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Liz Mair wrote recently on this site about how McCain seemed to be helping Giuliani by going after Romney, but this week the torture issue has caused a rift between the two campaigns, with the McCain campaign releasing the following statement from Sergeant Major Paul Chevalier, USMC (Ret.), the chair of McCain's New Hampshire Veterans Advisory Committee :

"Last week, Rudy Giuliani implied that he had experienced the torture of sleep deprivation while running for president. His hyperbole is an insult to all American soldiers who have had to endure real torture and mistreatment while in enemy hands. This practice was common during the Vietnam War. One of John McCain's closest friends, LtCol. Orson Swindle, USMC (Ret.), was subjected to this treatment while he was held as a P.O.W. in North Vietnam and can personally assure Mayor Giuliani that the experience was far more severe than the loss of sleep he experiences as a candidate. I call on Mayor Giuliani to apologize to LtCol. Swindle and all of our courageous veterans who have had to persevere through this heinous experience as well as other torturous acts while serving their country and recognize how he belittled that service and sacrifice through his comments."

The email also links to this Richard Cohen column fron today's Washington Post, in which Cohen takes aim at Giuliani's position on torture.

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John McCain