The American Spectator

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Re: McCain and Swift Boaters

By Philip Klein on 6.30.08 @ 1:50PM

While there will be a temptation in the media to compare the attacks on McCain's military service to those of the Swift Boaters, there's absolutely no equivalence here.

John Kerry tried to run on his war record, even though after serving in Vietnam for a few months he came back and testified against his fellow soldiers and accused them of war crimes.

John McCain served as a POW and initially refused to make such statements under torture. Only after McCain was severally beaten within an inch of his life, and he failed several times to commit suicide, did he agree to make any such statements to the North Vietnamese, and he expressed shame about it.

As recounted below, when he got back from Vietnam, instead of publicly smearing those he served with to launch his political career, McCain went through grueling physical therapy so he could learn to fly again and continue to serve his country.

As Jim notes, any attempt by the left to go after McCain's war record will blow up in their faces, big time.

topics:
John McCain, Military