Up front, as a Vietnam veteran, I will readily concede that I respect John McCain for his service to his country, first as a naval aviator and POW in Vietnam, then for his long years in our national Congress. I even will admit to the fact that I somewhat admire McCain’s desire to effect some sort of political reconciliation with the Democrat party. That being said, I must also make it very clear that I do not support certain decisions McCain has chosen on his pathways to political advancement.

Now that the Senator has won primaries in New Hampshire and South Carolina and the network pundits are proclaiming he may well be the Republican “Comeback Kid,” I am reminded of an old Army joke about a platoon sergeant faced with the prospect of breaking the terrible news to one of his young charges, Private Jones, that the soldier’s mother has just passed away. The sergeant calls his platoon into formation and barks out the order, “All of you with living mothers take one step forward.” Then after a momentary pause, he mutters, “Not so fast there, Jones.” That’s my take as a veteran and a conservative Republican on this new political development: “Not so fast there, McCain.”

My first and biggest beef with John McCain is that when a very brave group of Vietnam veterans who had served with John Kerry stood up to say that Kerry’s self-serving portrayal of his war record was patently false, that his blanket charges of war crimes against them were absurd, and that his testimony in Congress was used by the North Vietnamese to further torture McCain’s fellow POW’s, Senator McCain airily dismissed these courageous men and sided with his Senate pal. Playing conciliator in the national media, McCain despicably denounced the Swift boat veterans’ ad as dishonest and dishonorable, hinting that they were pawns of George Bush and the Republican right.

Like all the leftists in the MSM, John McCain never gave these true American heroes even the least opportunity to defend their claims. As a veteran who had suffered more than most to defend our constitutional right of free speech, McCain inexplicably used his powerful office and national presence to ally himself with the repressive forces of mainstream media to suppress that right to men who had risked their lives in combat to preserve it. It was one of the bitterest betrayals the Swift boat vets and the millions of us Vietnam veterans supporting them would have to endure. We expected treachery from the MSM and Kerry’s campaign, but not from John McCain.

What I can never reconcile in my mind, my heart or my soul, is how this naval aviator, POW and true war hero, could so easily turn his back on his fellow sailors, combat veterans all. In the name of political expediency, and a sorely misguided attempt to lay to rest all the troubled ghosts of Vietnam that his treasonous Senate colleague was primarily responsible for creating, John McCain turned his back on the true heroes and sided with a phony vet with phony medals and a suspect discharge.

Never mind that I disagree with McCain on immigration, taxes and his unconstitutional McCain-Feingold bill; that’s all merely politics and has nothing to do with honor and loyalty to those who served bravely alongside you in combat. Nope, that’s not the issue. But I’m putting the Senator on notice right now; if you should somehow get the Republican nomination, you are gambling with the votes of millions of veterans like me unless you repudiate your reprehensible siding with the traitorous, treasonous John Kerry. I have never stayed home on Election Day in protest of a distasteful candidate, but this could be the first time for me and many Vietnam vets, again turning our backs on a fellow vet who turned his first.

The Senator should read the excellent recounting of how a determined few veterans, whom he disgracefully defamed, defeated his old buddy, John Kerry, in the 2004 campaign. In ‘To Set the Record Straight,” authors Scott Swett and Tim Ziegler, lay it out, page by page, what the concerted efforts of a few honorable patriots with an unrelenting resolve can accomplish in the arena of national politics.

Like the old platoon sergeant, I would caution, “Not so fast there, McCain!

Russ Vaughn
Vietnam 65-66
Presidential Campaign 2004

Contributed by Russ Vaughn on January 22, 2008 at 06:57 PM in John McCain, Politics, Russ Vaughn, Viet Nam | Permalink

Comments

Posted by: Fight4TheRight

Great,great posting Russ!

Could NOT agree more.

Posted by: Fight4TheRight | Jan 27, 2008 4:17:27 PM

Posted by: Antimedia

McCain abandoned us long ago when he collaborated with Kerry to abandon the POWs that were left behind. His history is to turn his back on his fellow veterans. It's sad it took this long for so many to realize it.

War hero? Most certainly. Friend of veterans? Not a chance.

Posted by: Antimedia | Jan 28, 2008 10:16:37 PM

Posted by: MilesLibertatis

Very well done piece.

I really hope Republicans come to their senses and do not nominate McCain.

Posted by: MilesLibertatis | Jan 30, 2008 9:07:36 AM

Posted by: Glenn Scarborough

This is what has been on my mind since 2004 it hurts to see John run off about the swift boat men just kile he was with them.
No one had right better than this men and They had been on John Kerry case sine 1971 it was not for Bush but what was right. We have same thing where I live a Bias Media who put what they want in paper. I seen opinion just yeasturday Feb 15 08 where vets called war lies putting down VA lack of money the VA is in best it has ever been.
I am 65 years old never seen people cared for like they are now even have medical centers close by he says more homles vets now but it is by choice.
If any one wants to see the paper I have it and his buddy is from Serbia. We will win if left alone. Glenn

Posted by: Glenn Scarborough | Feb 16, 2008 7:24:29 AM

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"Russ Vaughn on McCain" from Cao's Blog
From Old War Dogs: Up front, as a Vietnam veteran, I will readily concede that I respect John McCain for his service to his country, first as a naval aviator and POW in Vietnam, then for his long years in our national Congress. I even will admit to... [Read More]

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