Harkin Suggests Military Background Makes McCain Unfit to be Commander-in-Chief
John McCain stands in front of a picture of himself while a Navy pilot. (AP Photo)
Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin is catching grief for suggesting John McCain’s family history of military service makes the presumptive Republican presidential nominee unfit to be commander-in-chief.
Harkin, who has a history of embellishing his own military record, told Iowa reporters last week that McCain’s background as the son and grandson of Navy admirals creates a “dangerous” situation because he can only view the world through the prism of the military.
“He has a hard time thinking beyond that,” Harkin said, according to The Des Moines Register. “I think he’s trapped in that. Everything is looked at from his life experiences, from always having been in the military, and I think that can be pretty dangerous.”
The paper also quotes Iowa’s junior senator telling reporters, “It’s one thing to have been drafted and served, but another thing when you come from generations of military people and that’s just how you’re steeped, how you’ve learned, how you’ve grown up.”
Military service is not a foreign concept to U.S. presidents. In the post-War War II era, Bill Clinton is the only president to have not served in some branch of the military.
McCain, who touts his family history on the campaign trail, was a Vietnam War pilot who spent five and a half years in a prisoner of war camp rather than accept the North Vietnamese offer to release him ahead of his fellow troops because he was the son of an admiral.
On the stump, McCain often discusses the need to continue operations in Iraq until the country can securely manage its own affairs, and has suggested that the U.S. could leave a presence there for as long as 100 years if the country is secure.
In a recent speech, however, the Arizona senator laid out a vision of his administration that included removing U.S. troops from Iraq by 2013.
McCain’s campaign has blasted Harkin for suggesting that a long military career is a bad thing. Elsewhere, the right-wing blogosphere and pundits have suggested that Harkin is out of touch.
“It’s perverse,” said National Review editor Rich Lowry. “He has this family history of serving the country in the most risk-taking way possible, and that somehow disqualifies you to be president of the United States? That’s insane.”
Democratic strategist Kristen Powers, a FOX News political analyst, said Harkin’s comments make it harder for Democrats to claim the moral authority on foreign policy.
“I think it’s a problem. I don’t know why he would say something like that, and it reinforces this idea of Democrats not respecting military service … it’s a noble calling, and I don’t know why he would say something like that,” she said.
Harkin, who noted in the conference call with reporters that difficulty recruiting has led to more high school dropouts and felons entering the military, has a long military record of his own.
He served in the Navy on active duty for five years, and remained in the reserves until 1989. But while running for president in 2004, he was forced to admit that he never did combat air patrols or photo reconnaissance in Vietnam as he had claimed.
According to The Wall Street Journal, which acquired his military records at the time of his presidential bid, Harkin ferried damaged aircraft between repair stations in Japan and the Philippines, and ran test flights of the planes after they were fixed.
Jen,
You are correct in your observation except for one thing Clinton balanced the budget at the EXPENSE of our military.
Did you ever stop to wonder if the attacks occurred BECAUSE of the policies set forth by Bill Clinton and Janet Reno. She was the one who forbid the sharing of information across agencies.
Wouldn’t 20 years of listening to Reverend Wright be the same? He’s a racist…
How long will it be before the news report says
He just mis-spoke….had a full day and was tired and sleepy.
You know how it goes.He’s just human and mispoke.
This is just another example of hatred for the Military from another Democratic idiot. I wonder what the last noteworthy Democrat President (Kennedy) would have said about Harkin’s comments. Oh, by the way…. Wasn’t Kennedy’s service during WWII one of his major selling points during his campaign? There was even a movie made about his Military exploits (PT109). Set down and shut up Harkin.
This is in response for Jen…..
You are correct in what Bill Clinton did. He balanced the budget at the EXPENSE of our military. I have a brother(active in the US ARMY) and brother in law (RETIRED USAF) that both served during that time and both said conditions were horrible.
Do you ever think that 9-11 happened BECAUSE of Bill Clinton and Janet Reno policies. Those terrorists were here for YEARS.
The comments by Senator Harkin only show one thing, envy. He lyed about his record while been in the military and now he says that a war hero like Senator McCain is unfit to be President? What a joke. This shows again and again how out of touch some members of the Democratic Party are with Foreign Policy and the disrespect they have for our men and women in the military.
“It’s one thing to have been drafted and served, but another thing when you come from generations of military people and that’s just how you’re steeped, how you’ve learned, how you’ve grown up.”
I come from a family who has fought in every war, since before the Revolution, and my grt grt grt grt grandfather died commanding his troops during the Revolutionary War…my Father was wounded at Normandy….and so on….guess what Harkins? They all volunteered, were not drafted. They believed this Country was worth fighting for and dying for…but I guess in your mind, since they volunteered, they are those murderers and criminals you say are joining todays’ military. Harkins you owe an apology to every man and woman who has ever served in the military, yes and John McCain too! And this coming out before Memorial weekend…Shame on you!!!!
Sounds like Senator Harkin is jealous and he quotes the typical democrat party propoganda out of context. Typical and wrong.
Every so often when I fear that the Democrats may actually win the White House, they bring me back to the reality that the American people are too smart to let it happen. Thank you Mr. Harkin for showing your true colors and that of the Democratic Party. What an ignorant comment. No spin possible on this one. Although John McCain does not have the advantage of viewing the world through the prisim of a community organizer, I think he will get by just fine.
Obama may want to consider this guy for VP. He seems to follow the path of all his other associates.