McCain has been basing his qualifications for President on his military experience. Republicans and McCain love to use his military experience as a mallet to whack Obama. They want voters to think that just because McCain wore a uniform he should be President. They want voters to think that since he was a POW he is the most qualified to protect America from another terrorist attack.

Clark nailed it. Just because you flew a fighter jet and got shot down doesn’t mean you are automatically qualified to be President. There are other issues to consider such as judgment and executive experience. McCain flip flops on his positions on a daily basis and is a strong practitioner of the politics of expedience. When cornered McCain routinely hides behind his uniform and gently reminds everyone that he was a POW.

Clark hit it. It’s too bad Obama didn’t go after McCain on the same point. I understand why Obama distanced himself from Clark’s comment. I’m just not sure he needed to. In 2004 John Kerry’s military service was disparaged by Republicans. Bush on the other hand was made out to be a hero even though he didn’t serve in Vietnam. Bush is fond of saying that his National Guard service was honorable and if his unit was called up for Vietnam that he would have gone.

The point is Republicans only care about winning. If Obama were a vet they would be swift boating him right now as they did Kerry. What Clark said was nothing compared to what the swift boaters did to John Kerry. Just as Bush in 2004 said he was a “war time President” so too Republicans are going to use McCain’s military experience to suggest he is the best person to combat terrorism.

All Clark was saying was that just because you flew a few missions and got shot down doesn’t necessarily make you the most qualified person to combat terrorism and keep America safe. Republicans think they own the National Security issue and they plan to hide all their flaws behind McCain’s uniform. They are using the old “you wouldn’t hit a guy wearing a uniform would ya?” routine even thought they gleefully tore up Kerry.

They expect that the public will not tolerate any questions about McCain’s military service. Never mind that he graduated next to last in his class, collaborated with the North Vietcong, voted against releasing MIA and POW records to assist grieving families, may have started the fire on the Forestall, and in typical McCain fashion, crashed and burned when his time came.

The public tolerated the trashing of John Kerry just fine. I expect they will tolerate what amounts to be the exposure of the truth about John McCain.