Subscribe Today!
Networked Blogs
May
1
With the horse race between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama continuing full steam as we head into the Indiana primary on May 6, it’s important to remember that John McCain is also still in the race for the United States presidency.
A recent opinion piece gives us a glimpse into John McCain’s background — a look that gives a better understanding about the GOP candidate for president. H/T to Steve over at Hoosiers For McCain.
Mr. Day relayed to me one of the stories Americans should hear. It involves what happened to him after escaping from a North Vietnamese prison during the war. When he was recaptured, a Vietnamese captor broke his arm and said, “I told you I would make you a cripple.”
The break was designed to shatter Mr. Day’s will. He had survived in prison on the hope that one day he would return to the United States and be able to fly again. To kill that hope, the Vietnamese left part of a bone sticking out of his arm, and put him in a misshapen cast. This was done so that the arm would heal at “a goofy angle,” as Mr. Day explained. Had it done so, he never would have flown again.
But it didn’t heal that way because of John McCain. Risking severe punishment, Messrs. McCain and Day collected pieces of bamboo in the prison courtyard to use as a splint. Mr. McCain put Mr. Day on the floor of their cell and, using his foot, jerked the broken bone into place. Then, using strips from the bandage on his own wounded leg and the bamboo, he put Mr. Day’s splint in place.
Years later, Air Force surgeons examined Mr. Day and complimented the treatment he’d gotten from his captors. Mr. Day corrected them. It was Dr. McCain who deserved the credit. Mr. Day went on to fly again
Comments
8 Responses to “John McCain’s Background Revealed”
I can’t help but comment on McCain’s background:
McCain’s most horrendous loss occurred in 1967 on the USS Forrestal. Well, not horrendous for him. The starter motor switch on the A4E Skyhawk allowed fuel to pool in the engine. When the aircraft was “wet-started,” an impressive flame would shoot from the tail. It was one of the ways young hot-shots got their jollies. Investigators and survivors took the position that McCain deliberately wet-started to harass the F4 pilot directly behind him. The cook off launched an M34 Zuni rocket that tore through the Skyhawk’s fuel tank, released a thousand pound bomb, and ignited a fire that killed the pilot plus 167 men. Before the tally of dead and dying was complete, the son and grandson of admirals had been transferred to the USS Oriskany.
Hi Dan,
I’ve never heard that story before and I’m somewhat surprised because I’m sure it would have popped up somewhere this election season. I’m surprised the folks I know who have nothing good to say about the GOP haven’t told me this one yet because they aren’t shy about talking about all sorts of other “inside jobs” and “cover ups” and other conspiracies and such. I’m not surprised that people think all sorts of horrible things — I read someplace where 33% of people think 9/11 was an “inside job.”
Of course, someone could be saving it for an October surprise a la the Bush document story that ended up getting Dan Rather booted from CBS. No doubt someone will run with the story, however. And, it will be debunked accordingly.
That’s some bullshit right there, Dan.
Look a little harder on the ‘net. Reports from the time say that there was a short circuit in the rocket that caused the firing.
134 sailors died. It was a huge disaster.
I read about it at http://www.wcltam.com/news/special/articledetail.cfm?articleid=23261
and also his financial history from the Executive Intelligence Review at http://www.larouchepub.com/other/2002/2932mccain.html
I apologize if the information was false. I had trusted the source, perhaps that was a mistake.
Thanks Buzz for shooting straight
Dan, there are some people that can’t stand John McCain, and they keep digging up these stories that aren’t rooted in reality. Even his opponents know him to be an American hero.
Hi Dan,
Your comment got caught by Akismet — I think if there are links the system gets worried about the comment.
I approved the comment, so it should appear.
I do note that one of the links is to a Lyndon Larouche site. He hasn’t been active very much lately, but it might be interesting to do a little research on his group because every so often they end up getting some of their people elected when people don’t realize who they are.
If someone in the military was fooling around and caused major destruction to a ship and the deaths and injuries of many sailors, it wouldn’t be covered up because no one would want to put their career on the line to save someone like that — no matter who their father might be.
And, having grown up as an Army brat, it would most likely be ones father who would be the first offer up the son for severe punishment, if the allegations had been true.
Hi Buzz and Steve,
Thanks for stopping by to set the record straight.
It shows the power of the competition of ideas in the speech marketplace to separate truth from falsehood.
Hi Dan,
I’m glad that you shared — it is only through testing ideas in the marketplace that we can see if they are able to withstand scrutiny and challenges.
I’m somewhat curious to see what some of the more mainstream, but left leaning sites have to say because it could give a clue what the 527 interest groups will be running in their commercials this fall.