Stupidest Attack on McCain Yet

The Democrats are having a tough time figuring out how to attack John McCain. He’s not a doctrinaire Republican, he has bucked his party on numerous occasions and he has a limited affinity for George W. Bush and his policies. Since the Democrats would prefer to be running against the incumbent president, the stark differences between McCain and Bush have sowed some confusion. This confusion is leading to moments of remarkable foolishness.

A prominent local Barack Obama backer bashed John McCain’s military record Monday, calling the Republican presidential candidate a “self-promoter.” In a nearly-half hour speech, Democratic congressional candidate Bill Gillespie praised Obama, his party’s leading White House hopeful… “Admirals’ sons,” Gillespie said, unopposed for the Democratic nomination in the 1st Congressional District held by Republican Rep. Jack Kingston, “were treated like royalty. They were privileged people. They were given a silver spoon. Their careers were prepared for them.” Gillespie, a former Army officer who served in Iraq, said McCain was the kind of admiral’s son who became a “maverick.” McCain, Gillespie added, was “somebody who needed to stand out, someone that needed to draw attention to themselves and … was usually out for themselves.” He said his “heart grieves” for McCain’s suffering as a POW. “After that,” Gillespie said, “he was somewhat of a celebrity and it went to his head. … I think he was a self-promoter for the last four years (in the Navy.) Asked to cite specific examples, Gillespie responded, “I don’t have one right now.”

As Jim Geraghty points out, this Gillespie guy’s comments come hard on the heels of similarly ludicrous efforts by McCain’s senate colleagues Jay Rockefeller and Tom Harkin to disparage his military service. Still, Gillespie’s comments take the prize for sheer stupidity. Forget examples of McCain’s alleged self-promotion. I want to hear details of the silver spoon the privileged son of an Admiral was given at the Hanoi Hilton. Finally, what has happened to the political party of “Reporting for Duty?” Remember the outrage they felt over George W. Bush’s failure to serve in Vietnam? Only four short years ago, these people revered military service. Apparently military service by a Republican, even while it may do something to remove the stain of the chicken-hawk, remains inherently ignoble.

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