Let's not forget, what JSM wanted more than anything was to one day be an admiral like Dad and Grandpa. That's what he was doing up in that airplane in the first place. As a matter of fact, with his flying record, he probably wouldn't have been there at all if Dad and Grandpa weren't admirals.

To hear McCain tell it, he was the only one offered early release, the only one to turn it down. The man is a deeply disturbed pathological liar with narcissistic tendencies up the wazoo.

Hello JimBob. All unrestricted commisioned officers have an ambition to become a flag officer; nothing unusual about that.

Many officers had father's that were general officers. An example would be General George Patton's son, who served in Korea and Vietnam and retired a Major General.

Also, there were other P.O.W.s that took early release. Senator McCain mentions only the fact that since his Father was CINPAC, that was the reason the North Vietnamese were offering to repatriate him, realizing he wouldn't be keeping the faith with his fellow captives, and he would be used for propaganda purposes, he turned his tormentors down.

What we all should be questioning is not McCain's service, but his judgment, as there are issues. Just as there are issues for the junior senator that opposes him in this race.

He retired from the Navy in 1981after his father died and it was obvious that he no longer had anyone to pull strings for him.

Jimbob and Trebuchet, denegrating McCain's service and sacrifice is misinformed and lowclass. McCain's story is about his own personal 5 1/2 years in hell, and he never implies that he was the only one to turn down early release, Of couse he aspired to flag rank but was forced to retire due to his physical limitations making him unfit for sea command, thereby eliminating any possibility of becoming an admiral. Get your facts straight and move on to the issues.

What year did his dad die?

How does a guy that is at the bottom of his class get to fly airplanes?

How many planes did he wreck? How many planes do you get to wreck if you dad isn't an admiral?

That same day he got shot down, the rest of his squad was fired upon, but they all followed naval regulations and avoided being shot down. Whose fault was it that McCain was shot down? He had clear warning that a missle had been launched against him and he ignored oreders to evade the missle.

Was having McCain as a prisoner of war a benefit or a detriment to the war effort in Vietnam? The North Vietnamese used John McCain as a bargaining chip and he did sign a confession.

Some war hero. Those five years was his hell. He made his choice, he should stop playing the victim.

Trebuchet, you sir are what is known as a demagogue. Look it up in the dictionary and you'll find your picture included in the definition. You should be ashamed of youself for your loathsome words. You can't debate the issues so you debase the man's character. Shame on you.

This has been a character campaign on the part of the Republican Party since it's beginning.

What issues did you have in mind? How about torture? McCain stands against torture, having been tortured by the enemy in Vietnam (see posts above) but when push came to shove, he voted for giving the president permission to torture prisoners they deem necessary to torture.

Or maybe you would like to discuss the issue of tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans. John McCain was bitterly opposed to keeping these tax cuts that have thrown us into record deficit spending during the last six years - but folded and voted to keep them when his party inisisted.

Even his vice presidential pick was vetoed by his party - he wanted Joe Lieberman or Tom Ridge (Roe v Wade was another issue he was for before he was against it) as Vice President and instead finds himself with the reckless choice of Sarah Palin as VP because she doesn't offend the religiuos extremists in the party.

You see? Character and Issues go hand in hand....if you are willing to compromise your principles to become president. Not shame on me - shame on John McCain.