It seems there are veterans, and then there are veterans. The on-going tussle between the Webb GI Bill and the McCain GI Bill is interesting on a number of levels, not the least of which is the specter of a man who uses his personal history as a Vietnam POW as a constant talking point in his run for the Presidency deriding the service of other veterans. If it weren't so damn serious, it would be funny. Anyway, McCain has claimed that he has the support of "literally every veterans organization in America."
Like another discussion I have had elsewhere on the 'net, it is important to note that when someone makes an absolute claim such as this, a single counter-factual is enough to disprove it completely. So, is there one? Why, yes there is:
In 1993, the Air Force Association (AFA) — “an independent, nonprofit, civilian education organization promoting public understanding of aerospace power and the pivotal role it plays in the security of the nation” — awarded Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) the W. Stuart Symington Award, AFA’s top award for civilian contributions to national defense. While presenting the award, the AFA noted McCain’s “continued championing of programs important to the men and women of the armed forces.”
Since then, McCain’s record on veterans issues may have given the AFA pause. Most recently, McCain has been a vocal opponent of the Sen. Jim Webb’s (D-VA) 21st Century GI Bill. He offered his own watered-down version of the bill but shut out most veterans groups from the crafting of the legislation. Now the AFA and McCain have officially parted ways, with the AFA endorsing Webb’s bill, S.22[.]
In all, Think Progress counts 15 veterans groups that endorse the Webb GI Bill.
So, does X-15 veterans organization equal "literally every veterans organization"? Had McCain added any other qualifier, perhaps he could weasel out of this one. Yet, by using the adverb "literally" before "every", he opened himself up to questions concerning the veracity of his statement.
Or maybe I'm just nitpicking.
3 comments:
I wish I had the exact quote, but in the most recent Media Matters podcast, Noam Chomsky was asked about the upcoming election. His verdict - McCain will win because no one can really endure the massive lies and smears of the right-wing Republican machine, and because this is still a racist country.
I sincerely hope Chomsky is wrong on this point, but he at least reinforces my view that this will be a very, very tough election and that Americans simply do not understand how bad things really are, they don't make the connection between their own troubles and the Republican policies that created them, and they are prone to make voting decisions on irrelevancies because of their unfamiliarity with the facts.
Keep exposing the McCain lies - we have no choice but to work as hard as we can to eliminate the radical neocons from power.
I think Chomsky is wrong because, first, Obama has already managed to laugh of or wipe away some smears, handling them exactly as he, and Democrats before him, should.
Second, the entire political climate has changed. They are reaching for the same old crap, but it just won't work anymore.
As for exposing, I'm just putting in here what is already out there. I thought this would be a weekly, or twice-weekly thing. But, there is just so much of it out there it's turned in to a daily thing.
I hope you're right, but between the Republican's penchant for election fraud, the media's love affair with Grandpa McCain, and the inestimable ignorance of the American voter, an Obama victory is not in the bag.
As for McCain lies, you may need to post several times a day to keep up.
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