying a plane—or, for that matter, driving a tank or shooting a rifle—that indicates a talent for high office. Nor does being a Prisoner of War. Although we certainly get somewhat of a picture and testament of McCain's inner qualities, this, in and of itself, doesn't necessarily make him the ultimate candidate for the position of Commander of Chief. There were well over 19oo soldiers who were either POWs or MIAs. No one could argue that all 1900 would make a slam dunk candidate to run our entire military forces.
As ill advised as the statements were from Clark, he is one of a handful of military men with the absolute right to look down his nose at the military career of anyone, including John McCain. Look at the facts.....
In 1967, Navy Lt. Commander John McCain was flying A-4E Skyhawk attack planes off the USS Forrestal aircraft carrier. He was on his 23rd bombing mission over North Vietnam when an air-defense battery shot him out of the sky. He crashed into Hanoi's Truc Bach Lake (where a statue of him was erected, in celebration of the event) and was held prisoner for the next five years.
In 1970, Army Capt. Wes Clark was commanding the 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry, of the 1st Infantry Division ("the Big Red One"), when a Viet Cong soldier shot him four times. Though seriously wounded, he ordered his men to fight back, and they won the skirmish. Clark was hospitalized and awarded a Silver Star.
In 1970, Army Capt. Wes Clark was commanding the 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry, of the 1st Infantry Division ("the Big Red One"), when a Viet Cong soldier shot him four times. Though seriously wounded, he ordered his men to fight back, and they won the skirmish. Clark was hospitalized and awarded a Silver Star.
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