McCain POW interview footage released.

[BenBurch]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-10-22-mccain-pow-video_N.htm

PARIS (AP) — A French national archive has posted online extended footage of Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain being interviewed as a bedridden prisoner during the Vietnam War.

French reporter Francois Chalais conducted the interview. His widow says the online release this week of 4 minutes, 33 seconds of footage is the fullest distribution of the interview since it first aired four decades ago.

[gtc]

I wonder what impact this will have. Any thoughts?

[moon1969]

So what if McCain was a POW? Lots of other people were too. Besides USA betrayed South Vietnam and the Shah of Iran. I wouldn"t be surprised if the USA turns its back to Mikheil Saakashvili and Viktor Yushchenko. USA will probaly just let North Korea bully South Korea and Japan. USA would betray Hamid Karzai, Nouri al-Maliki and Jalal Talabani if they could

[Cleon]

I wonder what impact this will have. Any thoughts?

Unless he said something like "I pledge allegiance to Ho Chi Minh," probably not much.

Though McCain might try to use it in a campaign ad or something.

[mortimer]

Here's a direct link to the video, so you don't have to click through multiple pages to get to it:

http://www.ina.fr/archivespourtous/index.php?vue=notice&id_notice=I08290030

[thaiboxerken]

I really don't understand why people think being a POW is a credential for becoming the President.

[Tony]

This is very interesting from a historical perspective, but I see no reason why this would effect the campaign for good or ill.

[Roadtoad]

So what if McCain was a POW? Lots of other people were too. Besides USA betrayed South Vietnam and the Shah of Iran. I wouldn"t be surprised if the USA turns its back to Mikheil Saakashvili and Viktor Yushchenko. USA will probaly just let North Korea bully South Korea and Japan. USA would betray Hamid Karzai, Nouri al-Maliki and Jalal Talabani if they could

Wow. That was sure insightful and helpful, Moon. :rolleyes:

[mortimer]

I really don't understand why people think being a POW is a credential for becoming the President.
Who thinks that?

[ryanebelhar]

Who thinks that?

http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/4303/seanh3195tl3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
By ryanebelhar (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/ryanebelhar)

[BenBurch]

I wonder what impact this will have. Any thoughts?

I doubt it will have ANY effect.

But I've wondered what became of this footage, and now it is in the historical record.

[WildCat]

I really don't understand why people think being a POW is a credential for becoming the President.
4 years ago the Dems seemed to think serving in Vietnam was the #1 qualification for the POTUS. "Reporting for duty" and all that.

0_sDP0PaRhI

[BenBurch]

4 years ago the Dems seemed to think serving in Vietnam was the #1 qualification for the POTUS. "Reporting for duty" and all that.

0_sDP0PaRhI

No, only Kerry thought that. The rest of us groaned and tried to ignore it.

But you know, there was this guy who spoke at this convention. A young feller from Illinois who seemed to have a whole world of promise...

I wonder what ever happened to him?
:D

[joobz]

4 years ago the Dems seemed to think serving in Vietnam was the #1 qualification for the POTUS. "Reporting for duty" and all that.

0_sDP0PaRhI
And if I remember, republicans mocked and insulted his service. Remember the purple heart bandaides.


Funny that..

[Eddie Dane]

Have a look at Israel, where they keep electing people on the basis of their military career.
Sharon, Barak, Nethanyahu. Oh what miracle workers they are.:rolleyes:

[Oliver]

Here's a direct link to the video, so you don't have to click through multiple pages to get to it:

http://www.ina.fr/archivespourtous/index.php?vue=notice&id_notice=I08290030


MvcuEqGUwmc

[Meadmaker]

No, only Kerry thought that. The rest of us groaned and tried to ignore it.


I know I nearly fell out of my chair when he did that stupid salute. I knew that I would be seeing it in Republican campaign ads.

Worst campaign ever, I thought. I didn't think he could have lost that election, but he fought hard and proved me wrong.

[The Painter]

And if I remember, republicans mocked and insulted his service. Remember the purple heart bandaides.


Funny that..

The Republicans didn't have to mock him. He did it to himself. Threw his medals away, said he was a war criminal. He dug his own grave on that.

McCain does not deride his service. Kerry did.

[Upchurch]

The Republicans didn't have to mock him.
And yet, they did. A lot.

The POW video is powerful (although it is hard to hear what is being said over the French translation). Will it impact the campaign? I would hope not. If it does, that means people are allowing emotion to sway their voting rather than the issues.

[Nursefoxfire]

That poor guy. My heart was breaking watching the pain and fear in his eyes :(

I wonder during which part of his imprisonment this took place?

The things people do to each other, I swear :(

[dudalb]

Have a look at Israel, where they keep electing people on the basis of their military career.
Sharon, Barak, Nethanyahu. Oh what miracle workers they are.:rolleyes:

Itzhak Rabin worked out pretty good, though.

[Roadtoad]

That poor guy. My heart was breaking watching the pain and fear in his eyes :(

I wonder during which part of his imprisonment this took place?

The things people do to each other, I swear :(

Early on. He wasn't released until '73, I think. At the same time as all the other POWs.

Interesting thing about McCain: he could have left early. Being from a high ranking military family, he was offered a chance to go home. All he had to do was sign off on a "confession" of war crimes. He refused, choosing instead to remain with all the other POWs. As a result, he can't lift his arms above his head. He was so badly abused by his captors, it nearly cost him his life.

Sad how people forget that part of McCain's legacy.

I'm reminded of reading of a number of other prisoners. One, James Rowe, had a metal pipe rammed down his throat, and was bent backwards, causing incredible pain, all to cause him to "confess." His escape, which he chronicled in his book, Five Years To Freedom, is riveting, to say the least.

At no point has North Vietnam EVER apologized for their violations of the Geneva Accords.

It's funny: When the 52 hostages held during the Iran Crisis were freed, we held a party. When American POWs, people who had served honorably, and suffered horribly, came home, we hid our eyes.

And we're proud of that.

Tell me why, please.

[tomwaits]

At no point has North Vietnam EVER apologized for their violations of the Geneva Accords.

Don't worry about it. We're cool with the Vietnamese.

http://www.c-spanarchives.org/library/index.php?main_page=product_video_info&products_id=187283-1

[Magyar]

Early on. He wasn't released until '73, I think. At the same time as all the other POWs.

Interesting thing about McCain: he could have left early. Being from a high ranking military family, he was offered a chance to go home. All he had to do was sign off on a "confession" of war crimes. He refused, choosing instead to remain with all the other POWs. As a result, he can't lift his arms above his head. He was so badly abused by his captors, it nearly cost him his life.

Sad how people forget that part of McCain's legacy.

I'm reminded of reading of a number of other prisoners. One, James Rowe, had a metal pipe rammed down his throat, and was bent backwards, causing incredible pain, all to cause him to "confess." His escape, which he chronicled in his book, Five Years To Freedom, is riveting, to say the least.

At no point has North Vietnam EVER apologized for their violations of the Geneva Accords.

It's funny: When the 52 hostages held during the Iran Crisis were freed, we held a party. When American POWs, people who had served honorably, and suffered horribly, came home, we hid our eyes.

And we're proud of that.

Tell me why, please.

First of all - Horse hockey ! Tell me again what would have happened to McCain or any of the other prisoners if they signed that dock when they got home again!? charge starts with T and ends with reason and a cozy room in Leavenworth.

Second - I am sick to death of hearing about how he served as if that entitles him to some special dispensation for being a moron now!
The RS article made it quite clear that he took full advantage of the benies that came from
wearing a uniform. No one twisted his arm to join or go, and he understand the risks associated with going to war. He got hurt, thems the breaks get the F*** over it.

Now before you give me the "You hate the troops bullflop" I am not saying that we shouldn't give the best treatment possible to our wounded soldiers (Which by the way is MORE than what McCain voted for) or that they don't deserve some level of special treatment because of their service - GI bill etc.


But being a naval aviator some 35+ years ago has about as much to do with being president as how good a hook shot Obama has. The fact that he (McCain) and his supporters continue to harp on the service only says one thing about McCain.

He is an old blowhard who has nothing to show and nothing of substance to say and thinks that he is owed something special for doing what was expected of him and nothing more then a whole bunch of other poor bastards who don't remind us every other minute about how they served did.

[Roadtoad]

First of all - Horse hockey ! Tell me again what would have happened to McCain or any of the other prisoners if they signed that dock when they got home again!? charge starts with T and ends with reason and a cozy room in Leavenworth.

Second - I am sick to death of hearing about how he served as if that entitles him to some special dispensation for being a moron now!
The RS article made it quite clear that he took full advantage of the benies that came from
wearing a uniform. No one twisted his arm to join or go, and he understand the risks associated with going to war. He got hurt, thems the breaks get the F*** over it.

Now before you give me the "You hate the troops bullflop" I am not saying that we shouldn't give the best treatment possible to our wounded soldiers (Which by the way is MORE than what McCain voted for) or that they don't deserve some level of special treatment because of their service - GI bill etc.


But being a naval aviator some 35+ years ago has about as much to do with being president as how good a hook shot Obama has. The fact that he (McCain) and his supporters continue to harp on the service only says one thing about McCain.

He is an old blowhard who has nothing to show and nothing of substance to say and thinks that he is owed something special for doing what was expected of him and nothing more then a whole bunch of other poor bastards who don't remind us every other minute about how they served did.

You obviously haven't read any of my other posts regarding McCain. But, just to bring you up to speed: Sorry. I don't think he's Presidential material. (For that matter, neither is Obama.) There's a lot I respect regarding both men. That doesn't mean they'll make good presidents.

I was responding to one post, and only one post. If that's a problem, let me know.

[joobz]

The Republicans didn't have to mock him. He did it to himself. Threw his medals away, said he was a war criminal. He dug his own grave on that.

McCain does not deride his service. Kerry did.
That's a big heaping pile of no-sequitor

[Roadtoad]

That's a big heaping pile of no-sequitor

How? Seems to be a pretty solid explanation of what Kerry did.