I spent years as a POW with John McCain, and his finger should not be near the red button

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A fellow Vietnam POW of McCain's warns of the candidate's "quick and explosive temper" and suggests McCain is exaggerating his imprisonment.

John McCain is a long-time acquaintance of mine that goes way back to our time together at the U.S. Naval Academy and as Prisoners of War in Vietnam. He is a man I respect and admire in some ways. But there are a number of reasons why I will not vote for him for President of the United States.

When I was a Plebe (4th classman, or freshman) at the Naval Academy in 1957-58, I was assigned to the 17th Company for my four years there. In those days we had about 3,600 midshipmen spread among 24 companies, thus about 150 midshipmen to a company. As fortune would have it, John, a First Classman (senior) and his room mate lived directly across the hall from me and my two room mates. Believe me when I say that back then I would never in a million or more years have dreamed that the crazy guy across the hall would someday be a Senator and candidate for President!

John was a wild man. He was funny, with a quick wit and he was intelligent. But he was intent on breaking every USNA regulation in our 4 inch thick USNA Regulations book. And I believe he must have come as close to his goal as any midshipman who ever attended the Academy. John had me "coming around" to his room frequently during my plebe year. And on one occasion he took me with him to escape "over the wall" in the dead of night. He had a taxi cab waiting for us that took us to a bar some 7 miles away. John had a few beers, but forbid me to drink (watching out for me I guess) and made me drink cokes. I could tell many other midshipman stories about John that year and he unbelievably managed to graduate though he spent the majority of his first class year on restriction for the stuff he did get caught doing. In fact he barely managed to graduate, standing 5th from the bottom of his 800 man graduating class. I and many others have speculated that the main reason he did graduate was because his father was an Admiral, and also his grandfather, both U.S. Naval Academy graduates.

People often ask if I was a Prisoner of War with John McCain. My answer is always "No - John McCain was a POW with me." The reason is I was there for 8 years and John got there 2 1/2 years later, so he was a POW for 5 1/2 years. And we have our own seniority system, based on time as a POW.

John's treatment as a POW:

1) Was he tortured for 5 years? No. He was subjected to torture and maltreatment during his first 2 years, from September of 1967 to September of 1969. After September of 1969 the Vietnamese stopped the torture and gave us increased food and rudimentary health care. Several hundred of us were captured much earlier. I got there April 20, 1965 so my bad treatment period lasted 4 1/2 years. President Ho Chi Minh died on September 9, 1969, and the new regime that replaced him and his policies was more pragmatic. They realized we were worth a lot as bargaining chips if we were alive. And they were right because eventually Americans gave up on the war and agreed to trade our POW's for their country. A damn good trade in my opinion! But my point here is that John allows the media to make him out to be THE hero POW, which he knows is absolutely not true, to further his political goals.
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  1. recommended by:
    Vierotchka
  • added August 21, 2008
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News and Politics

31 responses // I spent years as a POW with John McCain, and his finger should not be near the red button

  •  

    we really need to blow this one up. send it to everyone you know, please. lets make this just like the infamous guiliani drag photos.

    Nephwrack
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    It's about time McCain got 'swift boated'.

    chillwillNJ
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    This is frightening. No amount of "swift boat' rehtoric can make this go away. To summarize, McCain is an egomaniacal bully,with a persecution complex and anger management problem. Gotta love it when choice is made so simple. Focus and vote.

    recommended by Vierotchka, Marilynn_Murray
    bluestranger
  •  

    Fascinating article. Makes one think.
    Did anyone watch this from "Countdown" last night?
    McCain can "swift boat" himself.

    recommended by Marilynn_Murray, Vierotchka
    huntre
  •  

    McCain uncertain how many houses he and his wife, Cindy, own.

    recommended by Marilynn_Murray, Vierotchka
    HolyCity2012
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    I feel humbled reading the report by the POW who believes McCain would be a disaster for our country. It sickens me that yet again the Republicans are pushing their candidate of horror through and that somehow the Dems cannot rally and say no more!

    I agree that being a POW is not a qualification for president. Just yesterday I learned of the death of a colleague of mine who was in Viet Nam and he was exposed to agent orange and died of cancer. He was 59.

    I am sending this to everyone I know. McCain cannot be president or our nation will cease to be a functioning government.

    recommended by Marilynn_Murray, Vierotchka
    MeganMcKenzie
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    recommended by Marilynn_Murray
    Vierotchka
  •  

    Throw it on the ever growing pile of lies and exaggerations created by campaign McCain. After 8 years of lie after lie, it's sad to say that I'm no longer surprised at the GOP's deceitful ways.

    dezeray1
  •  

    They have to make look good the the people some how.
    No one wants an Bush, so the GOP is on damage control. BUt is it too late?

    I still haven't found one thing that will make me vote for him, and I'm looking.

    Tradiggy
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    Everyone should have a chance to ponder on this honest letter, but of course McCain's advocates will not read it. I don't think it's a condemnation of McCain at all, just a reminder that you'll be electing him, not his resume. We all know that resumes are like bad sardines, they're for buying and selling but not for eating.

    dietbetsy
  •  

    Please gods, anyone, dont let this man "win"! How can people buy into the bullshit this douche is selling?

    rabidlemur
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    John McCain will be the next President of the United States. Barack Obama associates with known terrorists. Why would we want someone like Obama who is friends with The Weatherman terrorist group holding the "red button". This attempt is to try and use Senator John McCain's brave service in Viet-Nam against him is pathetic. McCain knows what is going on in the word and Barack Obama knows Oprah Winfrey.

    mjsmith11
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    Image...

    Nonsense, mjsmith11. If anyone associates with known terrorists, it is McCain who embraces and adores the world's biggest terrorist of all. But if you desperately want the demise of your country and of the rest of the world, by all means, vote for him.

    recommended by Marilynn_Murray
    Vierotchka
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    So he served in Vietnam and was shot down. That alone does not qualify him as a hero. Being a prisoner of war while sad, does not either. He gave up information. Who knows what prompted that. I can't blame him. But, how does that make him a hero? His temper fits are legendary. Nothing to admire there. The Bush campaign slandered him and his wife, then he hugs Bush like a long lost friend. He dumped his first wife and children because she was in an auto accident and was badly injured. He had several affairs while still married. Then he married one of them. He called her dirty names in public and offered her up for Miss Buffalo Chip at the Harley convention. He is a bold faced liar, and an old self centered egomaniac with a bad temper. We need him like we need another war.

    recommended by Vierotchka
    Marilynn_Murray
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    McCain's service should be respected, even as he cheapens it to score political points and deflect criticism. His policies, record, and temperament should disqualify him.

    Brendan_M
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    Sounds to me like someones a little jealous because McCain was able to make something of himself after his POW experience and has put himself into a position to infuence world events.

    Abamanation
  •  

    I think this is a great story with a powerful point of view.

    sublimeuniverse
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    Who are some of you kidding. This man McCain is a time bomb with a short fuse. On top of that he is unfit to hold the highest office in the land. I once thought that we need a veteran for this office but it eventually became clear that brave Veterans are also subject to become corrupt. My idol would have been Duke Cunningham, but somehow he may have been a sacrificail lamb. No I will not vote for McCain nor Obama. The only man with the credentials fit to set in the Oval Office is the Honorable Ron Paul and if people were voting on an honest and respectable program with a leader to enforce it they would have to give Ron Paul a second look for surely the news media have chosen to support and elect either McCain or OBama, neither with any idea of what is going on in this nation. Ron Paul not only knows what is going on, He is totally aware of our nations history and its ups and downs. The Media will never support him because his one priority kis to bring down the illegal federal bank and the IRS. People must love corruption because they continue to reelect corruption at every election. But not we are on the verge of feeling the heat of war on our own soil. I do not want Russian nuclear warheads coming down on our heads. I am 81 years on this planet and have been in many countries and never feared for my life. These neocons have changed all of that. No, Ill take that back. This nation started a downspiral with Kennedy and the Vietnam war and has continued ever since. Ronald Reagan was not responsiblwe for the fall of the Berlin wall. Gorbachev brought it down with the help of Polands Lech Walensa. Russia had gone bankrupt l;ong before. No, Ive seen enough and have had enough of both the Republicans and the Democrats. Both are the same family of corruption. Its Ron Paul for me and I hope Cindy Sheehan to replace the worthless excuse for a congress woman Nancy Pelosi.

    Ragan
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    This is a bunch of B.S. As a Senior, McCain broke curfew, with a freshman to drink beers, but since the freshman was underage. McCain did not permit underage drink. McCain need to relax with a friend too bad the friend is a snitch.

    The snitch also went over the wall also, but because he's a snitch, his involvement does not count. This snitch is a creep.

    U.S. Grant also graduated at the bottom of his class, and Obama was a community organizer, and was taken captive by slum landlords for 5 years.

    Obama almost lost a big lead in the primaries, but hung on because Michigan, and Florida did not count. Now he lost a lead of McCain, and is sinking in the poles.

    Does anyone know how to say DUMP OBAMA?

    I have a charity for you. A poor man in Africa lives on $12. a year. He is Obama's brother George. As an American, I feel compelled to send this man some money. I've heard that right wing talk radio host Hanity is starting to collect money.

    I can imagine how poor George Obama feels, his rich brother is letting him starve. It is one thing to starve, but staring knowing your brother won't help is a sin.

    I want to give George Obama HOPE. listen to Hanity for details on how to give George Obama HOPE.

    mo1y
  •  

    Great article. I hope it doesn't dwindle out of focus any time soon.

    Disable
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    Brendan M: You call him a snitch? Why because he endured more and longer. According to the snitch McCain endured for 2 1/2 years, thats a long way from 5 years. Also who would be able to know him better? you? I dont think so. You believe in and worship and idolize whomever you wish, but dont try to change history. There are rotten apples throughout the Political realm. Why does anyone want the responsibility of a high ranking office? Because hes patriotic? I dont think so. The Dictionary defines a politician as a self serving person and that is the logical reason for enduring those tortous days and nights campaigning. Politicians may be broken common people when they enter Washington but they are millionaires when they leave. How? on $150,000 a year? McCain is special as a veteran, but as a politician he is profiled as a politician.

    Ragan
  •  

    In this case, the truth about McSame will set us free from the torture we would, otherwise, be forced to endure if he were to be elected president of the USA...the man is a menace...

    Haven't we all had to endure way too much for the last 8 years...give us all a break, just go away, McCain...

    PlatoTacius
  •  

    No more from this bush!

    metalcookiesxy70
  •  

    Assuming this is a real, un-doctored photo of our beloved Senator Insane, does anyone know where it's from? I mean, Howard Dean was knocked out for whooping... once!!!

    TheBeatnik

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