It means nothing more than he's been to war, he's seen the price of war firsthand, experienced it first hand. He understand the sacrifice, the death, the destruction, the cost of war that the rest of America has been happily shielded from during our current war.

Whether you believe that that means he'd be more realistic about going to war, or continuing the war, is a personal opinion, but it doesn't lessen the fact, the reality, that McCain knows more about the personal sacrifices and cost of war than 95% of the rest of the country.

It doesn't make him more qualified to be president, or less qualified to be president. A lot of fine presidents never fought in a war, but many other fine ones did.

McCain could have got out of Vietnam, he had the connections through his family, but he served. He went to war, whether you think being a fighter pilot was any big deal or not, he still paid his price for this country with five years of his life as a prisoner of war.

All it means is that when his country called he answered and served, and paid a large personal price for that service. If people want to downplay that and dismiss it, fine, that's their prerogative. But it's petty and small minded, not to mentions fairly sad. Is it qualification to be president? No, but it is proof of his service and commitment to this country.

Take it or leave it.

Your one statement does qualify MAC, and it is a qualifier that BO does not have a clue about:

"...McCain knows more about the personal sacrifices..."

But MACs Senatorial record more than justifies the over all job requirements...again a feature severely lacking in BO.

Now tell us what you had to say about Kerry who saw war close up and learned from it.

So what exactly is McCain's 30 year senatorial legacy?

like how many Purple Hearts for a ticket home.

By the way, where's that honorable discharge? Four years ought to enough time to go through that trunk.

doesn't mean squat to Boca...even tough he actually was fighting.....which is a bit different from being a POW.....but let's not continue to fight the "Nam War...again and again and again. I find John McCains military record before getting shot down over Hanoi...while not following instructions or his flight plan or staying with his team.....very enlightening myself. With all due respect...fly boys don't ever see "war" upclose and person..except if they go off course, do not stay with the squad and get shot down! For the third time.

McCain has said one thing and voted another on nearly every issue being debated. That and the fact that he's taking economic advise from Phil Gramm, someone who is so freaking clueless, he makes Feith look like Adam Smith.

Why don't you do a little reading Marky Mark and quit acting like the CON-Tards around here constantly saying..."prove it".

And BO ain't got no senatorial legacy. he got a half assed speech from the DEM convention in 2004 about unity.

BO is an empty suit that is bad for the DEM party.

Based on what you've written--very eloquently, I might add--one could reasonably assume that McCain had learned much about the evils of war, and the need to make it the last choice.

There is, however, no evidence that he learned that at all.

McCain reminds us everyday of his service.

His minions tout about what a hero he is.

Getting your ass shotdown does not make you a hero and certainly does not make you qualified to become presient.

If anything it shows a lack of good judgement.

This guy crashed five military aircraft and got his ass shot down. That makes him presidential material? I think not.

With your reasoning why not elect the Navy's only ace in Vietnam.

He has a lot of experience as a Congressman. He has a lot of backgroud with the military.

By your logic he should be Commander in chief.

The only problem is he is in jail for accepting bribes from military contractors.

His name is Randy "Duke" Cunnigham and he is a thief.

You know this is Swiftboating BS...knock it off for the love of God.

Mad dog MAC can tout all those naval accomplishments if BO can tout all his Community Organizing.

You were not there, you don't know what the man was doing in a war that was obscene and too stupid to believe.

And the Swiftboat liars club had no right attacking Kerry either.

When we condem another persons service while under fire and in hostle enemy territory we are taking cheap shameful shots.

How can anyone justify killing others? Even if they did it in the service of thier country. How can anyone condem them for killing as ordered by America?

IMHO it gets a pass. There some criticisims that are off limits...and that is one of them.

You are spitting in the wind my friend. There is nothing off limits for many of the flaming A-holes on this site. The condem with no personal experience and little or no facts. Persoanlly, most of them would pi$$ in their panties if they were in either Mcain's or Kerry's shoes back in the day.

mark14:

Now tell us what you had to say about Kerry who saw war close up and learned from it.

I voted for Kerry, same as I voted for Gore, same as I voted for Bill Clinton twice, same as I voted for Dukakis.

Any more questions?

No. I am satisfied but if McCain brings it up I will dismiss it because Kerry lost for failing to praise the war makers and torturers and ,although there once was a time, McCain now embraces them.

Gramm's smarmy speaking style...eeewww...looks to be the favorite son for VP....from my post to God's ear!