If you guessed Mother Teresa, you’re right…

Some of those ill-gotten goods got to the good Mother, so she was a strong defender of that sleazy bastard!

Here at the CVO, we are going to be spending some time bringing forth items that pertain to Senator John McCain (R-AZ). In this regard, we will attempt to “play fair” in what we post. Now, whether you are a Republican or Democrat, we will not attempt to “skew” anything one way or another to fit one’s political ideology, and we will be looking to our fellow Vets, in providing some data or information for your reading pleasure. And perhaps, this data or information is not familiar to you, and may eventually help you in making your election-decision, far easier come this November.

Now, I am not enamored with the politics of “fair play” given that there really is not much to be gained since politics is a ‘contact sport’. However, accuracy of viewpoint is much admired, but empirical evidence carries far more weight. And history has its value as well. Of course, there will be a dearth of information available to us all via the traditional news outlets over the next several months. That being said, permit me to add to the “history”?

When I participated in the Vietnam War, we lost 50% of our men and 50% of our aircraft. And my immediate boss, a Major William Klessert was shot down over North Vietnam, and served his captivity at the Hanoi Hilton. As such, Major Klessert knew Lt. Commander John McCain, or at a minimum, knew of him. Now, if you’re familiar with the promotional systemic, while in captivity, rank automatically accrues.

Thus, both McCain and Klessert achieved the rank of Bird Colonel upon their release, and both continued their military careers until their respective retirements. As to Colonel Klessert, he went on to achieve his first star and was given the Pentagon’s overall responsibility for the portfolio for all POWs and MIAs and served in that capacity until his retirement. In Senator McCain’s situation, he became the Pentagon’s lobbyist to both the House and Senate and for which he served his remaining six years or until his retirement.

Senator McCain never did receive his first star, and which I find to be quite unusual given that he was an admiral’s son and deemed an “institutional” or for a lack of better words, a ‘made man’ in military parlance. And being a Naval Academy graduate solidified this understanding among the upper echelon.

Additionally, his having considerable contact with the Senate, and only the Senate has the capacity to award and approve the first and subsequent stars, any of the 100 Senators could have insisted to the National Command Authority that McCain be given his first star for the “good of the service”, and the requesting Senator would have been easily accommodated.

Sadly, Senator McCain never received his first star. And what went wrong, if anything? I don’t know. But back in the 1980s, I talked to several friends at the Pentagon, both civilian and military, and no one was talking. Also, one must keep in mind that Senator McCain was just starting his political career as a Member of the House of Representatives, and this too, may have been one of the reasons no one was talking. Perhaps, not speaking was the better part of valor since McCain’s votes would be needed in the coming years for national security and defense as it related to the Pentagon’s annual budgets.

In any event, the perception that Senator McCain is enamored of the Pentagon and the military, is much overrated, but such a misguided perception has become today’s conventional wisdom. Morover, the general public has the belief that military vets are overwhelmingly in support of his public policies, are sizable donors to his many political campaigns, and is a good friend of military vets.

Of course, my view to all this is from my perspective and which is from the standpoint of the Private, the Corporal and the Sergeant. Thus, my view is informed from the fact, that as one military vet to another, Senator McCain had the responsibility to advocate for a Declaration of War as is required by the Constitution and thereby, let the “unassailable” facts rise to to top and in support of a DOW. He failed and failed egregiously, and thusly, he commited the sin of sending our men and women in uniform into “harms’ way” by way of repeating the bogus artifice that was the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. And perhaps, I am a tad harsh regarding Senator McCain’s political behavior, but I hold to the Sonoran Desert’s Standard for “Respect Is Next To Godliness” and it is from this Standard, that I find McCain falling far short.

Note: And lest I forget, my bias toward Senator McCain is purely ideological and which makes us both at cross purposes. He wants to remain in Iraq for many years to come, and I am in favor of getting out of Iraq yesterday. Of course, 74% of the American people want out of Iraq within the next year or two. And obviously, Senator McCain’s latest statement- that we don’ t understand either war or the military, is blatantly insulting. He’s not listening to anyone including his political constituency in Arizona.

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Hope you enjoy?

Jaango

First and foremost, let me give a shout out to my fellow citizens from Arizona and the Sonoran Desert. And secondly, I did a couple of posts last year when the FDL had yet to be reconfigured.

Consequently, I have returned and decided to become an FDL “pest”. And given that I know both the issues of Immigration and McCain quite well, David Niewart’s two postings on Immigration have been intriguing. Thusly and because of the technological glitch, I posted my response on our “Cactus Juice Commentaries” page at the Chicano Veterans Organization. So, if time permits, stop by and take a gander.

In any event, this is my first of many posts here at FDL for 2008, so you will find me making a small contribution to the public discourse, and should I disagree, I come at my politics from the standpoint of a ‘contact sport’ and from the perspective for living in this Indigenous Hemisphere.

Respectfully Submitted.

Jaango

Oh, what the fuck! It’s the beginning of a long weekend. Let’s attack manana.

I just watched Moyers and Olbermann, back to back. They make me believe there is hope.

You still here?

Did you get my message earlier about needing help with video and queuing?