Predictable July 4th Rhetoric: How to Define Patriotism
McCain and Obama traded speeched on patriotism. Obama distanced himself from Wes Clark’s remark that “being a prisoner of war, does not necessarily qualify John McCain to be Commander in Chief.” Meanwhile, McCain’s campaign organized a conference call supporters to bash Obama led by George E. “Bud” Day, a member of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.
Amid aides’ sniping, Obama, McCain turn to patriotism
By Margaret Talev and William Douglas | McClatchy Newspapers, June 30th, 2008
WASHINGTON — Kicking off a week of Independence Day campaigning, the two leading presidential candidates turned Monday toward themes of patriotism and military experience, with whispers of the 2004 Swift boat veterans’ controversy.
Democrat Barack Obama, who didn’t serve in the military and opposes the Iraq war, delivered a speech defending his vision of patriotism. He said that today’s debate over patriotism was rooted in simplistic caricatures from the 1960s culture wars, and he defined patriotism instead as “loyalty to America’s ideals.”
However, in his remarks at President Harry Truman’s hometown of Independence, Mo., Obama diverted briefly from his sweeping rhetoric to criticize a challenge to presumptive Republican nominee John McCain’s credentials made Sunday by one of his campaign’s surrogate spokesmen.
Retired Gen. Wes Clark, in a television appearance, suggested that McCain isn’t qualified to be president. As for McCain’s military experience — he’s a Vietnam veteran who spent more than five years as a prisoner of war after his plane was shot down — Clark said that getting shot down in a plane didn’t qualify one to be president.
Obama distanced himself from the comment.
“I will never question the patriotism of others in this campaign,” he said Monday. “And I will not stand idly by when I hear others question mine. … For those like John McCain who have endured physical torment in service to our country, no further proof of such sacrifice is necessary.”
Meanwhile, McCain’s campaign organized a conference call for several supporters to bash Clark and, by extension, Obama.
McCain’s supporters included retired Air Force Col. George E. “Bud” Day, a member of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. That group attempted to discredit 2004 Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry’s Vietnam War record. Its efforts spawned a verb, “Swift-boating,” which politicians use to describe smear campaigns against them. Click here to read more at McClatchy News.