COMMENTS: 61
Republicans Allege McCain Covered Up His Collaboration with the North Vietnamese While a POW
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The video raises probing questions about the 2008 Republican presidential nominee's war record, especially after McCain made his captivity a major part of his qualifications for the presidency at the Republican National Convention. In 2004, the GOP focused on Democratic nominee John Kerry's war record to criticize his candidacy.
To date, the video has been posted on a handful of blogs but has been ignored by the mainstream media. While it features Republican stalwarts on POW/MIA issues, it also suggests that McCain's war records at the Pentagon and in North Vietnam would reveal potentially very controversial details about the GOP's presidential candidate.
The nearly eight-minute video is posted on YouTube under "Vietnam Veterans Against McCain." It begins with the title, "1992 Senate Select Committee on POW/MIAs," and features ex-Sen. Bob Smith (R-NH), Rep. Robert Dornan (R-CA), senate staffers Tracy Usry, James Lucier, and military family members Lynn O'Shea, of the National Alliance of Families and retired Army Cpl. Bob Dumas, whose brother was a POW lost in the Korean War, and Joseph Douglass, Jr., author of Betrayed, about America's missing POWs. The video has no author credits.
The footage begins with Douglass, Usry, O'Shea and Smith all saying that McCain worked to kill legislation that would have opened the Pentagon's classified archive of POW/MIA files. "Many, many documents were held back for no reason," former Sen. Smith said. Dorman said legislation that passed the House with no opposing votes was single-handedly blocked in the Senate by McCain. "On the Senate side, we had one person standing in the way," Dornan said, referring to McCain.
Dumas then gave the reason why - the Pentagon's records would reveal McCain had collaborated with the Vietnamese. "He didn't want nobody to check his background because a lot of POWs who were with him in the camp said he was a collaborator with the enemy," Dumas said. "He gave the enemy information they wanted."
Lucier, identified as a former U.S. Senate Chief of Staff, said "we do know that when he was over there, he cooperated with Communist news services in giving interviews that were not flattering to the United States." Usry, identified as U.S. Senate Minority Staff former chief investigator, said "information shows that he made over 32 tapes of propaganda for the Vietnamese government."
Dornan said there were transcripts of other POWs reacting to McCain's false statements, saying, "Oh my God, is that Admiral McCain's son Is that the admiral's son? Is that Johnny, telling us that our principle targets are schools, orphanages, hospitals, temples, churches? That was Jane Fonda's line." Dornan said those transcripts are in war museums in North Vietnam, where McCain, as a senator, pressured the country not to release them or face opposition concerning normalization of relations with the United States.
"McCain could not have wanted those to turn up in the middle of a presidential race," the ex-congressman said. "He knows that. I know that. And a few other people know that. That's why he was against Bob Dole's legislation."
Dornan then offered another interesting explanation why McCain refused an offer by the North Vietnamese to be released. Dornan said those released first were collaborators, which would have ended McCain's military career and hurt the Navy, where his father commanded the Pacific fleet.
"Nobody takes that one step beyond that," Dornan said, speaking of McCain's refusal to be released. "If Admiral John McCain's son had accepted this princely status and come home in 1967, while others sat there for five years, what would the Navy have done with the son of an admiral who opted to get special treatment and come home? No Navy career. No House seat. No Senate seat. It would have been the end of his career."
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Posted by: Purple Girl on Sep 21, 2008 4:38 AM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Macs CLAIMED Stance on EVERY issue appears to waver depending on which way the wind blows.
When unsure which Side he'll take he waits until Sen Obama makes a speech on the Topic, then steals the concepts and claims them for his Own. This is the reason he is unable to give any Speech without a tellaprompter, and is easily confused should it fail- He has NO personal convictions, perspective Or integrity.
He was never qualified to be granted Graduation from the Acedemy- not only conduct unbecoming an Officer, and unremarkable grades ( apparently he could always SEE the other guys answers during tests), Bu the also could not fly a plane Proefficiently
How much does Mac actually HATE America...Enough to name a Unqualified Ignorant Person as his VP during the Worst time n our Nations history.
throughout his Senatorial era he has not only aided in Addicting Americans to Oil from unsavvory foreign countries, but has stood lookout while the Financial Criminals Raid our Assets and Treasures.
I not only question is Patriotism from 40 yrs ago- I question his Patriotism For the Last 40 Years!
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» After all that, how can you question McCain's patriotism?
Posted by: LMNOP
» For wider readership, LMNOP, please repost your excellent comment on this thread.
Posted by: NoMcCainPalin
» RE: 20th Century Benedict Arnold - Which 'Country First', Mac???Know idea but I know someone ...
Posted by: mahembar
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Posted by: itzamirakul on Sep 21, 2008 5:25 AM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I would like to see a comprehensive list of all of his misdeeds like the Keating Five and the collaboration with enemies if anyone can direct me to same.
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» RE: very bad thing McCain has done has been hidden this time
Posted by: ntsnews
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Posted by: X-POLYGAMIST WIFE on Sep 21, 2008 6:53 AM
Current rating: 4 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
LET MY PEOPLE GO!
BANKING ON HEAVEN . COM
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Posted by: maxpayne on Sep 21, 2008 6:58 AM
Current rating: 4 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
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Posted by: NoMcCainPalin on Sep 21, 2008 6:59 AM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
In McCain’s 1999 autobiography, Faith of My Fathers, he admitted to smoking cigarettes provided him by his captors, a violation of the Code of Conduct for U.S. prisoners of war. It is reasonable to assume the North Vietnamese weren’t aware he was addicted to nicotine. Thus, if McCain, a two-packs a day smoker, had initially refused the tobacco favor, nothing would’ve been said or inferred.
On the other hand, when he took that first puff, his captors knew instantly McCain had a weakness that could make him more vulnerable to disclosing military secrets during interrogations, which he did.
In return for medical treatment at a civilian hospital, a privilege never granted to other injured POWs, McCain reportedly told NVA interrogators the name of his aircraft carrier, how many Navy pilots had been lost, the number of planes in his flight formation, tactics used during bomb runs and the location of rescue ships in the Tonkin Gulf.
Because of the revelations which McCain repeated in propaganda radio broadcasts, the North Vietnamese contemptuously nicknamed him “Songbird.”
On June 4, 1969, a U.S. wire service story headlined, “PW Songbird Is Pilot Son of Admiral,” described one of McCain’s radio recordings: “Hanoi has aired a broadcast in which the pilot son of the United States commander in the Pacific, Adm. John McCain, purportedly admits to having bombed civilian targets in North Vietnam and praises medical treatment he has received since being taken prisoner.”
During his six-week hospital stay and for months afterwards, McCain continued to cooperate with NVA interrogators. He made more radio broadcasts for the enemy and met with foreign dignitaries, enjoying hot tea, coffee and cigarettes in posh settings while back at the Hanoi Hilton and other internment camps, his fellow POWs struggled to stay alive.
In one case, while meeting with Cuban journalist Fernando Barral in 1970, after McCain was no longer being physically abused by his captors, he voluntarily spoke in Spanish, even though he was obligated as an American POW to be evasive during their conversation. Had McCain feigned ignorance of Barral's native language, the one-hour interview, which North Vietnam exploited for propaganda purposes, might not have lasted five minutes.
Although McCain claimed he didn’t discuss military matters with Barral, the Hanoi Hilton's U.S. commander, SRO Jeremiah Denton, later issued an order forbidding POWs to be interviewed by visitors.
Said McCain on page 305 of Faith of My Fathers “[Denton's] decision was a sound one, even though it deprived me of further opportunities to demonstrate my psychic equilibrium… not to mention
the [loss of] extra cigarettes and coffee."
Also in his autobio, while admitting to accepting special favors from the enemy -- i.e. drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes -- McCain conveniently omitted the fact he had conversed with Barral in Spanish, a more serious Code of Conduct violation.
End of UnfitMcCain.com extract. To learn about other facts regarding McCain's REAL POW experience,
click on: The truth about Songbird McCain
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» HUGH Scott
Posted by: Karl.Ben
» RE: HUGH Scott
Posted by: Dboy
» Does the truth include his infidelity with a rich young woman, or her drug addiction with illegal
Posted by: Beck
» And don't forget Cindy's liquor company selling fruit-flavored "alcopops" to teenaged drinkers.
Posted by: NoMcCainPalin
» RE: Songbird McCain is finally caged I don't think so
Posted by: mahembar
Comments are closed-
Posted by: NoMcCainPalin on Sep 21, 2008 7:07 AM
Current rating: 4 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
In article published in June 2008 by Military.com, former POW Phillip Butler, a Navy pilot and U.S. Naval Academy graduate who spent more than eight years in North Vietnam as a prisoner of war, explained why he would not support McCain for the presidency.
"Most of us who survived that experience [being a POW] are now in our late 60’s and 70’s. Sadly, we have died and are dying off at a greater rate than our non-POW contemporaries. We experienced injuries and malnutrition that are coming home to roost. So I believe John’s age (71) and survival expectation are not good for being elected to serve as our President for four or more years."
There are many Republicans who share Butler's concerns, as do the 30% of white Democrats who won't vote for Obama because he's black (according to a recent Yahoo poll). But no matter how well he argues his case, those people will NEVER support him. So Barack must get them to vote AGAINST McCain or not vote at all.
That goal can be accomplished with a simple slogan: "John McCain -- OLD Ideas, OLD Solutions."
Notice I never mentioned his age (72), but the message comes through loud and clear. And should the GOP complain about the inference, it will only bolster suspicions that McCain's best days are behind him.
If you agree with my assessment, tell your friends and family members while there's still time to defeat McCain -- a pandering politician who truly has old ideas, old solutions.
John McCain --OLD Ideas, OLD Solutions
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Posted by: _NH on Sep 21, 2008 8:22 AM
Current rating: 1 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Democrats have the edge in that the press can take any old person who would not make a pimple on McCain's ass, and elevate him to God status, even after some of the sordid things in Obama's and his wife's past have been revealed.
I guess there is no bias on this website huh?
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» NH: Another sad, rove minion wannabe...
Posted by: Knowmad
» RE: What I find most intriguing about the Repressives is
Posted by: Plexius2
» RE: I agree. there is no sense in engaging the self-deluded. Or the scapegoaters.
Posted by: Adastra
» RE: NONE OF THIS COMPARES
Posted by: MindyB
» $ where your mouth is:
Posted by: Jeanne
» proof?
Posted by: undrgrndgirl
» RE: NONE OF THIS COMPARES to Comarde Bush
Posted by: left_libertarian
» RE: NONE OF THIS COMPARES
Posted by: mainspark
» RE: NONE OF THIS COMPARES
Posted by: hilaryuk
» RE: NONE OF THIS COMPARES
Posted by: patfr
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Posted by: Karl.Ben on Sep 21, 2008 8:24 AM
Current rating: 2 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
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» RE: Truth...However
Posted by: MindyB
» RE: Truth...However
Posted by: Karl.Ben
» RE: Truth...However
Posted by: patfr
» RE: Truth...However
Posted by: patfr
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Posted by: darkmark on Sep 21, 2008 9:23 AM
Current rating: 1 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
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» RE: darkmark
Posted by: kiatoa
» RE: I don't lie
Posted by: Lauren
» RE: darkmark
Posted by: mainspark
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Posted by: ralphnovy on Sep 21, 2008 10:24 AM
Current rating: 4 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Anybody know WHEN this was, exactly?
Moreover, anybody know of a reason Vietnam wouldn't release both the tapes AND the transcripts NOW?
THAT would be a fitting "October Surprise," eh? "John 'Songbird' McCain" -- courtesy of the people whom he bombed, bombed, bombed.
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» RE: Why wouldn't Vietnam release those tapes/transcripts NOW?
Posted by: IntnsRed
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Posted by: mjinterest on Sep 21, 2008 11:29 AM
Current rating: 2 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
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» RE: McCain's POWs in Arizona
Posted by: Dboy
» RE: McCain's POWs in Arizona
Posted by: Joni50
» RE: Polygamy isn't the problem. Coersion is.
Posted by: Plexius2
» RE: Polygamy isn't the problem. Coersion is.
Posted by: Lauren
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Posted by: Scarabus on Sep 21, 2008 2:46 PM
Current rating: 3 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Yeah, I know. McCain is alleged to have made sure the documentation of his behavior in Hanoi was buried, so it's unsurprising that documentation of that is lacking. Duh! (Philip Butler does make an excellent case, of course.) However, there should be evidence beyond he said/she said for what he did in 1992.
Without that, I won't post this on my blog. And without that, AlterNet should not have presented this way. Yeah, as Shakespeare's character says, "The truth will out." But the Swiftboater's for Truth were "outing" lies, not truths. We've seen enough of that in American politics.
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» RE: No creator, no cred!
Posted by: John Edward
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Posted by: bflove on Sep 21, 2008 3:01 PM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
1,173 pages of medical history in eight years is a huge volume. He is a sick man! Little is known. He has had four melanomas removed, the most serious form of cancer. The last was in 2002. He reportedly has stage II cancer with a 10 year survival rate (to 2012) of 60%. Another report says he had a lympth node removed and that is stage III with a lower survival rate. My boss died of a melanoma on his scalp four months after it was discovered.
Another report says he is being treated for high cholesterol and takes six kidney medications. He also had a growth removed(mostly) from his left jaw.
I am going to do the Senator a favor and not vote for him to give him a better chance to fight off his serious illness.
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» RE: Flttestengr.
Posted by: mahembar
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Posted by: IntnsRed on Sep 21, 2008 3:18 PM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
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» Apologies: my description is poorly worded...
Posted by: IntnsRed
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Posted by: disfasia on Sep 21, 2008 6:15 PM
Current rating: 1 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I am proudly voting for Ralph Nader and have spent hours this past week writing on blogs and letters to editors about the extreme lack of principals in reporting on Republicans. I am quite disturbed by the quality of articles I am seeing here. It is as if I have entered a time machine and it is four years ago and the media, instead of smearing Democrat candidates for trivial and similar issues, is now taking up this very same game in smearing Republican candidates with arguments that have absolutely nothing to do with the issues at hand. Four years ago this very media forum published constant complaints about the right-wing spin on the elections. Why not lead by example and stop putting a spin and cover the fact pertaining directly to the this presidential election. Let's see stories about both candidates ridiculous plans to "save" the economy; both candidates zeal for faith-based programs; and their desire to continue the "wars" on terror (or as I say "terrorism on terror").
Is it really so hard to talk about the issues?
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» RE: Twelfth Hour Scrutiny - quite right.
Posted by: mahembar
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Posted by: John Edward on Sep 21, 2008 6:42 PM
Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
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» RE: McCains POW record
Posted by: mahembar
» RE: McCains POW record
Posted by: John Edward
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Posted by: PaulK on Sep 21, 2008 7:33 PM
Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Some are captured. Some, as in the book 1984, cough up both their information and their spirits under direct torture, under the threat of torture or under living conditions that constitute torture.
As a pacifist, I think that good citizenship in the face of anti-democratic pressure is heroism. It doesn't matter to me which government applies such pressure, your own or someone else's. So, soldiers can be heroes if they consciously defend democracy as citizens, or at other times they can be ordinary wimps who only wanted good cushy careers and got caught in a stupid war.
Why did Senator McCain originally go to West Point? First he got himself lined up for a career on the back lines, and second he avoided the draft. Did he show citizenship in graduating in the bottommost 1% of his class at West Point? No, he was a royal goofup, but his father was an admiral so he got a mulligan.
So the messup plebe then got a job as a pilot on a carrier where he could sleep safely at night. He got shot down, found himself tossed in a cell, and was released at the end of the war. I'm still looking for any great personal citizenship in the face of corruption. I see an innocent guy that got caught up in something big and dangerous. I don't really care whether he sang or not. I feel sorry for the guys locked up in the zoo, but I see little enough "heroism" either way once people become inmates.
Then McCain got out. He helped himself all the rest of his life and called that citizenship.
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Posted by: Direct Democracy on Sep 21, 2008 8:08 PM
Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
http://www.counterpunch.org/valentine06132008.html
FREE AMERICA
REVOLUTIONARY (DIRECT) DEMOCRACY
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Posted by: NoMcCainPalin on Sep 21, 2008 8:32 PM
Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
If you like the slogan, contact the Democratic National Committee with this link -- Contact DNC -- then copy & paste the text below into the Question box. (NOTE: the link works slowly)
To help Senator Obama win in November, please use the following slogan in his TV ads: "John McCain -- OLD ideas, OLD solutions"
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Posted by: john2007 on Sep 21, 2008 8:50 PM
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Still, the idea of McCain engineering a cover-up of his own POW records is tantalizing. They will probably claim that they won't dignify the smear by answering it, but with six weeks to go they will have to offer some kind of defense. Cover-ups are so deadly.
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Posted by: bfh369 on Sep 21, 2008 9:39 PM
Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
CounterPunch Diary. "Hero" John McCain as Phony and Collaborator: What Really Happened When He Was a POW? By ALEXANDER COCKBURN. John McCain’s been getting ...
www.counterpunch.org/cockburn04192008.html -
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Posted by: jeffreytaos on Sep 22, 2008 4:04 AM
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Posted by: left_libertarian on Sep 22, 2008 5:03 AM
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For the illegal Iraq War - check
For the 'patriot act.' stripping away more of our liberties- check
For FISA - check
Wants a socialistic solution to bankrupt Wall St firms - check
I smell a commie and it's McCain.
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Posted by: Purple Girl on Sep 21, 2008 4:38 AM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Macs CLAIMED Stance on EVERY issue appears to waver depending on which way the wind blows.
When unsure which Side he'll take he waits until Sen Obama makes a speech on the Topic, then steals the concepts and claims them for his Own. This is the reason he is unable to give any Speech without a tellaprompter, and is easily confused should it fail- He has NO personal convictions, perspective Or integrity.
He was never qualified to be granted Graduation from the Acedemy- not only conduct unbecoming an Officer, and unremarkable grades ( apparently he could always SEE the other guys answers during tests), Bu the also could not fly a plane Proefficiently
How much does Mac actually HATE America...Enough to name a Unqualified Ignorant Person as his VP during the Worst time n our Nations history.
throughout his Senatorial era he has not only aided in Addicting Americans to Oil from unsavvory foreign countries, but has stood lookout while the Financial Criminals Raid our Assets and Treasures.
I not only question is Patriotism from 40 yrs ago- I question his Patriotism For the Last 40 Years!
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» After all that, how can you question McCain's patriotism?
Posted by: LMNOP
» For wider readership, LMNOP, please repost your excellent comment on this thread.
Posted by: NoMcCainPalin
» RE: 20th Century Benedict Arnold - Which 'Country First', Mac???Know idea but I know someone ...
Posted by: mahembar
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Posted by: itzamirakul on Sep 21, 2008 5:25 AM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I would like to see a comprehensive list of all of his misdeeds like the Keating Five and the collaboration with enemies if anyone can direct me to same.
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» RE: very bad thing McCain has done has been hidden this time
Posted by: ntsnews
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Posted by: X-POLYGAMIST WIFE on Sep 21, 2008 6:53 AM
Current rating: 4 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
LET MY PEOPLE GO!
BANKING ON HEAVEN . COM
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Posted by: maxpayne on Sep 21, 2008 6:58 AM
Current rating: 4 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
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Posted by: NoMcCainPalin on Sep 21, 2008 6:59 AM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
In McCain’s 1999 autobiography, Faith of My Fathers, he admitted to smoking cigarettes provided him by his captors, a violation of the Code of Conduct for U.S. prisoners of war. It is reasonable to assume the North Vietnamese weren’t aware he was addicted to nicotine. Thus, if McCain, a two-packs a day smoker, had initially refused the tobacco favor, nothing would’ve been said or inferred.
On the other hand, when he took that first puff, his captors knew instantly McCain had a weakness that could make him more vulnerable to disclosing military secrets during interrogations, which he did.
In return for medical treatment at a civilian hospital, a privilege never granted to other injured POWs, McCain reportedly told NVA interrogators the name of his aircraft carrier, how many Navy pilots had been lost, the number of planes in his flight formation, tactics used during bomb runs and the location of rescue ships in the Tonkin Gulf.
Because of the revelations which McCain repeated in propaganda radio broadcasts, the North Vietnamese contemptuously nicknamed him “Songbird.”
On June 4, 1969, a U.S. wire service story headlined, “PW Songbird Is Pilot Son of Admiral,” described one of McCain’s radio recordings: “Hanoi has aired a broadcast in which the pilot son of the United States commander in the Pacific, Adm. John McCain, purportedly admits to having bombed civilian targets in North Vietnam and praises medical treatment he has received since being taken prisoner.”
During his six-week hospital stay and for months afterwards, McCain continued to cooperate with NVA interrogators. He made more radio broadcasts for the enemy and met with foreign dignitaries, enjoying hot tea, coffee and cigarettes in posh settings while back at the Hanoi Hilton and other internment camps, his fellow POWs struggled to stay alive.
In one case, while meeting with Cuban journalist Fernando Barral in 1970, after McCain was no longer being physically abused by his captors, he voluntarily spoke in Spanish, even though he was obligated as an American POW to be evasive during their conversation. Had McCain feigned ignorance of Barral's native language, the one-hour interview, which North Vietnam exploited for propaganda purposes, might not have lasted five minutes.
Although McCain claimed he didn’t discuss military matters with Barral, the Hanoi Hilton's U.S. commander, SRO Jeremiah Denton, later issued an order forbidding POWs to be interviewed by visitors.
Said McCain on page 305 of Faith of My Fathers “[Denton's] decision was a sound one, even though it deprived me of further opportunities to demonstrate my psychic equilibrium… not to mention
the [loss of] extra cigarettes and coffee."
Also in his autobio, while admitting to accepting special favors from the enemy -- i.e. drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes -- McCain conveniently omitted the fact he had conversed with Barral in Spanish, a more serious Code of Conduct violation.
End of UnfitMcCain.com extract. To learn about other facts regarding McCain's REAL POW experience,
click on: The truth about Songbird McCain
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» HUGH Scott
Posted by: Karl.Ben
» RE: HUGH Scott
Posted by: Dboy
» Does the truth include his infidelity with a rich young woman, or her drug addiction with illegal
Posted by: Beck
» And don't forget Cindy's liquor company selling fruit-flavored "alcopops" to teenaged drinkers.
Posted by: NoMcCainPalin
» RE: Songbird McCain is finally caged I don't think so
Posted by: mahembar
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Posted by: NoMcCainPalin on Sep 21, 2008 7:07 AM
Current rating: 4 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
In article published in June 2008 by Military.com, former POW Phillip Butler, a Navy pilot and U.S. Naval Academy graduate who spent more than eight years in North Vietnam as a prisoner of war, explained why he would not support McCain for the presidency.
"Most of us who survived that experience [being a POW] are now in our late 60’s and 70’s. Sadly, we have died and are dying off at a greater rate than our non-POW contemporaries. We experienced injuries and malnutrition that are coming home to roost. So I believe John’s age (71) and survival expectation are not good for being elected to serve as our President for four or more years."
There are many Republicans who share Butler's concerns, as do the 30% of white Democrats who won't vote for Obama because he's black (according to a recent Yahoo poll). But no matter how well he argues his case, those people will NEVER support him. So Barack must get them to vote AGAINST McCain or not vote at all.
That goal can be accomplished with a simple slogan: "John McCain -- OLD Ideas, OLD Solutions."
Notice I never mentioned his age (72), but the message comes through loud and clear. And should the GOP complain about the inference, it will only bolster suspicions that McCain's best days are behind him.
If you agree with my assessment, tell your friends and family members while there's still time to defeat McCain -- a pandering politician who truly has old ideas, old solutions.
John McCain --OLD Ideas, OLD Solutions
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Posted by: _NH on Sep 21, 2008 8:22 AM
Current rating: 1 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Democrats have the edge in that the press can take any old person who would not make a pimple on McCain's ass, and elevate him to God status, even after some of the sordid things in Obama's and his wife's past have been revealed.
I guess there is no bias on this website huh?
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» NH: Another sad, rove minion wannabe...
Posted by: Knowmad
» RE: What I find most intriguing about the Repressives is
Posted by: Plexius2
» RE: I agree. there is no sense in engaging the self-deluded. Or the scapegoaters.
Posted by: Adastra
» RE: NONE OF THIS COMPARES
Posted by: MindyB
» $ where your mouth is:
Posted by: Jeanne
» proof?
Posted by: undrgrndgirl
» RE: NONE OF THIS COMPARES to Comarde Bush
Posted by: left_libertarian
» RE: NONE OF THIS COMPARES
Posted by: mainspark
» RE: NONE OF THIS COMPARES
Posted by: hilaryuk
» RE: NONE OF THIS COMPARES
Posted by: patfr
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Posted by: Karl.Ben on Sep 21, 2008 8:24 AM
Current rating: 2 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
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» RE: Truth...However
Posted by: MindyB
» RE: Truth...However
Posted by: Karl.Ben
» RE: Truth...However
Posted by: patfr
» RE: Truth...However
Posted by: patfr
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Posted by: darkmark on Sep 21, 2008 9:23 AM
Current rating: 1 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
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» RE: darkmark
Posted by: kiatoa
» RE: I don't lie
Posted by: Lauren
» RE: darkmark
Posted by: mainspark
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Posted by: ralphnovy on Sep 21, 2008 10:24 AM
Current rating: 4 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Anybody know WHEN this was, exactly?
Moreover, anybody know of a reason Vietnam wouldn't release both the tapes AND the transcripts NOW?
THAT would be a fitting "October Surprise," eh? "John 'Songbird' McCain" -- courtesy of the people whom he bombed, bombed, bombed.
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» RE: Why wouldn't Vietnam release those tapes/transcripts NOW?
Posted by: IntnsRed
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Posted by: mjinterest on Sep 21, 2008 11:29 AM
Current rating: 2 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
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» RE: McCain's POWs in Arizona
Posted by: Dboy
» RE: McCain's POWs in Arizona
Posted by: Joni50
» RE: Polygamy isn't the problem. Coersion is.
Posted by: Plexius2
» RE: Polygamy isn't the problem. Coersion is.
Posted by: Lauren
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Posted by: Scarabus on Sep 21, 2008 2:46 PM
Current rating: 3 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Yeah, I know. McCain is alleged to have made sure the documentation of his behavior in Hanoi was buried, so it's unsurprising that documentation of that is lacking. Duh! (Philip Butler does make an excellent case, of course.) However, there should be evidence beyond he said/she said for what he did in 1992.
Without that, I won't post this on my blog. And without that, AlterNet should not have presented this way. Yeah, as Shakespeare's character says, "The truth will out." But the Swiftboater's for Truth were "outing" lies, not truths. We've seen enough of that in American politics.
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» RE: No creator, no cred!
Posted by: John Edward
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Posted by: bflove on Sep 21, 2008 3:01 PM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
1,173 pages of medical history in eight years is a huge volume. He is a sick man! Little is known. He has had four melanomas removed, the most serious form of cancer. The last was in 2002. He reportedly has stage II cancer with a 10 year survival rate (to 2012) of 60%. Another report says he had a lympth node removed and that is stage III with a lower survival rate. My boss died of a melanoma on his scalp four months after it was discovered.
Another report says he is being treated for high cholesterol and takes six kidney medications. He also had a growth removed(mostly) from his left jaw.
I am going to do the Senator a favor and not vote for him to give him a better chance to fight off his serious illness.
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» RE: Flttestengr.
Posted by: mahembar
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Posted by: IntnsRed on Sep 21, 2008 3:18 PM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
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» Apologies: my description is poorly worded...
Posted by: IntnsRed
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Posted by: disfasia on Sep 21, 2008 6:15 PM
Current rating: 1 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I am proudly voting for Ralph Nader and have spent hours this past week writing on blogs and letters to editors about the extreme lack of principals in reporting on Republicans. I am quite disturbed by the quality of articles I am seeing here. It is as if I have entered a time machine and it is four years ago and the media, instead of smearing Democrat candidates for trivial and similar issues, is now taking up this very same game in smearing Republican candidates with arguments that have absolutely nothing to do with the issues at hand. Four years ago this very media forum published constant complaints about the right-wing spin on the elections. Why not lead by example and stop putting a spin and cover the fact pertaining directly to the this presidential election. Let's see stories about both candidates ridiculous plans to "save" the economy; both candidates zeal for faith-based programs; and their desire to continue the "wars" on terror (or as I say "terrorism on terror").
Is it really so hard to talk about the issues?
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» RE: Twelfth Hour Scrutiny - quite right.
Posted by: mahembar
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Posted by: John Edward on Sep 21, 2008 6:42 PM
Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
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» RE: McCains POW record
Posted by: mahembar
» RE: McCains POW record
Posted by: John Edward
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Posted by: PaulK on Sep 21, 2008 7:33 PM
Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Some are captured. Some, as in the book 1984, cough up both their information and their spirits under direct torture, under the threat of torture or under living conditions that constitute torture.
As a pacifist, I think that good citizenship in the face of anti-democratic pressure is heroism. It doesn't matter to me which government applies such pressure, your own or someone else's. So, soldiers can be heroes if they consciously defend democracy as citizens, or at other times they can be ordinary wimps who only wanted good cushy careers and got caught in a stupid war.
Why did Senator McCain originally go to West Point? First he got himself lined up for a career on the back lines, and second he avoided the draft. Did he show citizenship in graduating in the bottommost 1% of his class at West Point? No, he was a royal goofup, but his father was an admiral so he got a mulligan.
So the messup plebe then got a job as a pilot on a carrier where he could sleep safely at night. He got shot down, found himself tossed in a cell, and was released at the end of the war. I'm still looking for any great personal citizenship in the face of corruption. I see an innocent guy that got caught up in something big and dangerous. I don't really care whether he sang or not. I feel sorry for the guys locked up in the zoo, but I see little enough "heroism" either way once people become inmates.
Then McCain got out. He helped himself all the rest of his life and called that citizenship.
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Posted by: Direct Democracy on Sep 21, 2008 8:08 PM
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http://www.counterpunch.org/valentine06132008.html
FREE AMERICA
REVOLUTIONARY (DIRECT) DEMOCRACY
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Posted by: NoMcCainPalin on Sep 21, 2008 8:32 PM
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If you like the slogan, contact the Democratic National Committee with this link -- Contact DNC -- then copy & paste the text below into the Question box. (NOTE: the link works slowly)
To help Senator Obama win in November, please use the following slogan in his TV ads: "John McCain -- OLD ideas, OLD solutions"
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Posted by: john2007 on Sep 21, 2008 8:50 PM
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Still, the idea of McCain engineering a cover-up of his own POW records is tantalizing. They will probably claim that they won't dignify the smear by answering it, but with six weeks to go they will have to offer some kind of defense. Cover-ups are so deadly.
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Posted by: bfh369 on Sep 21, 2008 9:39 PM
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CounterPunch Diary. "Hero" John McCain as Phony and Collaborator: What Really Happened When He Was a POW? By ALEXANDER COCKBURN. John McCain’s been getting ...
www.counterpunch.org/cockburn04192008.html -
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Posted by: jeffreytaos on Sep 22, 2008 4:04 AM
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Posted by: left_libertarian on Sep 22, 2008 5:03 AM
Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
For the illegal Iraq War - check
For the 'patriot act.' stripping away more of our liberties- check
For FISA - check
Wants a socialistic solution to bankrupt Wall St firms - check
I smell a commie and it's McCain.
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