BETHLEHEM, Pennsylvania - Republican John McCain’s military history is famous, but the service of his sons is less well known. And until recently, that’s exactly how the presidential candidate and his wife, Cindy, wanted it.
But on Wednesday, Mrs. McCain made a rare reference to her sons when criticizing the Illinois senator for his 2007 vote against a war funding bill. McCain has two sons in the military, and one has served in Iraq. “The day that Sen. Obama decided to cast a vote to not fund my son when he was serving sent a cold chill through my body,” McCain told a crowded rally in Pennsylvania, an electoral battleground state.
“I would suggest that Sen. Obama change shoes with me for just one day and see what it means … to have a loved one serving in the armed forces and more importantly, serving in harm’s way,” she said. “I suggest he take a day and go watch our fine young men…and women deploy, get on those buses and leave with a smile.”
McCain also invoked vice presidential nominee Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s son, who recently deployed to Iraq.
”We have a lot in common, the McCain family and the Palin family,” she said. “We represent between us the Army, the Navy and the United States Marine Corps.”
Obama voted against the funding bill in 2007 but supported a version that included a timetable for withdrawal for U.S. troops from Iraq.
The son of Obama’s vice presidential running mate, Delaware Sen. Joe Biden, has just been sent to Iraq with the Army National Guard, and will be there for about a year. Obama has two young daughters.
Click here for more Reuters 2008 campaign coverage.
Photo credit: REUTERS/Carlos Barria
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The whole idea that Capitalism is a good thing, scares the hell out of me.
People who actually believe it’s good should really do some in-depth research on it.
I’m not a supporter of socialism, but capitalism really isn’t any better.
- Posted by DaveDo the McCain folks think the electorate is stupid? Do they think that we–like Sarah Palin–don’t read newspapers? That we don’t watch TV news?
All these culture/character attacks the McCain folks are pulling out have already been refuted. Hillary tried all of them in the waning days of her campaign, and they were one by one addressed in the media and shown to be baseless. Or, it was shown that McCain had matching skeletons in his closet (McCain likewise voted against funding, Rick Davis has similar ties to Fannie Mae).
Read the writing on the wall–it’s over, the electorate wants Obama, not McCain.
I wish we could vote tomorow and bring an end to this foolishness.
And to think, back in the winter I actually considered voting for McCain…
- Posted by MicheleSo said by two women (McCain and Palin) who’ve both raised sons dumb enough to put their lives on the line for the Bush Doctrine. Yay.
- Posted by icarusstbdtac - Thank you for your comment. We need to hear from more veterans like you so that everyone knows the truth. Now Cindy McCain is standing up there lying just like McCain and Palin. People need to check the facts. McCain has a record of voting against anything for the troops, while Obama has voted for them. It is a disgrace that they can accuse Obama of being unpatriotic among many other bad words, when he the one that cares about our troops. It is a disgrace for the U.S. that we can continue to send troops to war over and over, but not take care of them when they get home. They deserve better than that.
- Posted by Will58ms. McCain has a great deal invested in the old grey goat…But she does have a mind of her own and I can empathize with her maternal feelings but not how it preceeds a fear mongering plea for sympathy votes…Her husband was a comical but geninue maveric until 2000, then he lost his way.
No honor, no integrity, a liar and a race baiter….SHAME on McCAIN….SHAME SHAME
- Posted by DocbDear brickhouse
Go ask that capitalistic CEO if he’ll make sure you have a house just like his, and see if he helps you get it. People seem to think people with money just give it all back for some reason. Go ask for a million from Bush or any oil company, or a bank, or the government, the person living next door and see how kind people in capitalism really are.
- Posted by C.D.WalkerHow can Obama lead to Marxism by helping the Middle Class? You know, those people who make, work, and pay for just about everything in America? Republicans under people like Bush and McCain have led this country INTO socialism by privatizing profits and socializing loses. So who really is Marxist?
- Posted by C.D.WalkerCindy McCain controls a $100 million beer distributorship, and her Washington lobbyists fight any form of regulation of alcohol consumption. They also oppose such organizations as Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Meanwhile, she collects the profits and gives her husband a comfortable old age. I guess this aspect of responsibly mothering doesn’t bother her.
- Posted by CooperWhat is pathethic is that people across this country are willing to overlook the dangerous relationships and anti-capitalistic policies Obama and his group of liberal thugs are spewing. Why is it that there are so many people who despise what this country stands for and are willing to but its great history in jeopary. Now it is becoming apparent that the radical left will do anything to get their man in office. Why aren’t we wondering why this so? Don’t you all understand there is an agenda here. Additionally, I will hope that these rich liberals start increasing their philanthropic because I can tell you the so called upper middle class that is the backbone to donations in this country (not Hollywood, not the rich libs) will be tightening their belt if Obama starts his mass redistribution of wealth plan. Unfortunately, I believe Obama will be the worst thing to happen to this country since the Jimmy Carter.
- Posted by PaulPerhaps after Barack “takes a day and go watch our fine young men…and women deploy, get on those buses and leave with a smile,” perhaps Cindy can take a day to watch some of them return in flag-draped coffins.
- Posted by Tony BroadwaySo sad how low Cindy has to go, they get upset when there’s any criticism of there kids (Palin’s pregnamt daughter) and say kids are out of bounds, then in the next breath they use them on the campaign trail…. Come on Mcain, Palin dont be so pathetic
- Posted by johnoIt is pathetic watching an old man and his enterauge of young women wasting peoples time in supporting Bush’s policies and huge spending problems ($5 trillion in debt alone). To think Bush won his elections by one and sixteen electoral votes only and McCain, not as a maverick, but as a sidekick, will be buried. I have always felt sorry for all those other POW’s whjo returned with him who have led an honrable life without egotistically always retelling their past plight. Their HONOR puts McCain at shame.
- Posted by jim rutherfordWow Cindy, you CAN talk. Shame on you for bringing your son into this. THAT gives me chills.
- Posted by BernitaRepublicans make me sick! I love how they seem to forget their own voting records when its convenient for them. Give me a break! We shouldn’t even be in Iraq. Republicans have ruined America and it’s time for a change. 8 years of Bush …let’s review. War in Iraq, Crashed Economy, 700 Billion dollar bail out. We don’t need some Maverick who jumps ship anytime things are going good, we need someone who will stand up for the people of this country.
- Posted by DerekI’m a 64 yr old registered Republican who has never voted for a Democrat. I’m also a Navy veteran with a combat infantry, paratrooper son who has served 3 tours in Iraq & 2 in Afghanistan. If John McCain put country first he would silently fold his tent & slip away.
- Posted by stbdtacAt this point in time he wouldn’t recognize honor if he tripped over it.
McShame,
Stop talking about troops in Iraq or your and your ancestors’ military services when all you care about, is your campaign. By putting that Palin the Disastrous on the ticket, you showed that 1. you don’t care about the leadership of the US in times of difficulty in order to win the election OR 2. you don’t have the judgment to select competent people for important positions, such as the VP of the US OR both.
- Posted by LukeDear Brickhouse, I agree.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOCIALIST AND A CAPITALIST, IS WHEN SOCIALIST LOOKS AT A BEAUTIFUL HOUSE, HE THINKS NOBODY SHOULD NOT HAVE ONE. WHEN CAPITALIST LOOKS AT A BEAUTIFUL HOUSE, HE THINKS EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE ONE.
- Posted by DemocracyRulesWOW! The smell of defeat. It has made jon tiller just lose his mind. Now he has went and put his wife on duty as an attact dog. YEAH WAY TO GO JONNY BOY NOW YOUR TOTAL IS ONE DOG AND ONE PIG. Not to mention they act like they are the only people in america who have a family memeber in action. Do not get me wrong i love our troops in fact at one time i was a troop. Yet to play this out on a national platform is shameless. We will not even go into the things they are saying about Barack Obama. They are just smiply going down the wrong path. OBAMANOS AMERICA…
- Posted by we willWe are at a fork in the road of American history. McCain’s path continues the American foundation, our Constitution and Bill of Rights intact. Obama’s path represents “something new and changed,” but certainly will lead us to a Marxist future. Which do we choose?
Personally, I’d prefer to continue the American Way we’ve been since our nation was first built. Ask yourself, what makes America such a prosperous place? Why are million upon millions of people wanting to come live here? Our DNA is the same as many people around the world, it’s not our genes. The answer is FREEDOM. I’m sticking to the traditional path we’ve always followed, but I wish some of these criminals in Washington, D.C. were behind bars with the heads of Fannie and Freddie. I’d also like all those campaign contributions Obama and the Democrats received from F&F returned. Their crimes were bigger and nastier than Enron. Congress is willing to investigate steroid-use in professional sports but not this? They belong behind bars.
- Posted by BrickhouseCindy,
- Posted by susanHow many chills did you get in your body when your husband, John McCain, voted against the bill to fund the military?
His excuse was that it contained a provision for withdrawal of US troops from Iraq. He seems to think it is ok to leave the soldiers over there indefinitely. I guess that doesn’t bring much comfort to you????
It’s a shame you “forgot” to mention that today. Oh wait that is what the McCain campaign is all about…deception and fear.