John McCain uses his resistance to torture and fortitude in enduring it as the touchstone of his career. But, no one asks the question, “why did he LET himself get shot down in the first place?” It was completely HIS decision to make. Consider this quote from his book, Faith of My Fathers:

“I recognized the target sitting next to the small lake and dived in on it, just as the tone went off signaling that a SAM was flying towards me.

“I knew I should roll out and fly evasive maneuvers, "jinking" in flyers' parlance, when I heard the tone. The A-4 is a small, fast highly maneuverable aircraft, a lot of fun to fly, and it can take a beating. Many an A-4 returned safely to its carrier after being badly shot up by enemy fire. An A-4 can outmaneuver a tracking SAM, pulling more G’s than the missile can take. But I was just about to release my bombs when the tone sounded, and had I started jinking, I would never have had the time, nor probably the nerve, to go back in once I had lost the SAM.

“So at about 3,500 feet, I released my bombs, then pulled back the stick to begin a steep climb to a safer altitude. In the instant before the plane reacted, a SAM blew my right wing off.”

So he could have outmaneuvered the SAM, but chose not to, in effect becoming a Kamikaze pilot. McCain had already stated how accurate the SAM’s were, once they had locked on to a plane. So, why keep going in the face of an almost certain hit? Was it because it was vitally important to dump one more bomb-load on Hanoi to add to the thousands of tons of explosives already dropped, and the more to come? Did the Navy have no Rules of Engagement telling pilots that they were supposed to preserve their planes and their highly trained pilots to fight another day?

McCain was not on some solo night mission to knock out a key bridge before a commando attack. It was a regular bombing mission, from which the Navy hoped to get as many of their pilots and planes back as possible - especially considering the severe losses McCain said the SAMs were causing. So, why didn’t McCain evade the SAM? Extreme stubbornness? Extreme ego? Simple impetuosity? Are these the qualities we want in the person who picks up the mythical 3 am phone call of disaster? It comes down to a matter of judgment.

Art Doyle

Carmel Valley CA

Because McBush is an ultra chauvinist psychopath who is in love with war and militarism whom our moronic public will probably elect as the next president.

I dont think Obama has been given a bye before Wednesday. And I dont think Clinton has been subject to more scrutiny than he has. Ive watched NBC news every night, and every night whatever the controversy, Clinton is the centerpiece. If the criticism is about her, she's on. If it's about Obama, she's on for her reaction to him and it. The Sunday before Ohio and Texas, she's on Meet The Press, now reduced to one permament member evidently. A little whine apparently goes a long way. It reminds one of the old saw, "Well enough about me. What do YOU think about me?"

The main problem with Obama on Wednesday, as it is with Clinton, is that possessing a law degree from fancy pedigree law schools does not a lawyer make. Only trials make a lawyer, the incessant combat where one may take hits, but hits back. One suffers silly arguments and questions not. In this case, the hittee, Obama, should have, as A Different Tack said, laid into the questioner. A little anger goes a long way. And these questions, already answered ad nauseum, deserved a little anger and a lot of disdain. In order to win, at anything, judgment is essential, but daring is equally important.

Hillary's correct about Moveon.org. They've long outlived their usefullness. Talk about elitist. They've done nothing and been ntohing but a collection of latte liberals and bathroom bloggers bitching about Iraq while the rest of America worried about going into foreclosure.

Talk about being out of touch. HOw much money have they wasted now on Dean, on the clown they were going to replace Liberman with, that ridiculous roadshow of hiring ex-felons to "get out the vote" in 2004 (which I think ended up costing them a few hundred thousand in penalties because something was illegal about it), on commercials in 2004 which did nothing.

And now in foisting Obama the loser on us.

The netroots is the nutroots.

Just sit there and be an oinky loser.

Obama and his unhinged supporters are mad as hell and they're not going to take it anymore!!!

You go Obamateur's! Take on that MSM!!! Give in the finger!! Rant and demand hell!!

I'm sure, like , you won't be painted as a collection of Howard Dean screaming nutcases (and in this case accurately so).

LOL.

Clowns.

"Clinton gets hammered for every lie because she's a habitual liar. And unlikable, too. Duh."

Oh, of course! And Obama is getting hammered for every elitist remark he makes because he's a big elitist. And John Kerry was hammered for every un-American thing he did because he's un-American. And Al Gore was hammered for evey big fat lie he told because he's a big fat liar. Its so obvious! Thanks for straightening that out.

And McCain, of course, has been praised far and wide as a straight-shooter because he ALWAYS tells it like it is. And Bush was portrayed as a down to earth, plain spoken man of the people because - obviously - thats what he is. Its all so clear now.

Should be post of the year. Not that the vulgar obamateur's can understand the irony they so well portray mind you.

Loser? Check the delegate count, dickless. Check the polls, thimblewit. Check the endorsements. Check the fundraising totals. Then, play with your little keyboard and see if it matters. It doesn't. Fascist plant. Neocon diddler. Roman fiddler. Bedtime piddler. Sod off.