Posted by Paul at May 23rd, 2008

The nominees for president have their first policy debate over a GI bill that would help soldiers pay for college. On the right, we have the son and grandson of admirals, bottom of his class at the Naval Academy, a Vietnam vet raised in privilege and married to a beer baron’s daughter. On the left, we have the son of a single mother, too young to have served in Vietnam, too old to have served in Iraq, who rose to the top of his class in Harvard on his own merits.

I respect Sen. John McCain’s service to our country. He is one of those heroes of which I speak. But I can’t understand why he would line up behind the president in his opposition to this GI bill. I can’t believe why he believes it is too generous to our veterans. I could not disagree with him and the president more on this issue. There are many issues that lend themselves to partisan posturing, but giving our veterans the chance to go to college should not be one of them. – Barack Obama

It is typical, but no less offensive that Senator Obama uses the Senate floor to take cheap shots at an opponent and easy advantage of an issue he has less than zero understanding of … Unlike Senator Obama, my admiration, respect and deep gratitude for America’s veterans is something more than a convenient campaign pledge.

I take a backseat to no one in my affection, respect and devotion to veterans. And I will not accept from Senator Obama, who did not feel it was his responsibility to serve our country in uniform, any lectures on my regard for those who did.

Perhaps, if Senator Obama would take the time and trouble to understand this issue he would learn to debate an honest disagreement respectfully. But, as he always does, he prefers impugning the motives of his opponent, and exploiting a thoughtful difference of opinion to advance his own ambitions. – John McCain

I am proud to stand with Senator Webb and a bipartisan coalition to give our veterans the support and opportunity they deserve. It’s disappointing that Senator McCain and his campaign used this issue to launch yet another lengthy personal, political attack instead of debating an honest policy difference. He should know that this is not about John McCain or Barack Obama — it’s about giving our veterans a real chance to afford four years of college without harming retention. Senator Webb’s bipartisan bill will do this, and the bill that John McCain supports would not. These endless diatribes and schoolyard taunts from the McCain campaign do nothing to advance the debate about what matters to the American people. – Barack Obama

If Obama had actually attacked McCain rather than praise his service before disagreeing with him, McCain might have a point. But he didn’t, and McCain doesn’t. One man sounds reasonable, one sounds self-serving and reactionary. One stands for those hardest hit by the neocon misadventure in Iraq, one stands for Bush and the corporate interests that put them there, none of whom served in the military themselves. One is having an honest debate on an issue before the Senate, one is engaging in sound bites. One is the future, one is the past. You decide.

Another thing regarding McCain the “war hero”. I know we’re all supposed to call him that, but I disagree. Did he serve honorably and endure years of torture? Sure. He also crashed five Navy aircraft and got shot down bombing civilians in North Vietnam. Then he cracked under torture. All hail the conquering hero!